Content By Quality Digest

Leica Geosystems Announces Lockheed Martin Contract

By: Quality Digest 09/06/2004

Lockheed Martin Corp. announced it will buy a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) and laser scanner from Leica Geosystems Inc. for use in its Forth Worth, Texas, headquarters.

Under the terms of the contract, Leica’s metrology division will deliver an LR200 laser scanner (which combines radar, laser and 3-D software technologies) with a wireless T-Probe CMM. Lockheed uses laser tracking systems to demonstrate its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft modules and mating concepts as well as measuring and inspect assembly tooling details based on CAD models.

Leica’s LR200 delivers scan rates up to 1,000 points per second at distances up to 48 m, with accuracy up to 20 µm. It can also capture single point-to-point measurements and scan reflectorless surfaces like a green laser. Leica’s hand-held T-Probe CMM will be implemented with the LTD800/700 laser tracker series and enables the operator to capture 3-D data in a flexible manner.

For more information, visit www.leica-geosystems.com/metrology.

By: Quality Digest 09/06/2004

Delcam Inc. is offering a free CAD viewer that will allow users to view CAD models in all the major formats, including CATIA versions 4 and 5, Pro/Engineer 2001 and Wildfire, SDRC, Unigraphics, SolidWorks and Solid Edge, as well as other industry standards.

“Even though modern CAD software can produce incredibly realistic 2-D images of new designs, the ability to view a 3-D models is still more valuable for potential suppliers, distributors and customers,” says Peter Dickin, Delcam marketing manager. “With our free viewing software, there will be no limit on the number of collaborators to which companies will be able to distribute models of new design proposals.”

He adds that the offering will allow the fastest possible feedback from everyone involved in the delivery of new concepts into the marketplace. Early involvement by collaborators will help establish consensus on the proposed design, minimizing the number of changes that need to be made during the latter stages of product development.

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FARO Laser Tracker Brighter Than Ever

By: Quality Digest 09/06/2004

FARO Technologies Inc. recently released an enhanced generation of its popular laser trackers.

Highlights of the new trackers include ADM Smart Auto-Adjust, which improves accuracy by automatically adapting to conditions affecting measurement drift; Fast Laser Lock, which re-locks the laser in less than a minute for maximum portability; and Advanced Target Search, which has been modified to handle multiple target types of varying intensity.

“The new technology is very thorough,” says Chuck Pfeffer, laser product manager. “It never missed a target during our extensive testing.”

The device’s existing SuperADM and SelfCom technology make the enhancements even more useful. “The latest advances demonstrate our ability to make great products even better, which allows our customers to do the same for their products and processes,” says Simon Raab, FARO president and CEO

For more information, visit www.faro.com.

By: Quality Digest 09/06/2004

A partnership between Arc Second Inc. and Romer CimCore could signal the acceptance of indoor GPS as the measurement technology of the future.

Several major metrology companies, including Romer CimCore, Metrologic Inc. and New River Kinematics, showcased Arc Second’s GPS technology at the 2004 Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference, held in San Jose, California, in August.

By providing a factorywide coordinate frame, Arc Second enables providers of robotic systems, measurement instruments, material handling equipment and other devices the freedom to move about the factory. With indoor GPS, awkward and unwieldy approaches to leapfrogging are becoming a thing of the past.

For more information, visit www.arcsecond.com.

By: Quality Digest 09/06/2004

The revised ISO 14001 standard is scheduled to be published by the end of the year, meaning significant changes to environmental management professionals.

According to the International Organization for Standardization, the changes to the standard aim to clarify it and make it more user-friendly. Additionally, it aligns some clauses with ISO 9001:2000. Among the proposed changes are:

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Six Sigma in Human Resources

By: Praveen Gupta 08/31/2004

Six Sigma has been well applied in manufacturing through improving processes that use the DMAIC methodology. Some larger corporations have integrated Six Sigma so well into the corporate culture that it can be considered the DNA of the company. However, even in such companies, the human resources department has been practic ally untouched by Six Sigma. In a recent conference of the human resources professionals in Chicago, it was clear that HR people are now looking to benefit from Six Sigma initiatives. Two of the questions that have been asked are, “How does HR implement Six Sigma?,” and “What can HR do to help Six Sigma initiatives in an organization?”

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Textron Announces Six Sigma Promotions

By: Quality Digest 08/31/2004

Textron Inc. recently announced two promotions within its Six Sigma department.

Peter Riley was promoted to senior vice president of Six Sigma, integrated supply chain and transformation. In addition, John Mayers was appointed to the position of vice president of Six Sigma. Both men will serve on Textron’s transformation leadership team, which comprises the company’s top 21 executives.

“These appointments reflect the progress we’ve made in cultivating our leadership bench strength, truly representing the essence of our talent development and mobility initiatives,” says Lewis B. Campbell, Textron chairman and CEO.

Riley holds a degree in engineering and is a Six Sigma Black Belt. Mayers most recently served as executive vice president of Six Sigma for Textron Financial Corp. He holds degrees from Purdue University.

For more information, visit www.textron.com.

By: Quality Digest 08/31/2004

Six Sigma Qualtec has announced that L.T. (Tom) Hall has joined the firm as a managing partner.

Hall brings the company more than 20 years of experience in providing performance improvement consulting to financial institutions. He most recently served as a practice manager at Earnings Performance Group, a services provider to financial institutions. He has more than 10 years of experience in banking and financial management, including asset-based lending, commercial banking and credit administration with both national and regional banks.

“Over the last five years, we have led in providing Six Sigma services to financial institutions ranging from national and regional banks, insurance companies, mortgage and credit card providers to vendors in the industry,” says John Lopez-Ona, Six Sigma Qualtec president. “We have now added an experienced individual to focus all his attention on this sector and expand our ability to service companies throughout it.”

For more information, visit www.ssqi.com

By: Quality Digest 08/31/2004

The Piston Group plans to use grant money from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to enhance the area workforce by training leaders in lean manufacturing, quality management and Six Sigma.

The company will receive $57,000 in economic development training grants and will partner with Henry Ford Community College—which received $400,000 in grant funds—to provide the training. Piston reports it will be able to train nearly 90 current and potential employees with the money.

The trainings to be offered include lean manufacturing, process improvement, quality management subsystems, Six Sigma and registration to ISO.

“Our biggest asset is a skilled and qualified workforce,” says Vinnie Johnson, Piston Group chairman and CEO. “With access to high-tech manufacturing training, we are able to recruit and maintain the type of employees that will grow our business and allow us to hire additional workers. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”

For more information, visit www.pistongroup.com.

By: Quality Digest 08/31/2004

Motorola University will provide Six Sigma training to industrial companies across the United States, according to an agreement reached between Motorola University and Charter Consulting Inc.

Joseph Lackner, head of Charter Consulting’s Six Sigma program, says the company plans to use the agreement to benefit its clients. “We are committed to bringing the Six Sigma discipline, rigor and execution into the growth and customer-facing processes of the enterprises we serve,” Lackner says. “Motorola University’s service quality and dedication to Six Sigma will help us have a dramatic impact on our clients’ business growth and profitability.”

Six Sigma focuses on customer requirements, process alignment, analytical rigor and timely execution. Motorola invented the practice in 1986 and has continued to evolve it since then.

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