All Features
Steven Ouellette
Have you ever met people who “do” statistical process control (SPC) only to get some screwy-looking control chart, and then text: OMG I H8 SPC! (If you don’t understand that, ask your nine-year-old child or grandchild.)
Last month we saw how it is not a failure of SPC, but rather an EBKAC (…
Mettler-Toledo
(Mettler-Toledo Inc.: Columbus, Ohio) -- Marzipan has its origins in the Orient, where it was served at the caliph's table as a special delicacy, and for a long time in Europe, marzipan could only be enjoyed by the elite such as crowned heads, princes, and ladies of court. Today, Niederegger…
Mettler-Toledo
(Mettler-Toledo Inc.: Columbus, Ohio) -- Marzipan has its origins in the Orient, where it was served at the caliph's table as a special delicacy, and for a long time in Europe, marzipan could only be enjoyed by the elite such as crowned heads, princes, and ladies of court. Today, Niederegger…
David DeVowe
With the proliferation of 3-D scanning technologies, many options are available for obtaining an electronic 3-D file of a scanned object. The quality of results varies widely. Of those that have experienced poor results, some complain about the accuracy of the data. Others have voiced concern over…
Denise Robitaille
A father and his son were going to market. Their donkey was laden with the vegetables from their garden and assorted wares they were going to sell. The young son became tired and so his father lifted him up onto the donkey so that he could ride for a while. Shortly thereafter, they passed through…
Richard A. Vincins
Through the 1990s, the application of a quality system relied primarily upon the Food and Drug Administrations’ (FDA) good manufacturing practice requirements or the FDA 21 CFR Part 820 Quality System Regulation. At that time, the international standards for quality management systems (QMS) were…
For process manufacturers, regular calibration of instruments across a manufacturing plant is common practice. In plant areas where instrument accuracy is critical to product quality or safety, calibration every six months—and even more frequently—is not unusual. However, the final step in any…
Akhilesh Gulati
We usually focus on lean and Six Sigma concepts as ideas for providing improvement. But there are many other approaches around the world that are insightful and worth noting as lessons learned for business and other organizations. For example, during the month of April 2009, an estimated 714…
Barry Johnson
When someone mentions design for Six Sigma (DFSS), the initial thought usually turns to developing new, innovative products. While DFSS has its roots in product development, individual components of the toolset can be applied in a variety of ways.
Recently, the use of DFSS has exploded in…
Ultrasonic leak detection has been used for a variety of applications ranging from energy reduction by locating compressed air leaks to quality assurance inspections, such as locating wind noise and water leaks in automobiles. The secret to success is to understand the nature of what type of leak…
Phillip Smith
Automated inspection and gauging systems can help companies to improve overall product quality and grow their business while reducing manufacturing costs, helping them to become more competitive in this difficult business climate. Whether they are producing automotive, medical, consumer, or…
Davis Balestracci
“I suffer simultaneously from amnesia and déjà vu. I have the feeling that I keep forgetting the same thing over and over again.”
—Steven Wright (surreal comedian)
It all seems so logical, doesn’t it? Focus on processes, improve your organizational decision making through utilizing quality…
Gary Johanning
Three-dimensional (3-D) assembly refers to the use of high-accuracy, in-place, 3-D coordinate measurement devices for the digital assembly of parts. This process is often referred to as computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) or gaugeless manufacturing. Whatever the name, 3-D assembly is replacing…
Dirk Dusharme @ Quality Digest
Investing in capital equipment always involves an analysis of the return on investment (ROI), but never as much as during a recession. The question this year is often, "Our company is already tightening its belt, is this equipment going to help us save a lot of money in a relatively short time…
Thomas Hinton
There’s a new wave of environmental consciousness rolling across the landscape of U.S. business. In certification circles, we refer to it as the Green Wave. But companies are discovering that going green isn’t easy, and getting green certified is even tougher. Research data from the American…
Robert Sanville
There are several different tools available for the measurement and inspection of parts and products. The specific application often determines the best choice as each tool has its own benefits and drawbacks. Over the years, these tools have become more advanced to keep up with improved quality…
The conventional wisdom is that the United States no longer produces much. The notion that globalization has dealt a fatal blow to the U.S. manufacturing sector is a widespread one. It has become common to hear people declare that "everything is made in China!" Not only do most believe the United…
Peter J. Sherman
It is widely known among quality and process improvement practitioners that the lack of a clearly defined scope or charter is perhaps the leading cause for projects not getting started or completed on time and within budget. What are other causes? From my experience, the No. 2 cause for restarting…
Davis Balestracci
Click here to read part 1 of this series.
Analytic statistical methods are in very strong contrast with what is normally taught in most statistics textbooks, which describe the problem as one of “accepting” or “rejecting” hypotheses. In the real world of quality improvement, we must look for…
David C. Crosby
Long before Six Sigma; long before SPC; long before ISO, TQM, TQC, ZD, and Mil-Q-9858A there were quality products. Quality meaning both goodness and defect-free. Look at furniture made around the time of the America Revolution. It was excellent. Fine inlay, precision joints, superior finishing.…
James Odom
In “The Power of Observation—Part 1,” we learned that a good portion of problem solving should be devoted to a thorough understanding of what’s going on before any corrective action steps are taken.
In many cases, too much time is spent on proposing various solutions before the problem has been…
The New Yorker magazine featured a cartoon showing a discussion between a salesman and his sales manager. The despondent salesman asked, “I know you’re always telling us to sell the sizzle and not the steak, Mr. Bollinger, but just what is the sizzle of a 90º elbow, flexible-copper fitting?”…
Larry Carlberg
You have a carefully crafted clay prototype made by a top design artist. Each detail is exquisite and you want to make sure every last one is molded into the finished article. Contact measurement isn't an option, because the piece is too complex and too malleable for touch probes. You need…
Steve Arbogast
It can be extremely difficult if not impossible to have an antiquated, document or paper-based quality management system (QMS) work for a company. To possess, build, and support this type of management system burdens the organization.
On the other hand, a QMS that is electronic, linked, or…
Mike Micklewright
Mike Micklewright's pun of the month (we can only hope there is just one)
Question: When Potsie and Fonzie tried to trick Richie into handing over his date to Ralph Malph in exchange for a better looking girl, what did they call the deal?
Answer: A Ponzie scheme.
Training within industry…
