All Features
Davis Balestracci
Because many organizations are trying for formal certification, the pressure is on to standardize and document processes. This is also true for any robust improvement effort. Organizations are currently drowning in processes that have evolved over time and consequently become rife with…
The purpose of this article is to discuss automated analysis and report generation of
key characteristics measurement data. Key
characteristics (KCs) are those features of a
part whose measurements must be kept to
the nominal values through process control
to minimize the "Taguchi Loss…
The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Center for Neutron Research is expanding the number of beamlines for research purposes from seven to 11 beams. The metrology tasks required to perform the installation of the new beamlines include the design and installation of a high-…
Arun Hariharan
Traditional performance measures—usually financial outcome—are “after the event.” They tell us how we did last month or last quarter, but are of little use in predicting future performance. This article talks about four “layers” of performance measures—financial outcomes being the outermost…
Dimensional Control Systems DCS
Engineers across many manufacturing industries are faced with dimensional engineering challenges as their organizations increase the use of automation on the plant floor.
A critical part of the engineers’ dimensional engineering process involves verifying that the parts being produced meet the…
The buzz surrounding the Coordinate Metrology Society’s (CMS) efforts to bring an industry-recognized certification to the profession of portable 3-D metrology was nearly as prevalent as the buzz about the temperature at this year’s Coordinate Metrology Systems Conference (CMSC) in Phoenix. The…
The U.S. Department of Labor reported 13.9 million unemployed Americans in July 2011, and even the creation of 117,000 jobs last month didn’t put a dent in the 9.1-percent unemployment rate. In fact, there has been little change in the unemployment rate since December 2010. So why am I repeating…
Davis Balestracci
Any article about control charts leads to inevitable (and torturous) discussions of special cause tests—all nine of them. No wonder confused people continue to use things like trend lines. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
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Michelle LaBrosse
A serious condition is spreading like fireweed across corporate America. The symptoms include glazed-over eyes, droopy shoulders, cramped hands, aversion to natural lighting, and a permanent butt print in your office chair. This condition is called “Corporate Zombie Syndrome.” It can strike when…
Bill Kalmar
This is a call to action for all quality professionals, for Baldrige winners, for Baldrige applicants, for Baldrige examiners, for state quality award winners, for state quality award program directors and their staff, and anyone who values the impact that the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality…
Thomas R. Cutler
Process requirements for catalog and online fulfillment centers are quite distinguishable from brick-and-mortar retailers. Even catalog companies such as Oriental Trading Co., Cornerstone Brands, and Augusta Sportswear face unique challenges, and each of them has turned to voice-picking…
Steven Ouellette
Let's face it—many industrial researchers, including Six Sigma Black Belts, do a terrible job of planning the research they need to do to perform their jobs efficiently. See that guy over there? Yeah, he is the one I am talking about, so you should read this article so you can help the poor…
Michael Lowenstein
There is a strong recognition that customer service is especially important in the branded experience. Service is one of the few times that companies will personally interact with their customers. This interaction helps the company understand customers’ needs while, at the same time, it shapes…
NVision Inc.
Engineers from NVision Inc., using the company's HandHeld scanner, were able to quickly reverse engineer a large impeller for a major hydroelectric facility, sparing the facility what would have been an extended shutdown had they needed to produce a replacement impeller from scratch. In less than…
Michael Lowenstein
The word “advocate” has French and Latin origins. It has multiple applications, including legal, political, social care, and marketplace. It is the marketplace applications where the business, academic marketing, and management consulting communities have focused. Essentially, advocacy can be…
Bill Kalmar
It seems that you can't pick up a newspaper today (yes, I still get one) without reading a story about the sorry state of education in the United States. Why has the quality of our educational system slipped? Why can't Johnny read? Here are my thoughts inspired by the proliferation of back-to-…
Paul Naysmith
In the mid 1970s to mid 1980s the Punk movement was an intensely bright burning star that fizzled out just as quickly as it came in. As I understand it, the Punk movement was the antidote to the excessive color and pageantry of the Glam Rock scene. Punk music was stripped back, rockin’ in your…
With a heavy focus on research and development, and innovation, Eltek Valere develops and manufactures advanced electronic power supplies. They were the first company to release and manufacture a high-efficiency power rectifier.
Eltek Valere is the world technology leader in energy conversion,…
John Flaig
A run chart is a graphical display of data over time. Run charts are used to visually analyze processes according to time or sequential order. They are useful in assessing process stability, discovering patterns in data, and facilitating process diagnosis and appropriate improvement actions.…
Management system standards trace their beginnings to the use of simple preventive practices that were developed and used at the beginning of the industrial revolution. These preventive practices included responses to common problems, for example, ensuring changes are communicated to everyone…
William A. Levinson
Professional societies can and should break the costly paradigm that a conference requires the physical presence of all attendees. A conference with a virtual attendance option can increase participation enormously while demonstrating how businesses around the world can reduce travel expenses.…
Patrick Stone
I don’t know about you, but I sleep easier now knowing that our Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared war on unpasteurized milk in the United States [Editors note: also see Fox News, NaturalNews.com]. It’s not enough that the U.S. government is fighting the war on terror (an oxymoron)…
Tripp Babbitt
Charlie Bucket and his adventures in a chocolate factory may be fantasy, but anyone watching realizes that the Oompa-Loompas provide most of the innovation and work at the factory. Yet in today’s service companies, the emphasis is less on the Oompa-Loompas and more on the Willy Wonkas…
American Express
Americans are placing an even greater premium on quality customer service this year. Results from an American Express survey indicate that seven in 10 Americans (70%) are willing to spend an average of 13-percent more with companies they believe provide excellent customer service. This is up…
Akhilesh Gulati
Cooking is not my forte, but I try. I intended my latest concoction to be interesting, new, and easy. It was a soup, made with nontraditional ingredients, and it won rave reviews at a neighborhood potluck. No one could guess all the ingredients, so it won the “unique” dish award. When asked…
