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“When I die, let it be in a meeting. The transition from life to death will be barely perceptible.” —Anonymous
Today I’m going to share some ideas from an always-thoughtful newsletter written by Steve Harden of LifeWings—a company of pilots who use aviation ideas to create cultures of safety in…
I’ve been fantasizing about going on a road trip next summer to Alberta to experience the majestic Canadian Rockies. While browsing possible itineraries, I keep noticing this advice: “Leave the beaten path and take the alternative route of....”
If you’re trying to get new ideas considered at…
A meaningful, systematic approach to environmental management has made IBM one of the world’s most environmentally conscious companies. The globally integrated IT company leverages ISO 14001 for a comprehensive corporate policy on environmental affairs.
In a recent interview for ISOfocus,…
Businesses come and go. Even Fortune 500 companies get in trouble. There is at least one organization, however, that is setting a high bar for others. Do you know which one?
Let me pose these questions: • What U.S. company is celebrating their centennial anniversary this year? • What company is…
Companies that are seriously pursuing the lean journey soon find their accounting, control, and measurement systems need to change to support the new strategy. The principles and methods of lean thinking and practice are quite different from traditional business and therefore require different…
(ZEISS: Maple Grove, MN) -- ZEISS Industrial Metrology has introduced of the new DuraMax LTE coordinate measuring machine (CMM), providing uncompromising access to ZEISS scanning technology at an affordable price.
Equipped with the same controller technology, software, and VAST sensor technology…
Improvement kata describes a routine for continuous improvement through four major steps. Those steps provide a structured pattern to enable consistent practice of each kata routine until it becomes habit—until it’s a natural way of thinking and acting. This change in behavior makes it easier…
(CMSC: Weatherford, TX) -- The Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS) has announced its call for papers for the 32nd annual Coordinate Metrology Society Conference (CMSC), to be held July 25–29, 2016, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
The CMS is seeking original contributions from portable metrology…
(API: Rockville, MD) -- Automated Precision Inc. (API) has released the vProbe, the newest accessory for the Omnitrac 2 (OT2) laser tracker. The vProbe’s wireless technology syncs perfectly with API’s Omnitrac 2 laser tracker.
The vProbe is a six degree-of-freedom (6DoF) contact probing option.…
(AICON 3D: Braunschweig, Germany) -- Since the summer of 2015, AICON 3D Systems has been a partner of Tube Innovation Days, a network of 11 top technology partners from the areas of tube manufacturing and tube processing. Regular in-house trade fairs offer visitors the chance to get detailed…
(Brunson: Kansas City, MO) -- Brunson Instrument Co. has released the KinAiry solution for laser tracker field testing. KinAiry is the comprehensive, independent solution for laser tracker evaluation, utilizing NIST’s new Interim Field Test Procedure IR-8016. The KinAiry system provides a set of…
To reduce weight and fuel consumption, the aerospace industry increasingly relies on lightweight materials and new material combinations. That’s why the entire fuselage of the Airbus A350 XWB consists of carbon fiber composite (CFC) materials. In total, the long-haul aircraft reaches a CFC portion…
(Hexagon: North Kingstown, RI) -- In a move to reflect its growing expertise and solutions for integrated industrial manufacturing, global industry leader Hexagon Metrology has rebranded to become Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence. The change also aligns the business more closely with Hexagon’s…
What a busy year for the Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS). To get you updated, I will need to throw a lot of numbers and dates your way. Here we go!
The 2015 Coordinate Metrology Society Conference (CMSC) in Hollywood, Florida, was a great success. Forty-five exhibitors and a newly expanded…
(Hexagon: North Kingstown, RI) -- Hexagon, a global provider of information technologies that drive productivity and quality across geospatial and industrial enterprise applications, has acquired CAMTECH GmbH & Co. KG, master distributor of Vero Software’s Edgecam solutions in Germany since…
(Creaform: Lévis, Québec) -- Creaform, a global leader in portable 3D measurement solutions and engineering services, has announced major improvements to the functionality of VXinspect, the only solution to offer an intuitive workflow in a simple and flexible dimensional inspection software,…
(Nikon Metrology: Brighton, MI) -- Quality inspection is an integral part of bringing parts to market. From pacemakers to aircraft engines, detecting flaws in critical parts before final products are completed and mass produced can save lives and ensure product performance.
The traditional…
(FARO: Lake Mary, FL) -- FARO Technologies, a globally trusted source for 3D measurement technology, has released the FARO Freestyle3D X handheld laser scanner, a 3D laser scanner designed to transform the way the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC); law enforcement; and other…
In aerospace vehicle manufacturing and assembly, including that at Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, measurements of composite part thickness are required for ensuring that underlying processes are within tolerance, and for achieving outer-mold line-control surface requirements.
This article…
This past summer, the Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS) and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte were awarded an Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia (AMTech) grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department.…
I heard the example that best helped me understand work systems and supply chains at a Baldrige training event right after the very sad 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. A colleague was talking about automakers in the United States and elsewhere whose suppliers were located in the devastated…
Compliance is a broad term. It can mean compliance to financial obligations, quality and safety, or general compliance to any regulation that is driving the organization. When you look at the current state of quality management and safety management with respect to compliance, most of the…
(ISO: Geneva) -- A standard for quality management systems specific to the medical devices industry is under review and has just moved a step closer to completion.
We take it for granted that devices used in hospitals or medical centers are of high quality and up to scratch, but for manufacturers…
I’ve written before (and often) about how challenges with clarity and consistency introduce difficulties when corporations try to create new products and services. Notice that for a blog about innovation, I didn’t use the “I” word. That’s because I think corporations confuse the ends with the…
Layered Process Audits (LPAs) offer companies tremendous potential benefits, but they’re also more involved than other audits. They task all of a plant’s personnel - including multiple levels of management—and cover all key areas at varying intervals. Creating an LPA system that is truly effective…