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Quality Digest
Renishaw’s calibration products division recently started offering users of its ML10 laser calibration system complimentary upgrades to the latest version of the company’s Laser 10 software package. The ML10 laser interferometer system is widely used by OEMs and end users in research,…
Quality Digest
RNDT Inc., a commercial nondestructive testing (NDT) laboratory, recently received from the Performance Review Institute its ISO/IEC 17025 and National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program accreditation for multiple NDT testing methods. The lab, based in Johnstown,…
Quality Digest
Hexagon AB, a Swedish conglomerate, recently acquired a Thai metrology distributor, Thaimach Sales & Service Co. Hexagon reports that its new subsidiary, to be renamed Hexagon Measurement Technologies Thailand, will be its largest distributor of coordinate measuring machines in…
Quality Digest
The International Organization for Standardization has published a new standard to clarify types of environmental labels used to designate potentially harmful products. ISO 14025:2006, "Environmental labels and declarations—Type III environmental declarations—Principles and procedures"…
Quality Digest
The U.S. World Standards Day Planning Committee recently named Constance A. Morella, U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, as the recipient of the Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award. Morella received the award as recognition for her role in…
Denise Robitaille
Don’t you love it when you go to the store and they have a “BOGO” sale? BOGO, as in buy one, get one. Who can resist the attraction of being able to get two things for the price of one? I once had a client who was going through the company’s registration assessment for ISO 9001. The client…
Quality Digest
The International Organization for Standardization reports an 18-percent increase in the number of international registrations issued for ISO 9001 in its annual ISO Survey of Certifications. The survey is ISO’s main barometer for measuring international use of and compliance with its…
Quality Digest
The National Committee for Quality Assurance recently added new requirements for health plans seeking accreditation to its Quality Plus program. The change becomes effective in 2007.Candidate health plans will have to demonstrate that they provide their members with information to help…
Quality Digest
Attendees at the Conference of African Ministers of Industry recently affirmed the role of international standards and conformity assessment in helping to develop commerce in Africa. The conference produced a formal report, in which it “reiterate[s] the commitment of our governments and call[…
Bill Kalmar
Being retired affords one the opportunity to relax periodically in a hammock on a hot summer afternoon, doing a crossword puzzle and contemplating quality and customer service. While trying to think of an eight-letter term for "a person used as cover," my thoughts wandered to several topics:…
Quality Digest
The 2006 Safe Quality Food Institute Conference will promote discussions on the learning successes of the SQF Food Safety Certification Program and its global effects. The event will comprise sessions on global food safety certification, becoming an SQF expert or auditor, the value of…
Quality Digest
The 2006 Automation Fair will present industry leaders’ success stories Oct. 25–26 in Baltimore. The event focuses on value-added services and solutions, integrated control and information architecture, and advanced automation products. In addition, experts will host forums to provide a…
Quality Digest
The July Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index was 106.5, up 1.1 from the assessment performed in June.“Consumer confidence continues to hold steady, with the prognosis little changed from last month,” says Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center. The…
Quality Digest
A Team Leader’s Guide to Kaizen Events , a new guide from Breakthrough Management Press serves as an armchair coach for those who are leading lean kaizen events within their organization,” says Neil DeCarlo, Breakthrough Management Group’s vice president of publishing. The guide includes…
Quality Digest
Representatives from companies such as The Ritz-Carlton, Accident Fund, Raytheon, Sonoco and DuPont will present winning tactics and case studies to business executives Sept. 20–22 in St. Louis. “Unleashing Business Success Through Breakthroughs in Lean Sigma and Quality” will include…
Quality Digest
The U.S. Army recently graduated its first class of lean Six Sigma Black Belts in Korea, and more training is already underway. The U.S. military has made process improvement through lean, Six Sigma and theory of constraints a major focus in recent years. The Navy’s extensive lean Six…
Praveen Gupta
Considering the leadership at Motorola and General Electric provided by stalwarts such as Bob Galvin and Jack Welch, respectively, I believe that two leaders with totally different styles can get similar results using the same tools. When I worked at Motorola in Bob Galvin’s time, there was a rule…
Quality Digest
Leading quality professionals can learn how to achieve management buy-in, bring about organizational harmony, identify best strategies for implementation while maintaining compliance, and integrate benchmarking and metrics into lean Six Sigma initiatives at the International Quality and…
Quality Digest
Pentacle Partners and MoreSteam.com recently partnered to offer a training program for lean and Six Sigma. Pentacle Partners is a consulting and training services provider, and MoreSteam.com provides online lean and Six Sigma training.The focus of the training is on immediate workplace…
Quality Digest
Reliable Plant magazine will host its Lean Tools for Maintenance and Reliability Conference Sept. 18–20 in Las Vegas. Last year, nearly 150 manufacturing industry leaders gathered in Cleveland to share experiences and learn from major companies how lean tactics and strategies help…
Quality Digest
SigmaXL, a provider of Excel add-ins for statistical and graphical analysis, recently released a new version of its flagship software. SigmaXL Version 5 includes multiple dotplots, improved multiple linear regressions, enhanced measurement systems analysis capabilities, process capability…
Ajith Kumar
The concept of total quality management (TQM) rose to prominence more than two decades ago. There were many reasons for it, the most important one being the European Union’s move to allow imports only from companies with ISO-standards certification. The International Organization for…
Quality Digest
Delcam, a supplier of machining software, recently acquired International Manufacturing Computer Services Inc., the developer of the PartMaker suite of computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software. The IMCS catalog includes PartMaker SwissCAM and PartMaker Turn-Mill for the programming…
Quality Digest
Olympus Micro-Imaging’s LEXT OLS3000-IR microscope was recently named the top quality assurance tool at the sixth annual Advanced Packaging Awards ceremony in San Francisco. The ceremony was part of SEMICON West 2006, a semiconductor industry trade show. The LEXT-IR offers near-infrared…
Quality Digest
RABQSA recently achieved a presence in Mexico through the offices of Perry Johnson Registers Inc. RABQSA reports that PJR’s existing client base and connections offer both companies opportunities for expansion in Mexico. Located in Mexico City, PJR will provide direct support and access…