Quality articles from February 2009

Quality archives from February 2009

Quality, consolidated.(Editorial)
February 1, 2009... Many manufacturers have gone or are going through changes as the challenging economic times continue. Companies are consolidating--buying out competitors through mergers and acquisitions, thinning their workforces through layoffs or merging...

Coming events.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Conference news)(Brief article)(Calendar)
February 1, 2009... MARCH 9-10 17TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ISO 9000, Orlando, FL. International Conference on ISO 9000, (866) 500-3383. www.iso9000conference.com 11-12 LEAN & SIX SIGMA CONFERENCE, Orlando, FL. International Lean &...

Northern Illinois University and Mitutoyo unveil metrology lab.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DEKALB, IL -- Northern Illinois University (NIU) hosted officials from measurement and inspection solutions provider Mitutoyo America Corp. (Aurora, IL) at the unveiling of the university's metrology laboratory. ...

AIAG to certify supplier compliance to quality data standard.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Automotive Industry Action Group )
February 1, 2009... SOUTHFIELD, MI -- The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) is launching a program that will allow suppliers to be certified to its Quality Measurement Data (QMD) standard, representing a way to prove to customers that they have achieved...

2008 Baldrige awards bestowed.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In November 2008 Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined President George W. Bush in announcing the 2008 recipients of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's highest Presidential honor for...

ASQ, FICCI join forces to promote quality in India.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(American Society for Quality)(Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry )(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... MILWAUKEE -- The American Society for Quality (ASQ) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) have entered into a joint venture to promote business excellence and quality to executives and quality professionals of...

NAM: manufactured goods export falls, deficit rises.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(National Association of Manufacturers)(Report)
February 1, 2009... WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has reported that data released by the Commerce Department shows that the U.S. trade deficit in September declined in response to falling petroleum prices that lowered the...

The Precision Metalforming Association.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)(Wayne Boeckman has been appointed)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... The Precision Metalforming Association (PMA, Independence, OH) has announced that Wayne Boeckman, president and CEO of Quick-Way Stampings Inc. (Euless, TX), has been named the PMA 2009 chairman of the board of directors. Boeckman kicked off...

American Society of Mechanical Engineers.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)(ASME International (New York, New York) appoints Amos Holt)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Dr. Amos Holt, vice president of environmental, safety and quality systems at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI, San Antonio), has been elected president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME, New York). Holt will begin serving...

American Measuring Tool Manufacturers Association.(ASSOCIATION NEWS)(Michael Hop)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Michael Hop, vice president and general manager of the H. E. Morse Co., known as Hemco Gage (Holland, MI), has been elected to the board of the American Measuring Tool Manufacturers Association (AMTMA, Mentor, OH). Hop's career with Hemco spans...

Ametek Calibration Instruments.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Ametek Calibration Instruments (Largo, FL), manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices, announces that its Jofra range of industrial pressure indicators is now ATEX and CSA certified for use in potentially explosive...

Hexagon (London) has entered into an agreement to acquire Serein Metrology Co. Ltd. (Shenzhen, China).(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Hexagon (London) has entered into an agreement to acquire Serein Metrology Co. Ltd. (Shenzhen, China). Serein develops and produces a range of precision measuring instruments in the micro area of the measurement technologies market.

Cognex Corp. (Natick, MA), manufacturer of machine vision sensors and systems, announces that China Steel Corp. (Taiwan), manufacturer of integrated steel products, has placed an order for seven Cognex SmartView surface inspection systems.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Cognex Corp. (Natick, MA), manufacturer of machine vision sensors and systems, announces that China Steel Corp. (Taiwan), manufacturer of integrated steel products, has placed an order for seven Cognex SmartView surface inspection systems. This...

MVTec Software GmbH (Munich), manufacturer of machine vision software, announces that MultiPix Imaging Ltd. (Petersfield, United Kingdom), supplier of machine vision components, will distribute its products in the United Kingdom and Ireland.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... MVTec Software GmbH (Munich), manufacturer of machine vision software, announces that MultiPix Imaging Ltd. (Petersfield, United Kingdom), supplier of machine vision components, will distribute its products in the United Kingdom and Ireland....

Genesys Instruments Inc. (East Longmeadow, MA), a manufacturer of precision borescope systems, has changed its name to GenScope Inc.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Genesys Instruments Inc. (East Longmeadow, MA), a manufacturer of precision borescope systems, has changed its name to GenScope Inc. The name change is central to the company's new program to advance the brand.

Instron.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Instron (Norwood, MA), provider of testing equipment solutions designed to evaluate mechanical properties of materials and components, announces the launch of its servohydraulic maintenance program. The four-point program is designed to...

Palisade Corp. (Ithaca, NY), maker of quantitative analytics software, has formed a partnership with the management consultancy Rath & Strong (Lexington, MA).(BUSINESS NEWS)
February 1, 2009... Palisade Corp. (Ithaca, NY), maker of quantitative analytics software, has formed a partnership with the management consultancy Rath & Strong (Lexington, MA). Rath & Strong uses Palisade's software @RISK 5.0 in its Lean Six Sigma consulting and...

Omnex.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Omnex (Ann Arbor, MI), business management solution provider, has opened an Atlanta office. The establishment of the office is intended to fulfill the needs of international industrial and service companies that have operations in the region.

Bruker AXS GmbH (Karisruhe, Germany), developer and manufacturer of analytical X-ray systems and solutions for material analysis, has signed an agreement to acquire all of the equity of Surface Imaging Systems GmbH (S.I.S., Herzogenrath, Germany).(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Bruker AXS GmbH (Karisruhe, Germany), developer and manufacturer of analytical X-ray systems and solutions for material analysis, has signed an agreement to acquire all of the equity of Surface Imaging Systems GmbH (S.I.S., Herzogenrath,...

Global Test Supply.(BUSINESS NEWS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Global Test Supply (Wilmington, NC), solutions provider for test and measurement applications, electronic production and process control, has relocated its North American headquarters to Wilmington, NC. The company markets and educates...

Hydro Aluminum North America.(PEOPLE NEWS)(Tom Click has been appointed)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Tom Click has been named vice president of market development for the Extrusion Americas unit of Hydro Aluminum North America (Linthicum, MD). Click will report to Lynn Brown, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Extrusion Americas. ...

TI Automotive.(PEOPLE NEWS)(Tim Knutson has been appointed)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Tim Knutson has been named chief financial officer at TI Automotive (Warren, MI). During his 20-year career in the automotive industry, Knutson has held a variety of senior management positions.

The future of quality: an important challenge faces quality professionals.(FACE OF QUALITY)
February 1, 2009... Independent quality functions are a small price to pay for the protection of a company's quality reputation and longevity. Customers are not willing to pay for mistakes and will easily transfer their loyalty. During the past 30 years,...

Sensationalizing excellence: in order to make excellence sensational, sexy and sporty, manufacturers must think outside the box.(MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE)
February 1, 2009... The European Union promotes its leading initiative on innovation and mandates its present and potential members to establish a national innovation initiative. Countries like Slovenia, Croatia and Portugal have formulated national policies for...

Going once ... auction sales require advance planning in order to get the best results.(OTHER DIMENSIONS)
February 1, 2009... Whenever there's an economic downturn two things happen: more measuring instruments get repaired when they should be replaced, and more people start going to auction sales looking for bargains. Many years ago my father used to go to...

SPC for a healthy manufacturing process: statistical process control can help identify problems, suggest corrective actions and reduce overall costs while preventing potentially serious issues.(QUALITY 101)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To assess pulmonary health, physicians routinely order electrocardiograms (EKG) for their patients. Electrodes are attached to the patient's chest and signals from the heart are "listened to" by a machine. A paper...

How thin can we go?(BRAIN TEASERS)(Interview)
February 1, 2009... 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...

Easier error compensation: Volumetric Error Compensation technology shortens and simplifies the calibration process.(QUALITY INNOVATIONS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Automated Precision Inc. (API, Rockville, MD) noticed a need for a shorter and simpler calibration process for machine tools, the company set about finding a solution--a solution that has already proven to be...

Contour projectors: keeping up with the times: contour projectors, also called optical comparators or shadowgraphs, are still around--and here to stay.(QUALITY MEASUREMENT)(Cover story)
February 1, 2009... The contour projector, also known as an optical comparator or shadowgraph, has been used for quality control inspection for more than 70 years. Despite its maturity, the projector is still around and going strong. Its lasting value comes from...

Software with global reach: enterprisewide software can be a useful solution for manufacturers looking to eliminate redundancy and increase communication and data-sharing across locations.(QUALITY SOFTWARE & ANALYSIS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Odds are that those reading this article are already using computer software for quality management, test and inspection. While a manufacturer may be perfectly happy with the company's current software features and...

Don't punish employees with training: a training program should be a regularly scheduled part of any operator's job--not just when a mistake or error occurs.(QUALITY MANAGEMENT)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Robert, the quality manager at a medium-sized machine shop, received his third customer complaint this month for parts that did not meet the customer's specifications. He did not need to investigate the cause of the...

Top flight force tester.(British Airways PLC)(Mecmesin Ltd.)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The aircraft, wheels and brakes department at British Airways plc (Middlesex, United Kingdom) is responsible for the repair and overhaul of aircraft brake units on the Boeing 737, 747, 757, 777 and Airbus A319, A320...

Time for an upgrade.(Votaw Precision Technologies Inc. )
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Votaw Precision Technologies (Santa Fe Springs, CA) has been making critical parts for the aerospace industry for 45 years. It has grown from a startup in the owner's garage to a 240,000-square-foot facility,...

Digital readouts.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ND 200 Series of digital readouts (DROs) is comprised of single-axis position displays. The DROs can host multiple inputs, are flexible in configuration and have comprehensive functions. The DROs come in two...

Thickness gage.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The CT-Gage DL+ thickness gage offers an A-Scanning display, which allows the operator to see the signal and adjust all gates and parameters while testing, giving full transparency to the operator in the application environment. The operator...

3-D laser confocal microscope.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The VK-9700 color 3-D laser scanning confocal microscope combines the capabilities of scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) and noncontact profilometry with the ease of use of a conventional microscope. The microscope...

Scanning electron microscope.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The JSM-7600F is a thermal field emission (FEG) scanning electron microscope (SEM) that integrates a semi-in-lens objective lens with an in-lens thermal electron gun. The SEM minimizes beam damage on heat sensitive samples and offers stability...

Roughness tester.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Surftest SJ-500 is a portable surface roughness tester that is suitable for either handheld or fixed operation. The test calculates numerous form analyses: steps, uneven steps, slope, uneven area, circle, angle...

TPMS sensor tester.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The TPMS Sensor Check Box allows operators to check whether a TPMS sensor is operational before it is mounted to the wheel. The tester can identify if the pressure sensor port is plugged by tire repair sealants and giving an incorrect pressure....

Pressure gage.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The Plus! family of pressure gages is an alternative to liquid-filled gages. The gages use a patented design to provide the stabilization benefits of liquid-filled gages in a dry configuration. The gages are suited for applications in which...

Camera processor.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The SmartDragon image processor can connect and simultaneously receive data from up to four FireWire-B (IEEE1394.b) color or black-and-white cameras. The processor has 16 insulated digital input and output terminals...

Task-specific measuring.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... [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...

CAD software.(QUALITY PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EnSuite Version 2, multicomputer-aided design (multi-CAD) viewing, translation and productivity software, has been upgraded to support point cloud files. The software can be used to import point cloud files in .xyz...

'Miracle' at Macy's.(THE LAST WORD)(Report)
February 1, 2009... What is the state of quality and manufacturing among today general public? From the most recent Institute of Supply Management (ISM) report, which showed a December 2008 manufacturing number of 32.4 (50 or more indicates growth) after a 36.2...

Snow time.(Editorial)
February 1, 2009... "These are the times that try men's souls." Though Thomas Paine was thinking of the late 18th century instead of February 2009, the sentiment still seems to fit. In addition to today's economic issues, I have been thinking about more...

Quality NDT conference open for registration.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(nondestructive testing)(Conference news)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... ORLANDO, FL -- The second annual Quality NDT Conference, to be held alongside the Quality Measurement and Quality Vision & Sensors Conferences, at the Caribe Royale Orlando, May 4 to 7, 2009, is now open for registration. At the Quality...

Tomos opens industrial CT scanning center.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 1, 2009... BELLINGHAM, WA -- Tomos Technologies Inc., provider of X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning services, has opened a new industrial CT scanning center in Bellingham, WA, offering high-resolution scanning and analysis to a range of industries....

ATA-FAA presents award to Olympus.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Air Transport Association of America Inc.)(Federal Aviation Administration)(Olympus NDT Inc.)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... WALTHAM, MA -- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Air Transport Association of America (ATA) presented the 2008 FAA-ATA Better Way Award to Olympus on September 24, 2008. The award recognizes a government-industry team that...

Magnaflux acquires Sonotech.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 1, 2009... BELLINGHAM, WA -- Maker of industrial NDT and medical ultrasonic couplants Sonotech Inc. has been acquired by Glenview, IL-based Magnaflux, an Illinois Tool Works (ITW) company and supplier of magnetic particle equipment, dye penetrant...

Management buyout of Ashtead Technology rentals.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOUSTON -- Ashtead Technology Rentals Ltd., a high-technology rental equipment supplier, has announced that its management team, with backing from Phoenix Equity Partners, has acquired the business in a $183.7...

Carestream Health certified to BAM.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Bundesanstalt fur Materialforschung und-prufung )(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... ROCHESTER, NY -- Carestream Health Inc., provider of X-ray products to a variety of industries, has announced that its nondestructive testing solutions group has received certification from the Bundesanstalt fur Materialforschung und-prufung...

Lost tribal wisdom: today's visual NDT inspectors are feeling the impact of lost tribal wisdom.(KEY TO QUALITY)(nondestructive testing)
February 1, 2009... When did Generation X lose its mentors and trainers? A significant change brought on by the globalization of modern business is the emergence of a new breed of NDT inspector--the inspector of the 21st century. In manufacturing, there are...

Improve product quality: eddy current testing can ensure manufactured component quality.(BACK TO BASICS)
February 1, 2009... There must be a good number of quality managers and subordinates who have either lost sleep, used their precious weekend hours--or both--agonizing over and working to correct or recover from a product quality problem. If they are lucky, they...

Tensile testing today: this classic mechanical test determines and properties of a of a material under tension, while new features simplify the testing process.(TENSILE TESTING)(MTS Systems Corp.)(ASTM)
February 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tensile testing is growing up. This century-old testing method is still used for testing tensile properties of a material under tension, from plastics to metals to rubbers. However, the capabilities of tensile...

Successful standardization: a standard practice for NDT data exchange and storage is a necessity.(NDT STANDARDS)(nondestructive testing)(digital imaging and communication in medicine )
February 1, 2009... Industry standards play a pivotal role in the advancement of science and technology. Countless manufacturing standards have enabled large strides in the efficiency of producing everything from automobiles to aircraft engines. The information...

NDT adapts to phased array; price reductions and user-friendly options have allowed NOT to warm up to advanced ultrasonic testing technology, including phased array and time of flight diffraction.(NDT PHASED ARRAY)(nondestructive testing )
February 1, 2009... Phased array ultrasonic instrumentation has been around since the late 1950s and early 1960s, but was limited to the medical industry in the early days. In the later 1980s and early 1990s, the technology was adopted by several manufacturers in...

See inside with CT: industrial computed tomography is a unique evaluation technique with many applications.(TECH SHOWCASE)(Imtech Corp.)(North Star Imaging )
February 1, 2009... Industrial computed tomography (CT) provides digital 3-D X-ray models of test subjects, thereby allowing the analysis of interior structures. Industrial CT systems typically comprise four sub-systems: radiation source, manipulator, detector and...

The sound of quality.(NDT APPLICATIONS)(Capstan Atlantic Inc.)(The Modal Shop Inc. )
February 1, 2009... Resonant acoustic method (RAM) nondestructive testing (NDT) offers an approach to product testing that uses sound to completely and reliably test product quality. Capstan Atlantic (Wrentham, MA) uses a RAM NDT unit from The Modal Shop...

Video borescope.(NDT PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The BoresEye Series of handheld video borescopes with still and video recording capabilities is available. The BoresEye 2010 has a 5.5-millimeter diameter camera with interchangeable lengths from 1 to 30 meters, while the BoresEye 2020 uses the...

UV lamp.(NDT PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The Maxima ML-3500 Series ultraviolet lamps use micro discharge light (MDL) technology and a filter and bulb/reflector to deliver up to 10 times the UV-A output of conventional HID inspection lamps. The lamps enable the operator to see small...

Ultrasonic flaw detectors.(NDT PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The Phasor family of ultrasonic flaw detectors incorporates conventional and phased array ultrasound technology in three upgradeable models: Phasor CV, Phasor 16/16 Weld and Phasor XS. The Phasor XS is a portable ultrasonic phased array flaw...

Borescope slide.(NDT PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The Hawkeye video borescope slide enables inspectors to mount parts and components and view borescopic images via a video system. Using the video slide can make inspections faster and the resulting video images more stable. The slide has three...

Eddy current sensor.(NDT PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The ECL202 eddy current displacement/position sensor has improved thermal stability and immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI) as well as improved linearity and resolution. The sensor employs FPGA technology enabling proprietary...

X-ray sensitive camera.(NDT PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The XR8800 Series X-ray line-scan camera family includes six models covering a range of active lengths, resolutions, speeds and sensitivity modes. Each incorporates the company's CMOS silicon imaging detector array chips with on-chip fully...

Micro diameter borescopes.(NDT PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2009... The Micro line includes the MicroFlex, Micro SemiRigid and MicroRigid scopes. The MicroFlex scope has a fused quartz fiber optic image bundle that provides crisp, bright images. This small-diameter scope moves easily through narrow turning...