‘I just want to avoid spinning gauges all day.”

We hear this from manufacturing professionals all over the world. We were discussing this recently with a manufacturer in Wisconsin that machines large quantities of threaded parts. Their customer requires them to “go” and “no-go”-verify every part. They were dealing with this requirement the way many plants do: Operators stood by and spun a gauge into every thread with their fingers. Unfortunately, this method was not only burdensome but also allowed plenty of room for operator error and repetitive-motion injury.

Our mission at New Vista is to work with manufacturers like these to provide the knowledge and tools they need to overcome thread quality obstacles, so they can stop spinning gauges with their fingers. This article, as part of that mission, presents an introduction to thread gauging.

(Drishti Technologies: Mountain View, CA) -- Drishti Technologies, whose AI-powered manufacturing technology uses video analytics, data, and insights to bring significant benefits to manufacturers and their employees, and HELLA, a tier-one automotive supplier, has announced the latest in a joint effort to further increase operational efficiency with a second successful combined project in Dhankot, India. HELLA is an internationally positioned automotive supplier globally recognized for its lean practices and is committed to investing in the latest technologies to drive human productivity and improve manufacturing outcomes.

With Drishti cameras and streaming video analysis enabled on one of HELLA’s sensor product lines, the HELLA team made a series of previously concealed discoveries. First, the massive volume of cycle-time data available from Drishti quickly revealed slowdowns in stations that were not originally the focus of improvement efforts. Second, by watching video footage from the identified station, the team understood that the physical station configuration was slowing down the line associates.

In fact, the station setup was causing ergonomic concerns. Because the line associate was reaching with his right arm across to the left side of the station, each cycle required a twisting motion that led to fatigue.

For years, when I was the director of the Michigan Quality Council during Gov. John Engler’s administration, we reviewed businesses across the state and looked for world-class service. What we found was that meeting and exceeding the expectations of customers was of paramount importance. And companies who practiced that stood head and shoulders above other companies.

Having said that, I marvel at the ads that herald “Customers are No. 1,” or “We treat you like family.” In my mind, aren’t these just givens? I would hope that as customers we’re the No. 1 when we come into a store or order something online. That seems rather logical. So why do companies have to advertise it? Just wondering.

Then there’s the comment about us being treated like family. Now let me be a bit critical here. I guess it would be nice to be treated like family if we all had the typical Ozzie and Harriet family. But I suspect that isn’t always the case. Thus, are we sure we want to be treated like our family? Again, just wondering.