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Alan’s Apothegms with Alan L. Austin
When I was a little boy we flew to Hawaii to visit my sister. I remember the excitement of getting on the plane and sitting by the window. I didn’t want to miss anything on this, my first flight. We took off from San Francisco International and climbed into the clouds. Once we were through into the…
NIST
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- At the September 2012 International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, the Dimensional Metrology Standards Consortium (DMSC) and eight software vendors will demonstrate standards-based workflow of manufacturing quality data. The emerging standard, Quality…
Konica Minolta Sensing Americas Inc.
(Konica Minolta: Ramsey, NJ) -- Konica Minolta Sensing Americas, a global leader in the industrial measurement of color, light, and 3D shape, has launched in the United States the ColorScoutA3+ XY Table for the digital imaging and graphic arts market.
The ColorScoutA3+ enables accurate, efficient…
ANVER
(Anver Corp.: Hudson, MA) -- A new, self-contained vacuum-operated inspection station that grips heavy enclosures from the sides and lets operators fully inspect the front, back, top, bottom, and inside is being introduced by Anver Corp.
The Vacuum-Operated Inspection Station lets operators pick…
ISO
(ISO: Geneva) -- Anyone who has received an inaccurate or late bill for gas, electricity, water, or telephone services can understand why billing is one of the main sources of customer complaints against utilities. A new ISO standard provides solutions by giving recommendations for billing…
Andrew Sobel
Most doctors firmly believe that certain types of regular screening tests and checkups are essential and help save lives. And most of us, no matter how much we despise devoting an hour or more to getting poked and prodded, dutifully go for an annual checkup each year. Annual checkups can play a…
Lean Enterprise Institute
(LEI: Cambridge, MA) -- As you know, it’s difficult to achieve continuous improvement. Lean efforts generate many successes, but not so many sustained ones. Lean projects tend to rely on dedicated lean experts, and when they turn their attention to the next improvement project, the one just…
Sensorex
(Sensorex: Garden Grove, CA) -- Sensorex has developed an industry-first mobile accessory for pH measurements. Compatible with Apple, iPod, iPhone, and iPad devices, the PH-1 pH meter accessory measures and records pH values in the lab or field for use in environmental, education, and industrial…
Geomagic
(Geomagic: Morrisville, NC) -- As more than 35,000 gamers descend on Indianapolis later this week for the start of Gen Con, the largest gaming show in the world, Wyrd Miniatures will debut an entire new line of plastic miniatures for its hit character skirmish game “Malifaux.” The designs’ intense…
Mettler-Toledo
(Mettler-Toledo: Columbus, OH) -- The Liquidator96, from Mettler-Toledo, researcher and developer of precision instruments, is a manual bench-top pipettor that drives measurable efficiency in leading-edge genomics, proteomics, and cellular studies.
Molecular biology techniques that enable the…
Miriam Boudreaux
Your ISO management rep is leaving the company, and you have yet to reassign the post. If you’re wondering whether there are any formalities that must be followed, don’t worry. There’s no need to hit the panic button. With some simple planning, you can ensure your management systems remain in shape…
The main plant of Hitachi Engineering and Services (HES) has produced pipe spools for large scale plants. These pipe spools have complicated shapes and are made by various types of materials. In the process of these pipe spools fabrication, high accuracy and high throughput are required. Especially…
Robb McIvor
CMSC 2012 is now “in the books,” and it was a smashing success at a great venue in New Orleans. Every year, the conference is filled with up-close looks at the latest portable coordinate metrology technologies, unparalleled networking opportunities and social events, and fantastic white paper…
The Pyzdek Institute
(The Pyzdek Institute: Tucson, AZ) -- The return on investment realized by any continuous improvement effort comes down to two basic functions: How well a company can pick the right battles to fight (project selection), and how efficiently they can fight those battles (project execution).
The…
Bruker Corp.
(Bruker: Santa Barbara, CA) -- Bruker, developer, manufacturer, and provider of scientific instruments and analytical services, has released the new PeakForce Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM) mode for its line of atomic force microscopes. PeakForce KPFM utilizes frequency-modulation detection…
Bill Kalmar
When I talk about quality, I’m usually referring to how good a product is or how good the service is, especially when I’m talking about my favorite diner or cafe. But I’ll bet you never thought about how the good food and service you get at your favorite eatery can help you make friends.
You’re…
Verisurf Software Inc.
(Verisurf: Anaheim, CA) -- Verisurf Software Inc. has released Verisurf X v. 6. The new release is loaded with innovative software features that enhance in-process, portable inspection, tool building, CATIA interoperability, and 3D scanning and reverse engineering.
“Verisurf customers use our…
Timothy F. Bednarz
A leader’s primary function is to help employees develop a strong belief in the company’s mission and the importance of their individual jobs. His secondary function is to ensure optimal results from delegated assignments and tasks. Excellent results can spring from motivation that actually helps…
Matthew Littlefield
To effectively provide high-quality products, quality management must become part of each employee’s everyday thought processes. Market-leading companies can attest to the operational, branding, and bottom-line benefits of this approach. However, adopting an enterprisewide “how will this decision…
The Un-Comfort Zone With Robert Wilson
I noticed the training wheels on my son’s bike were no longer touching the ground. He was riding without them. “Let’s take those off,” I said.
“No Daddy, I’m not ready.”
“Sure you are; let’s give it a try.”
After I removed them, he got on the bike, but couldn’t get enough momentum to stay up and…
Cars.com
(Cars.com: Chicago) -- The Detroit Three build plenty of high-quality cars. Buick, Ford, and Lincoln scored above average in the latest Vehicle Dependability Study from J. D. Power and Associates, and Cadillac ranked third in the study’s rankings. J. D. Power’s three-month Initial Quality Study had…
University of Michigan
(University of Michigan: Ann Arbor, MI) -- The beta version of Improvement Kata Handbook by Mike Rother, author of Toyota Kata (McGraw-Hill, 2009), is available online to read, download, and use in applying, practicing, and teaching the improvement kata. The handbook is a follow-up to Toyota Kata…
Productivity Press
(Productivity Press: Boca Raton, FL) -- Based on a true story, the book, Unleashing the Power of 3P: The Key to Breakthrough Improvement, by Dan McDonnell and Drew A. Locher (Productivity Press, 2012), follows Pete and his team as they journey through lean and the production preparation process (3P…
QMC
(QMC: Auburn Hills, MI) -- QMC Inc., a market leader in product quality validation (PQV), has signed with Ford Motor Co. a global license agreement for its award-winning CM4D software. The agreement supports Ford’s efforts to expand its quality processes globally.
In 2002 Ford implemented CM4D…
NDI
Northern Digital Inc. (NDI), a provider of optical and electromagnetic measurement systems for medical and industrial applications, has announced that its parent company, Roper Industries Inc., has acquired Ascension Technology Corp., an industry leader in medical electromagnetic tracking.…
