All Features
Gerald Friedman
It’s easier than ever to buy stuff. You can purchase almost anything on Amazon with a click, and it is only slightly harder to find a place to stay in a foreign city on Airbnb. So why can’t we pay for healthcare the same way?
My research into the economics of healthcare suggests we should be able…
Intel
(Intel: Santa Clara, CA) -- As more developers adopt advanced machine learning approaches to build innovative applications and solutions, Intel is committed to providing the most comprehensive set of development tools and resources to ensure developers are retooling for an AI-centric digital…
Perceptron Inc.
(Perceptron: Plymouth, MI) -- Perceptron, a leading global provider of 3D automated metrology solutions and coordinate measuring machines, has announced that a prestigious German automotive manufacturer selected Perceptron gauging and robot guidance for its manufacturing facility in China.
The…
XYLON
(YXLON International: Hamburg, Germany) -- X-raying in 3D may seem straight out of a futuristic sci-fi movie, but with the recent advancements of Computed Tomography (CT) it is a reality, and a fast, easy, and affordable option. The newly published Computed Tomography (CT) for Industrial…
Creaform Inc.
(Creaform: Costa Mesa, CA) -- Creaform, a global leader in portable 3D measurement solutions and engineering services, has announced that its latest product innovation is the recipient of the prestigious Red Dot Award: Product Design 2017, one of the most sought-after international quality marks…
Donald J. Wheeler
Last month I mentioned that we can put autocorrelated data on a process behavior chart. But what is autocorrelated data and what does it tell us about our processes? This article will use examples to answer both of these questions.
Autocorrelation (aka serial correlation) describes how the values…
Sal Lucido
Automated process management systems are the workhorses of every modern company. These systems guide operations and improve quality and efficiency. Hidden away in the core of each automated process management system lies the unsung yet essential electronic form. You can avoid quality management…
Deirdre Mendez
For stressed managers dealing with international employees and partners, a profile describing the country they’re dealing with may seem like a natural thing to reach for. Brazil has a score of 34 for punctuality; Finns value quiet, serious conversation; good things to know. But think about the…
Mike Richman
The dog days of summer are here, but the Aug. 4, 2017, episode of QDL offered lots of cool content. Let’s take a closer look:
“What Went Wrong With the F-35?” One expert calls the Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet an “inherently terrible airplane.” So why does the Air Force consider it warfighter…
Juran
(Juran: Southington, CT) -- Juran is now accepting applications to participate in a new wave of lean Six Sigma Black Belt training. This training utilizes Juran’s self-paced online platform, and includes 10 online group instruction sessions.
This workshop, now enrolling for Sept. 8, 2017, is…
FARO
(FARO: Lake Mary, FL) -- FARO, a global source for 3D measurement and imaging solutions for factory metrology, product design, construction BIM/CIM, public safety-forensics, and 3D machine vision applications, has introduced the new FARO QuantumS FaroArm. This introduction extends FARO leadership…
Christopher Martin
On Aug. 30, 2016, a Kickstarter fund-raising campaign was launched for a small stress-relief, fiddler-friendly device called a Fidget Cube, created by Matthew and Mark McLachlan, collectively known as Antsy Labs. Within one day the project’s goal of $15,000 was funded, and 30 days later the…
Bruce Weinberg
Science funding is intended to support the production of new knowledge and ideas that develop new technologies, improve medical treatments, and strengthen the economy. The idea goes back to influential engineer Vannevar Bush, who headed the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development during…
Bruce Hamilton
At GBMP’s launch of the Shingo Institute’s Build Excellence workshop, it occurred to me that perhaps systems thinking might be more aptly named systems rethinking. Workshop participants offered up current systems in their organizations that actually impeded continuous improvement, each time…
Jun Nakamuro
Japanese improvement techniques have been emulated across the globe for decades, and none carries more cultural weight than the theory of kaizen. When I expose Western leaders to lean practices in Japan, they often express that they have come away with a better understanding of “true kaizen.” They…
John Stepper
Whenever I talk to organizations about open, connected ways of working, this question inevitably comes up: “How do you get leaders to do it?”
It’s a problem. Most often, managers simply don’t have the time to learn a different way of leading. Or their habits are so deeply ingrained that doing…
DNV GL
Bribery and corruption are a $1 trillion drain on the global economy and a door-shutting event for companies unable to prevent rogue acts from destroying a company’s entire reputation. If you think about it, managing bribery is a bit of an oxymoron. How do you manage something that hasn’t happened…
ISO
(ISO: Geneva) -- We all know the frustration of phoning a call center, only to be put on hold for an interminable amount of time or taken through a long and complex series of options before arriving at a dead end. And when we finally get hold of someone, it is usually to battle with the language…
Michael Hughes
The F-35 was billed as a fighter jet that could do almost everything the U.S. military desired, serving the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy—and even Britain’s Royal Air Force and Royal Navy—all in one aircraft design. It’s supposed to replace and improve upon several current—and aging—aircraft…
Fred Schenkelberg
Our customers, suppliers, and peers seem to confuse reliability information with mean time between failure (MTBF). Why is that?
Is it a convenient shorthand? Maybe I’m the one confused, maybe those asking or expecting MTBF really want to use an inverse of a failure rate. Maybe they aren’t…
AssurX
Three recent warning letters from the Center for Device and Radiological Health (CDRH) offer a glimpse into ongoing medical-device inspection investigative focus. CAPA noncompliance is a top concern.
Inadequate corrective actions
An FDA investigation was conducted from January to February 2017 at…
Dirk Dusharme @ Quality Digest
Our July 28, 2017, episode of QDL we looked at science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) education for the deaf and hard of hearing; Quality 4.0; and cloud computing.
“Teaching STEAM Skills to Deaf Kids Using Drones and 3-D Printing”
The deaf and hard of hearing are underreprented in…
Coleman Flanagan
Sponsored Content
Your life as a nondestructive testing (NDT) inspector is not always easy. And if you’re engaged in rope access inspections, you face additional challenges. Whether you’re dangling from a rope 30 feet in the air or hanging over the ocean from a platform rig, you have to be choosy…
Ken Levine, Satish Nargundkar
Completing the define phase of a lean Six Sigma (LSS) project is a critical part of any project, although it’s often underestimated in practice. The define phase of the define, measure, analyze, improve, control (DMAIC) process typically includes three elements. The first is selecting a specific,…
Mark Whitworth
For decades, audit management has centered on paper checklists, with tracking moving to Excel spreadsheets in more recent years. Despite growing adoption of cloud-based manufacturing software, many auto suppliers still rely on paper checklists and spreadsheets to manage audit programs.
There’s a…
