Quality articles from December 2008

Quality archives from December 2008

Planning your way to the top.(management and method of cost control )(Editorial)
December 1, 2008... It is not often that I to sit at my desk in complete silence and just plan" for an extended period of time. Those times when I do sit down and plan, however, are the times when I feel as if I truly have accomplished something. The planning...

U.S. senators call for investigation into DOD imports.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Department of Defense)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- United States Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Evan Bayh (D-IN) have called for an investigation into the role of foreign imports in the U.S. defense industrial base. Brown and Bayh submitted an amendment to the National...

ACLASS to accredit under new CPSC requirements.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Consumer Product Safety Commission)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The ANSIASQ National Accreditation Board/ ACLASS announce that ACLASS meets the safety requirements for accrediting testing laboratories under the first and second phase of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act...

Coming events.(Calendar)
December 1, 2008... JANUARY 2009 19-22 LEAN SIX SIGMA & PROCESS IMPROVEMENT SUMMIT 2009, Orlando, FL. IQPC, (800) 882-8684. www.site-members.com/Isspi/index.html FEBRUARY 2009 10-12 MEDICAL DESIGN & MANUFACTURING (MD&M) WEST, Anaheim, CA. Canon...

NAM: exports continue to help ailing economy.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(National Association of Manufacturers)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The trade figures released by the Commerce Department on October 10 showed that manufactured goods exports continued a rapid growth pace in August, up 15% from August 2007, offering "a positive counterpoint to the otherwise...

Pittsburgh hosts successful MS&T.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Materials Science & Technology)
December 1, 2008... PITTSBURGH -- With students participating in a mug drop contest and exhibitors offering analytical equipment, the Materials Science & Technology (MS&T) 2008 exhibit hall was a busy place. The conference and exhibition took place October 5...

Laboratory Testing Inc.(PEOPLE NEWS)(appointment of Eva Pellow and Ed Phillips )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Eva Pellow has been promoted to metrology manager and Ed Phillips has been promoted to metrology supervisor for Laboratory Testing Inc. (LTI, Hatfield, PA). Pellow's responsibilities include overseeing all...

Haynes International Inc.(PEOPLE NEWS)
December 1, 2008... Mark M. Comerford has been appointed president and chief executive officer of Haynes International Inc. (Kokomo, IN). Comerford reports directly to the board of directors.

Direct digital manufacturing.(PEOPLE NEWS)(Jeff DeGrange appointed as vice president at Stratasys Inc.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jeff DeGrange has been appointed vice president of new business development in direct digital manufacturing (DDM) for Stratasys (Minneapolis). DeGrange has more than 20 years' experience in manufacturing technology.

Parlec Inc.(PEOPLE NEWS)(James Pierce appointed as vice president)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] James Pierce has been appointed vice president of operations for Parlec Inc. (Rochester, NY). Pierce is responsible for overseeing the company's manufacturing, assembly, materials purchasing, manufacturing...

Tricon Industries Inc.(PEOPLE NEWS)(John J. Winkler appointed as chief executive officer )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... John J. (Jay) Winkler has been appointed president and chief executive officer for Tricon Industries Inc. (Downers Grove, IL). Winkler directs the manufacturing, engineering, marketing, sales and service operations of the company and its...

Nixon Gear.(PEOPLE NEWS)(Dean Burrows appointed as president)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dean Burrows has been appointed president of Nixon Gear (Syracuse, NY). Burrows comes to the company with 20 years of operations experience from various industries including automotive, medical device and consumer...

John Sare has been appointed business development manager for FeatureCAM and PartMaker ranges of CAM software in Europe for Delcam (Birmingham, UK).(PEOPLE NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John Sare has been appointed business development manager for FeatureCAM and PartMaker ranges of CAM software in Europe for Delcam (Birmingham, UK). Sate comes to Delcam with a decade of experience in CAM channel...

Nolan Snell has joined as a senior software developer and Maurice McKay has joined as a research and development engineer for Surfware Inc. (Camarillo, CA).(PEOPLE NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Nolan Snell has joined as a senior software developer and Maurice McKay has joined as a research and development engineer for Surfware Inc. (Camarillo, CA). Both will focus on ongoing enhancements to the company's...

MoreSteam.com.(PEOPLE NEWS)(Lawrence Goldman appointed as vice president of marketing )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lawrence Goldman has been appointed vice president of marketing for MoreSteam.com (Columbus, OH). Goldman comes to the company with many years of marketing experience.

Cimtek.(PEOPLE NEWS)(Michael Aghajanian added to the board of directors )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Michael Aghajanian has been added to the board of directors of Cimtek (Boston). Aghajanian has been added to fast-track the company's growth and the value it creates for electronics manufacturers.

AIA hosts successful conference for vision guided robotics.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Conference notes)
December 1, 2008... NOVI, MI -- The International Conference for Vision Guided Robotics (ICVGR) aimed to help attendees apply these technologies and boost productivity, reduce costs and increase quality. The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) and the...

ISO publishes ISO 9001: 2008.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(International Organization for Standardization)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... GENEVA -- On November 14, 2008, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published ISO 9001: 2008, Quality Management Systems--Requirements, the latest edition of the standard used worldwide as the framework for quality...

BSI selects ANAB for global accreditation.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(BSI Management Systems)(ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... MILWAUKEE -- BSI Management Systems, a certification body, and the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB), the national accreditation body of the United States, have signed an agreement under which ANAB will provide accreditation services...

Applied Vision Corp.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Applied Vision Corp. (Akron, OH), designer and manufacturer of application-specific machine vision inspection systems, received the 2008 Manny Award for new job creation in Northeast Ohio, where the company is based. The company was recognized...

Yaskawa Electric.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Yaskawa Electric America Inc. has shipped its 10 millionth variable frequency drive)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Yaskawa Electric (Waukegan, IL), manufacturer of AC drives, servomotors, motion controllers and robotics, has shipped its 10 millionth variable frequency drive. In reaching this milestone, the company now claims to have more than 14% of the...

Optical Gaging Products Inc. (OGP, Rochester, NY), manufacturer of non-contact and multisensor dimensional measurement systems, optical comparators and laser surface scanners, recognized its network of North American representatives with its annual performance awards for outstanding achievement.(BUSINESS NEWS)
December 1, 2008... Optical Gaging Products Inc. (OGP, Rochester, NY), manufacturer of non-contact and multisensor dimensional measurement systems, optical comparators and laser surface scanners, recognized its network of North American representatives with its...

The Crown Group.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Crown Group (Warren, MI), component coating and finishing partner to automotive OEMs and tier-one suppliers, has announced that its Portland, TN, facility earned an "Excellence in Manufacturing" award from the...

Hexagon Metrology Inc. (North Kingstown, RI), provider of metrology hardware, software, accessories and customer services, has acquired one of its Sheffield CMM products distributors, Advanced Metrology Solutions (Dayton, OH), a distributor of precision metrology products in a nine-state territory, stretching from Michigan to Florida.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Hexagon Metrology Inc. (North Kingstown, RI), provider of metrology hardware, software, accessories and customer services, has acquired one of its Sheffield CMM products distributors, Advanced Metrology Solutions (Dayton, OH), a distributor of...

National Technical Systems Inc. (NTS, Calabasas, CA), provider of engineering services, has completed its acquisition of Elliott Laboratories Inc. (San Francisco), an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), product safety and wireless regulatory testing laboratory with two full-service facilities.(BUSINESS NEWS)
December 1, 2008... National Technical Systems Inc. (NTS, Calabasas, CA), provider of engineering services, has completed its acquisition of Elliott Laboratories Inc. (San Francisco), an electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), product safety and wireless regulatory...

Creaform.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Creaform (Levis, Canada), developer and manufacturer of the Handyscan 3-D line of laser scanners, has incorporated a Japanese office, Creaform Japan. The event takes place just a few months after the incorporation of its Chinese subsidiary,...

Ametek Inc. (Paoli, PA), manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices, has acquired Vision Research Inc. (Wayne, N J), manufacturer of high-speed digital imaging systems used for motion capture and analysis in test and measurement applications.(BUSINESS NEWS)
December 1, 2008... Ametek Inc. (Paoli, PA), manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices, has acquired Vision Research Inc. (Wayne, NJ), manufacturer of high-speed digital imaging systems used for motion capture and analysis in test and...

The Jenoptik Group (Jena, Germany), provider for high-precision, contact and noncontact production metrology, has won an order from Continental AG (Hannover, Germany), an international automotive supplier, to measure diesel injection components.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... The Jenoptik Group (Jena, Germany), provider for high-precision, contact and noncontact production metrology, has won an order from Continental AG (Hannover, Germany), an international automotive supplier, to measure diesel injection...

Innovation Matrix Inc.(BUSINESS NEWS)(opening of a new office)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Innovation Matrix Inc. (San Jose, CA), distributor and system integrator of automation applications, has opened an office in Kobe, Japan. The new branch office will allow the company to better serve its customers in Asia, including Japan, by...

$pending $tands $trong: projected spending is slated to reach $4.46 billion in 2009.(SPECIAL REPORT)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tales of a struggling economy can be heard just about anywhere you turn, but Quality Magazine's 9th Annual Capital Spending Survey proves that the manufacturing industry is standing strong. Spending is projected to...

Letter to the president: with new leadership comes a call for excellence and innovation.(MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE)(Viewpoint essay)
December 1, 2008... Organizations experience cycles of ups and downs, profit and loss, surplus and debt, and success and failure. Civilizations go through cycles of opulence and obliteration. Good follows the bad and recovery follows the collapse. America's...

Cut calibration costs: there are some ways you can reduce costs when it comes to calibration without putting quality at risk.(OTHER DIMENSIONS)(Column)
December 1, 2008... In a previous column I railed against corporate cost cutting strategies where the only element taken into consideration was the money involved. The fallout from decisions made in such isolated circumstances will not be immediately evident,...

Matching components.(BRAIN TEASERS)
December 1, 2008... Anyone who has faced a production problem with a need to solve it by using production data can relate to the notion of a brain teaser. The brain teasers presented here are based on real-world situations encountered by workers in manufacturing...

Single camera success: the Exact Scan single camera system simplifies automotive inspection.(QUALITY INNOVATIONS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Getting more information for less money is one of the benefits of the Exact Scan system. Another benefit is less maintenance for the system and simplified integration. The USS Exact Scan single camera system...

Important considerations in error compensation: error compensation is not a "yes" or "no" proposition.(QUALITY * PLAN BOOK)(Cover story)
December 1, 2008... Recently, I was approached by a company interested in buying a sophisticated metrology system. They were comparing several different brands, and to be as thorough as possible, had set up a criteria matrix in which one of the questions was, "Is...

Turning to automated processes: the long-term benefits of automation include increased profits, shortened lead times and improved quality and customer satisfaction.(QUALITY * PLAN BOOK)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In an effort to become more competitive, increase profitability and improve quality, and meet or exceed a customer's schedule, companies are turning to automated processes that increase production throughput and...

A recipe for effective leadership: managers in the manufacturing industry must inspire others and successfully lead a team--and the recipe for those qualities calls for a little interpretation.(QUALITY * PLAN BOOK)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] All good leaders are not cast from the same mold. This is evident when we study those who have demonstrated good leadership. We might say that each is a good leader with certain characteristics that make them so, yet...

The importance of scheduling calibration: adhering to a calibration schedule for dimensional metrology equipment can help manufacturers reduce waste while improving efficiency and product quality.(QUALITY * PLAN BOOK)
December 1, 2008... Many people are familiar with calibration from the stickers on measuring devices and systems that indicate when calibration was last performed. Some people learn about calibration when they go to use a measuring system and find it is not...

Inventing: new quality processes.(CASE STUDIES)(geomagic software)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Like most other companies obsessed with quality, Six Sigma and other proven methodologies are essential at ITT's Goulds Pumps Division (Seneca Falls, NY), a pump manufacturer in business for more than 150 years. ...

Nikon Instruments Inc.(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)
December 1, 2008... Known for over 90 years as one of the finest optical manufacturing companies in the world, Nikon has achieved a level of optical excellence unrivalled by any other glassmaker. The Company's diverse product line includes precision optical and...

Gradient Lens Corp.: superb image quality for less than 1/2 the price!(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)(precision borescopes )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] That's Hawkeye[R] Precision Borescopes from Gradient Lens Corporation. Our philosophy is to create very well made, high quality optical inspection products that are simple, low cost and easy to use. We make over 50...

Origin technologies corp.(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LaserGauge[R] HS701 is a versatile, handheld laser profiler with on-board processing, non-volatile memory and an integral color LCD. The sensor works autonomously, capturing 2D surface scans, digitizing profiles,...

Carbide Probes Inc.(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Carbide Probes, Inc. in Dayton Ohio is expanding by adding over 2000 square feet to their existing manufacturing facility. The new addition will contain four new offices, a large conference room, and a data center to house the mainframe and...

Micro-Vu Corporation: precision measurements systems.(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Micro-Vu Corporation is a world-class manufacturer of multisensor, video, and optical measurements systems. With nearly 50 years of measurement experience, Micro-Vu has established a reputation of dependable, high...

InfinityQS real-time SPC software.(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)
December 1, 2008... InfinityQS is the leading provider of real-time statistical process control (SPC) software and technical services to manufacturers worldwide. Ranked as the No. 1 real-time SPC software solution by an independent analyst firm, InfinityQS has a...

Taylor-Hobson.(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)
December 1, 2008... The Talysurf CCI Lite is an advanced type of measurement interferometer. It uses an innovative, patented correlation algorithm to find the coherence peak and phase position of an interference pattern produced by our precision optical scanning...

Prolink: save time creating inspection reports in excel!(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)
December 1, 2008... We constantly speak with customers who create Excel reports from unformatted CMM / gage data. These customers often have multiple formats and spend hours typing, cutting, pasting, and re-arranging data in order to create formatted Excel PPAPs...

Renishaw Inc.: Stylus procurement is fast, easy, and cheap.(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)
December 1, 2008... Renishaw now takes the stylus to a new place--the web. Announcing, www.renishawdirect.com, a new buy-direct website for the USA. Renishawdirect.com makes ordering and receiving genuine Renishaw styli and accessories fast, easy and economical....

S-T Industries Inc.(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] S-T Industries, Inc. began manufacturing precision measuring tools in St. James, Minnesota, in 1942. S-T is still known worldwide for its lightweight tubular frame micrometers with standard models available up to 96...

The original Rayco: CMM fixture.(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rayco has been manufacturing Quality products for over 30 Years and the Rayco CMM Fixture has been the No. 1 selling Flexible CMM Fixture for the past 19 years. We are the only Rayco! To find a local Rayco...

Torque tester.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The TorqueLab LTT Series is a class of torque analyzers that offers portability, expandability and documentation control. Meeting the demands to test multiple torque ranges for various torque tools used in...

Turbopumps.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HiPacea is a line of turbopumps available in pumping speeds that range from 10 to 700 liters per second. The line has a new rotor design that reduces run-up time and provides high gas throughput and compression for...

Mobile SPC.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Synergy 200A bundle comprises a 2.2-pound computer preloaded with the company's entry-level Synergy statistical process control (SPC) software for operators who want to conduct quality checks as they move freely...

Laser marker.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ML-Z 9500 Series CO2 laser marker has the ability to mark in the X, Y and Z direction. This three-axis motion allows for 42-millimeter variable focal length, distortion-free 300-millimeter by 300-millimeter...

Optical measuring.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OneTouch optical measuring systems offer fast and accurate dimensional analysis. The field of view measuring device automates the measuring process, with no need for a keyboard or mouse after a measuring program is...

Contouring control.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The TNC 620 with digital drive control is for use on both milling machines and machining centers with up to five axes plus spindle. The device is equipped for handling complicated tasks, including those that use...

Gige vision cameras.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... The GiantDragon line of Gigabit Ethernet (GigE) and GenICam compliant industrial cameras is comprised of nine monochrome and color models, all leveraging the economy and agility of the Automated Imaging Association (AIA) GigE Vision open...

Measuring arm.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Infinite 2.0 measuring arm has Tesa kinematic probes, a redesigned ergonomic wrist with an integrated USB digital camera, SpinGrip, a new probe holster and upgraded WiFi with a range up to 200 feet, even through...

Task-specific measuring.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Holos NT software is available for the measurement of standard geometries and freeform surfaces. The software enables operators to quickly generate a measuring program. The Windows-based measuring software...

2-D profiling laser sensor.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The model ZG 2-D profiling laser sensor completes a height and width inspection in a single pass in milliseconds, capturing entire shapes by measuring the X and Z axes. The sensor measures up to four items...

Thread engineering software.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ThreadSpecs 2.0 is a thread engineering software program designed to simplify the calculation of critical thread elements and characteristics for UN, UNJ, Buttress, Acme, metric, metric J and Whitworth thread forms....

Thickness measurement.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The CT-Gage and CT-Gage DL (data-logging) ultrasonic thickness gages are for wall and coating thickness measurement. Both models measure coating and wall thickness from only one side, and also automatically measure...

Ultrasonic thickness gage.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The UPG-07 series of handheld ultrasonic thickness gages is available. The series consist of seven models that nondestructively and ultrasonically measure engineering material as thin as 0.004 inch to as thick as 20...

Manual CMM.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The X-Cite manual coordinate measuring machine (CMM) has granite table construction and OpenDMIS measuring software that offers full computer-aided design (CAD) capabilities with the Quick Measure feature that allows...

Quality management software.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... EtQ Reliance 6.0 is a Web-based enterprise system for quality and compliance management, designed to identify, mitigate and prevent high-risk events through automation, integration and collaboration. The software is built on the company's...

Optical surface metrology.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The MarSurf WS 1 is an optical surface metrology instrument that uses white light interferometry, offering vertical resolution of 0.1 nanometer and providing 3-D measurement in seconds. Using MarSurf XT 20...

Quality software.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... Q&MIS 8 is a quality and manufacturing integrated system that has introduced enhancements to strengthen its usability and overall compliance and quality management capabilities. The software includes the ability to add new workgroups in the...

Dedicated manual fixtures.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... Dedicated manual fixtures for horizontal and vertical machining centers and other computer-numerical control (CNC) machinery are available. The company's services include machining tombstones to designing per customer specification. The company...

SPC software.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
December 1, 2008... WinSPC Version 7.2 is real-time SPC software that enables manufacturers to enhance product quality, improve process control and impact manufacturing profitability. The new features in version 7.2, such as advanced deployment and integration...

Be not afraid.(THE LAST WORD)(Column)
December 1, 2008... It's the "elephant in the room" that needs to be addressed. The economy, including manufacturing, is being hit hard as I write this column. The headlines and financial news tell you all yon need to know. Record sales losses--the most in 17...

Product listing.(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2008... COMPONENTS BAR CODE READERS 2-D * Cognex (508) 650-3000 see ad in this issue * Sick Inc. (952) 941-6780 See ad in this issue * Stemmer Imaging GmbH 89 809020 See ad in this issue 3-D ...

Suppliers/sources.(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2008... Companies providing products included in the Product Index appear alphabetically here. Allied Vision Technologies Inc. North America 38 Washington St. #2 Newburyport, MA 01950 (877) USA-1394 (978) 225-2030 Fax:...

Sony's new 1394.b cameras.(SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)(Sony Corp.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For precision beyond the naked eye, look to Sony's new 1394.b camera line-up. Sony manufactured the world's very first 1394 camera. Not to mention the first 1394 machine vision camera. And we manufacture more camera...

5 Megapixel GigE Vision camera.(VISION & SENSORS: SUPPLIER SHOWCASE)(Sony Corp.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JAI's BM/BB-500GE is a new 5 megapixel camera available in two versions: BM-500GE (monochrome) and BB-500GE (raw Bayer color). Both models are built around the Sony ICX625 2/3" CCD sensor (2448 x 2050 pixels) and are...

The machine vision system: machine vision is now a common sight in many manufacturing environments.(VISION & SENSORS: MACHINE VISION SYSTEM)
December 1, 2008... By Vision & Sensors Staff [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Machine vision, based on the concept that machines can make intelligent decisions with information gathered from visual sensors, is a growing phenomenon found in many manufacturing...