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From its inception, Six Sigma was considered revolutionary. The six original pioneers who implemented the methodology at Allied Signal--the only true Senior Master Black Belts--vowed that the system would unearth inefficiencies in business operations that lead to outrageous levels of…
The following article, the first of a two-part series, outlines the growing need for Six Sigma initiatives in the outpatient health care market. In part one, we’ll compare a series of health care-specific businesses with parallel enterprises from other industries in order to categorize…
The sixth annual International Dimensional Workshop will be held May 10-14 at the Nashville Marriott Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. The workshop will open on May 10 with the National Requirements Day for Dimensional Metrology, co-hosted by the Oak Ridge Metrology Center and NCSL…
Beta LaserMike, a global manufacturer of precision measurement and control systems, has received accreditation under ISO 17025. ISO 17025 is an international standard that assesses the technical competency of calibration laboratories and ensures properly trained personnel, and controlled…
In response to increased demand for information about ISO 14971:2000 and the concept of risk management for medical device manufacturing, BSI Management Systems has launched its Overview of ISO 14971 Webinar. The Webinar will cover the basic principles and concepts of risk management as…
The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and the National Quality Forum are accepting applications for the John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. The Eisenberg awards recognize individuals and health care organizations that make significant…
Lean manufacturing certification, which helps manufacturers achieve the benefits of lean principles, has been launched by R. Michael Donovan and Co. The certification program illustrates lean manufacturing principles and an action plan to achieve certification. It provides a numerical score…
Following a wave of financial institutions implementing Six Sigma, WCBF will convene its Successfully Implementing Six Sigma in Financial Services summit on June 23 and 24 in New York. The forum, which will feature leaders in Six Sigma deployment and finance, also features preconference…
Under QS-9000, suppliers relied on the Supplier Quality Requirements Task Force for guidance and direction in dealing with questions related to the standard’s requirements. With the global application of ISO/TS 16949:2002, a globalized group was needed to offer the same direction that was given…
Health Canada has issued a directive to all CMDCAS-recognized registrars clarifying appropriate issuance of ISO 13458/13488 registration under the CMDCAS program to medical device manufacturers. According to the directive, it’s inappropriate to issue registration under the CMDCAS program…
Executives from automakers and automotive suppliers will meet on June 8 and 9 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Dearborn, Michigan, in the first global automotive manufacturing conference, AutoMan Global 2004. Organized by Automotive Manufacturing Solutions magazine, the AutoMan Global…
Blue Mountain Quality Resources Inc. has partnered with eCalibration Inc. to offer three training seminars for GMP compliance. The training sessions will provide an opportunity for attendees to meet colleagues dealing with the same issues in a variety of situations and surroundings. They’re…
According to a recent survey, 39 percent of executives say that good employees are most likely to quit their jobs due to a lack of advancement opportunities. The survey, developed by Robert Half International Inc., shows that unhappiness with management is the second most common…
The 2004 APICS International Conference and Exposition, slated for Oct. 10-13 in San Diego, will feature a three-session interactive educational event focused on supply chain network competition. The sessions will focus on five principles that govern the success of a company’s supply…
When Allen Witherspoon, general manager of GASCO Manufacturing, needed to write a quality manual to satisfy the requirements of one of his top customers, he had no idea where to start. "I knew I couldn’t simply sit down and do it," says Witherspoon. "I didn’t have the time or the…
Intel Corp. has awarded 16 companies its most prestigious award for suppliers, the Supplier Continuous Quality Improvement Award. The award recognizes Intel suppliers that exhibited outstanding commitment to quality and performance excellence during 2003. The group of winning companies…
Plastics and advanced materials, micro-machining technologies and lean manufacturing will be on tap at the EASTEC 2004 Advanced Productivity Exposition. EASTEC is scheduled for May 25-27 at the Eastern States Exposition Grounds in West Springfield, Massachusetts. It’s the East Coast’s…
Powerway Inc., a provider of product development process solutions for manufacturers, has released its new Corrective Action and Quality Planner application. The software is part of Powerway Suite 2000, an integrated collection of solutions designed to drive continuous improvement, reduce…
Twenty guidance modules on specific aspects of auditing ISO 9001:2000 quality management systems are now available from the International Organization for Standardization, and another three are being developed. The guidance modules that compose the auditing kit adopt a practical approach…
The Strategic Research Institute will hold its second annual Six Sigma Strategy for Health Care forum, April 28-29 at the Millennium Knickerbocker in Chicago. Financial pressure, limited resources, workforce shortages and increased scrutiny on medical errors have hit the health care sector…
"More vehicles will be produced in the next 20 years than were manufactured in the previous 110-year history of the industry," says Garel Rhys, director of the Centre for Automotive Industry Research Cardiff University Business School in Wales. Rhys’ statements came at an address to…
Nikon Instruments Inc. has opened the Nikon 2004 Small World Photomicrography Competition. Nikon’s International Small World Competition began in 1975 to recognize excellence in microscopic photography. The competitionÂ’s reputation has grown exponentially throughout the years and is…
EtQ Inc., a provider of enterprise quality, compliance and environmental management software, has launched the EtQ Quality Server, a package equipped with the full EtQ quality management suite, including more than 20 modules and all the tools to run an enterprise quality management system…
Three of the world’s leading measurement laboratories, including the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology’ have lined up the hash marks from four of the world’s best optical frequency rulers and declared that they match. The experiments, reported in…
Agilent Technologies Inc. has signed an agreement with eBay, allowing sellers to offer pre-owned test equipment that has been assured through the new Agilent Advantage Assurance program. The program gives customers the option to purchase on eBay Agilent test equipment that has been…