On March 15, 2018, a 950-ton partially assembled pedestrian bridge at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami suddenly collapsed onto the busy highway below, killing six people and seriously injuring nine. Forensic engineers are taking center stage in the ongoing investigation to find out what happened and why—and crucially, to learn how to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

The AIAG-VDA FMEA Handbook committee and everyone who responded to the request for comment on the proposed AIAG-VDA failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) manual must be applauded for their efforts. Harmonizing the VDA and AIAG FMEA methods is not an easy task. According to industry sources, there were 4,000 or more comments on the proposed handbook. I believe this shows two things. First, people recognize the importance of the document. Second, they believe significant changes are required.

During this past Friday’s episode of QDL, we presented two great interviews, both revolving around standards and certification, plus a piece about analytics, and a lively off-script about the responsibilities of media companies like Facebook when it comes to protecting user data. Here’s a closer look at what we discussed:

It’s small enough to fit inside a shoebox, yet this robot on four wheels has a big mission: keeping factories and other large facilities safe from hackers.

Meet the HoneyBot. Developed by a team of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the diminutive device is designed to lure in digital troublemakers who have set their sights on industrial facilities. HoneyBot will then trick the bad actors into giving up valuable information to cybersecurity professionals.

As I’m sure many of you know, the ISO 13485 standard for medical devices was updated in 2016, which means the time to transition your quality management system (QMS) is now. Most auditing organizations have either cut off ISO 13485:2003 recertifications or will be doing so very soon.

QDL always strives to bring you a look at the people and stories making the news in the world of quality. We succeeded admirably on the “people” side of things this week and threw in a fun story about the physics of the basketball to boot. Let’s take a closer look:

The concepts and frameworks behind quality management are evolving. As more companies adopt new technologies, and standards like ISO 9001:2015 begin to shift in focus, there is a concept that is arising out of Industry 4.0, the factory of the future, and the industrial internet of things (IIoT). This concept, known as Quality 4.0 and the digital transformation of quality, combines the elements of technology, process innovation, and risk-based thinking to provide greater visibility and control into quality processes.

Can companies rely on the results of one or two scientific studies to design a new industrial process or launch a new product? In at least one area of materials chemistry, the answer may be yes—but only 80 percent of the time.