William A. Levinson

Principal, author, auditor, and engineer

Levinson Productivity Systems

William A. Levinson, P.E., FASQ, CPIM is the principal of Levinson Productivity Systems P.C. He is the author of Reshore Production Now: How to Rebuild Manufacturing and Restore High Wages, High Profits, and National Prosperity in the USA, and other books on quality, productivity, and management.

Thu, 04/11/2019 - 09:14
When Zero Isn’t Zero: How to Handle Lower Detection LimitsCalculate Ppk and control limits for processes with nondetects
Mon, 03/15/2021 - 13:03
Traditional statistical methods for computing the process performance index (Ppk) and control limits for process-control purposes assume that measurements are available for all items or parts. If, however, the critical-to-quality (CTQ)…
Using Face Masks and Respirators for Covid-19Good, better, best. Something is better than nothing.
Thu, 08/20/2020 - 12:03
Face masks and respirators may well offer the only way to return to an even remotely normal living and working style in the second half of 2020, which means they will play a vital role in any kind of economic recovery. This article’s purpose is to…
Preparing for the HEROES ActBusinesses can start planning on how to meet or exceed whatever is forthcoming from OSHA
Mon, 06/29/2020 - 12:03
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the HEROES Act (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act)1 which will, if approved by the Senate and president, require OSHA to develop a standard for workplace protection against…
Break the Curve and Keep It BrokenWe need to reduce Covid-19’s basic reproduction number to less than 1 to break, rather than flatten, the curve
Tue, 04/28/2020 - 12:03
The phrase “flatten the curve” means to slow the transmission of the coronavirus (Covid-19) in order to spread the total number of cases out over a longer period of time. This will avoid overwhelming the healthcare system.1 The model is accurate as…
Coronavirus Risks and OpportunitiesSometimes containment is also the permanent corrective action
Tue, 03/17/2020 - 12:03
The Chinese character for “crisis” means danger and opportunity. The coronavirus, aka Covid-19, outbreak has already wreaked havoc in the global economy, curtailed international and even domestic travel, and caused roughly 7,146 fatalities to date…
High Wages for EverybodyIt is possible to raise wages, lower prices, and make more money
Wed, 02/26/2020 - 12:03
Almost half of Americans work in low-wage jobs despite the nation’s low unemployment rate. Aimee Picchi, writing for CBS News, cites a Brookings study that says “44 percent of U.S. workers are employed in low-wage jobs that pay median annual wages…
AIAG/VDA’s FMEA Manual Is a Major AdvanceNew process is qualitative rather than quantitative
Wed, 01/15/2020 - 12:03
The Automotive Industry Action Group’s (AIAG’s) and German Association of the Automotive Industry’s (VDA’s) new Failure Mode and Effects Analysis Handbook (AIAG, 2019) offers significant advances over FMEA as practiced 15 or 20 years ago.1 The…
Life Without the Paris AgreementWe already have the tools, knowledge, and monetary incentive to address environmental issues
Mon, 11/25/2019 - 12:03
How will the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement affect greenhouse gas emissions? Quality Digest editor in chief Dirk Dusharme and Mike Richman, principal at Richman Business Media Consulting, point out that most manufacturers already…
IATF 16949 Adds Value to ISO 9001:2015Many of IATF 16949’s key clauses are relevant to nonautomotive applications
Mon, 08/12/2019 - 12:03
The martial arts rank, Shodan, for a first-degree black belt, does not mean “expert”; it means “first step.” ISO 9001:2015 is similarly a valuable and vital first step toward world-class performance, but it is only that—a first step. It covers only…
How to Convert ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 Sampling Plans Into Narrow-Limit Gauging PlansReduce the amount of attribute inspection that must be done
Wed, 05/22/2019 - 12:03
Anthony Chirico1 describes how narrow-limit gauging (NLG, aka compressed limit plans) can reduce enormously the required sample size, and therefore the inspection cost, of a traditional attribute sampling plan. The procedure consists of moving…