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Well, it’s finally happened. The late-night unsolicited phone calls, the lawn signs, the brochures that clogged our mailboxes, and the interminable television and radio commercials have come to an end. Whether you are mourning or celebrating your voting choices last week, one thing is clear: We…
Many manufacturing facilities use equipment that contain rollers, idlers, press drums, and web-handling systems, and their alignment has a major effect on their efficacy.
There may be many rollers over which material passes as it proceeds through a specific manufacturing process. For example, in a…
Integration is a broad term used in quality circles to describe anything from manually merging data output from two different systems, such as material requirements planning (MRP) and statistical process control (SPC), to commanding programmable logic controllers (PLCs) from quality data input.…
Remember the early days of TQM? When I present to healthcare audiences, all I have to do is mention “lab turnaround time” to get a collective groan and smile. That was always one of the initial forays into what was called total quality management (TQM) or continuous quality improvement (CQI).
Most…
Have you ever wondered how most politicians are made? Where do they come from? It’s as if they live in a different dimension than the rest of us. They are definitely different from average quality folk. In fact, good quality professionals are the antithesis of most politicians. Explore with me, if…
In order to assess how well you have served your customers, you must first understand their needs and expectations. It’s impossible to gather meaningful data if you aren’t asking the right questions.
Before you can begin to ask the questions, you must first identify who your customers are.…
The CMS Certification Committee broke new ground this year during the Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference in July 2012. Attendees, both experts and novices, were encouraged to test their general knowledge of portable 3D metrology and contribute to the success of the first, level-one personnel…
(API: Rockville, MD) -- Automated Precision Inc. (API) will bring together some of the world’s leading metrology experts and quality managers in early 2013 for a two-day user group conference and workshop called “Metrology: Beyond Measurement.”
The event, which will take place Feb. 28–March 1,…
The Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS) sends its support to our members and vendors who were affected by super storm Sandy. Families and businesses will need aid and support during the coming months to put their lives back together. You can help by donating money to the American Red Cross at www.…
Few areas of research are as dependent on 3D measurement technology in the setup of its major experiments as fusion plasma physics. Highly developed laser trackers, as well as portable scanning and photogrammetry systems, have opened up a world of possibilities for improving fusion research…
Most existing 3D capture technologies can’t be used to record objects in motion, and they usually require a stationary platform for operation. Some technologies can record 3D data at video rates (e.g., flash LADAR), but their spatial and range resolution are severely limited.
TetraVue, a provider…
Many people argue that lean Six Sigma projects—particularly Six Sigma—are not sustained within the organization. Because they are not sustained, over time people may go back to their old ways of doing things. This should not happen if the lean Six Sigma initiative is properly embedded into the…
(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- Letitia Baldrige, sister of Malcolm Baldrige, died Mon., October 29, 2012, at the age of 86. In announcing her passing, her son Malcolm Hollensteiner told the Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Inc., that “she loved the board and took such pride…
(Zontec: Cincinnati, OH) -- Zontec Inc., an international developer of statistical process control (SPC) software solutions, has released an update to its Synergy 2000 Multi-function Toolbox for its customers worldwide.
“We believe that data automation should be transparent to the customer,” says…
For nearly 40 years, Bushwacker Inc., a family-operated business in Portland, Oregon, has designed and manufactured fender flares and truck accessories for the automotive aftermarket with passion and pride. The Bushwacker family sums up quality in three words: fit, finish, and style.
Every detail…
Labels, lines, and shadows have little personality. Their job is largely about identification, location, and quantity.
Visual performance metrics provide insight into the health of a process or value stream by comparing actual performance vs. target within the context of people, quality, delivery…
(Nikon Metrology: Brighton, MI) -- At this year's International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, Nikon Metrology introduced the MCAx Manual Coordinate Measuring Arm, a precise, reliable, and easy-to-use portable 7-axis measuring arm. It is the perfect partner for the ModelMaker MMDx…
(GSI: Stamford, CT) -- Geodetic Systems Inc. (GSI) will host its 2013 User Group Meeting Feb. 20–22, 2013, at the Crowne Plaza Oceanfront Resort and Spa Hotel in Melbourne, Florida. On Wed., Feb. 20, and Thurs., Feb. 21, users and GSI experts will give presentations, along with GSI’s popular V-…
(Hexagon Metrology: North Kingstown, RI) -- The enhanced ROMER Absolute Arm with integrated laser scanner is now more rapid compared to previous versions, offering an acquisition speed of up to 50,000 points per second. This enables users to move the scanner over the measurement object faster than…
(Verisurf: Anaheim, CA) -- Verisurf Software, Inc. and InspectionXpert Corp. are partnering to provide integrated InspectionXpert and Verisurf functionality to accelerate the process of completing first-article inspections. The new partnership provides quality inspectors with an integrated solution…
(FARO: Lake Mary, FL) -- Trimble and FARO have signed an OEM and distribution agreement for 3D laser scanners. Under the agreement, FARO will provide Trimble with an OEM-differentiated product based on its successful FARO Laser Scanner Focus3D platform. Trimble will offer the OEM product throughout…
Speed seems to be part of Brian Coombs’ life. As engineering lead for mechanical design at Bloodhound SSC, the United Kingdom’s project to retain the world land speed record with a jet- and rocket-powered 1,000 mph (1,610 km/h) car, he leads a team of engineers that is responsible for the design of…
Alack of critical thinking within organizations can be severely damaging. Critical thinking is needed for problem solving and for generating innovative ideas and solutions. Without it, new paths and avenues fail to be fully explored and forged.
When organizations lack creative thinkers, their…
When Sean and Jayne Douglas started their winery, they knew that differentiating their product would be critical for success. The wine industry in Canada, as in most other countries, is populated by numerous producers all selling wine but differentiated—perhaps by developing unique blends, altering…
Big companies like GE, IBM, Walmart, as well as many smaller companies like Tennant, Centiva, and Stonyfield, have recently locked their GPS coordinates onto a really intriguing destination: market profitability through ecological sustainability.
These companies are heading toward a sustainable…
