There are always good reasons to attend the American Society for Quality’s World Conference on Quality and Improvement (WCQI).

In high-volume manufacturing, inspection often struggles to keep pace with production. That challenge becomes even greater when the material itself is naturally variable and the defects aren’t always easy to define consistently.

Markets run on trust. Trust runs on standards. And standards only work when the people shaping them reflect the people they are meant to protect.

The modern metric system—known as the International System of Units, or SI—is a model of consistency and logic. But in some cases, the logic seems to break down.

What would you do if a 240-kg iron rock older than the Earth landed outside your house?

High-volume medical equipment serves as the operational backbone of our healthcare system. From infusion pumps and monitoring devices to hospital beds and support surfaces, these assets support nearly every aspect of patient care.

A lot of CMMS rollouts fail quietly. It’s a common scenario: The software is installed, technicians are logging hours, and the digital work orders are flowing. On the surface, the implementation was a “success.”

Most quality professionals have experienced this moment. A process improvement initiative is completed. Procedures are updated, the team is trained, and for a period of time everything works exactly as intended.

In various industries (or in your shop), there are numerous parts that make use of very small holes.

When manufacturing leaders discuss operational challenges, “culture” becomes the catch-all explanation: “Our culture doesn’t support discipline like Asian manufacturers,” or, “We need to change the culture around quality,” or, “It’s a cultural resistance to following