Quality articles from May 2006

Quality archives from May 2006

Dedicated to quality.(Dr. Roderick Munro named as Quality Professional of the Year awards 2006)
May 1, 2006... It's about the people. The best quality equipment, software and systems will not improve the products made in a factory if the right people are not in place. The proof of that is demonstrated in assistant editor Michelle Bangert's article...

Coming events.
May 1, 2006... 6-8 MD&M EAST, New York. Canon Communications LLC, (310) 445-4200. www.mdmeast.com 7-8 2006 QUALITY EXPO DETROIT, Novi, MI. Reed Exhibitions, (800) 840-5688. www.qualitydetroit.com 7-8 NAG BEST PRACTICES SUMMIT, Novi, Ml. AIAG, (248)...

Quality Plant and Professional of the Year announced.(RAM Q Universe Inc.'s Roderick A. Munro named as Quality Professional of the Year)(Kenworth Truck Co. and Accurate Gauge & Manufacturing Inc. named as Quality Plant of Year)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... BENSENVILLE, IL -- Quality Magazine announces the Plant and Professional of the Year Award recipients. Quality Magazine received many qualified entries for the Plant of the Year Awards and the inaugural year of the Quality Professional of the...

Reed exhibitions joins forces with SAE.(Society of Automotive Engineers to launch Quality Expo China 2006)
May 1, 2006... NORWALK, CT -- Reed Exhibitions announces the launch of Quality Expo China 2006, August 29 to 31, in association with Quality Magazine and The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Boasting more than 40,000 individual members and 200...

Starragheckert acquires SIP, Geneva.(Starrag-Heckert Inc., Societe Instruments Physiques SA)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... SWITZERLAND -- StarragHeckert acquires all assets of SIP (Societe Instruments Physiques SA, Geneva, Switzerland), and its subsidiaries American SIP and SIP China. SIP can look back to a long tradition as a manufacturer of machine tools and...

The Association for Operations Management.(announces educational workshop for Certified in Production and Inventory Management program)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The Association for Operations Management (APICS, Alexandria, VP,) announces its educational workshop schedule of courses that support the process of earning APICS' Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) designation. The...

Wonderware.(appoints Claus Abildgren)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Wonderware (Lake Forest, CA), a business unit of Invensys Systems Inc., announces the appointment of Claus Abildgren to the board of directors of the Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association (MESA) International. A non-profit...

Moritex USA Inc.(opens a new office at Natick, Massachusetts)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Moritex USA Inc. opens a sales and support office for the East Coast. Located in Natick, MA, 17 miles west of Boston's Logan Airport, this location will provide full customer support for all product ranges for the U.S., Canada and provide...

Intertek.(ETL SEMKO launches online store)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The ETL SEMKO division of Intertek (Boxborough, MA) launches the Intertek standards store, an online store containing more than one million technical documents, industry standards and requirements at www.intertek-standards.com. Operators can...

Instron.(offers on-site calibrations of speed, displacement, stroke and temperature)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... In addition to force, strain and hardness, Instron (Norwood, MA) offers accredited on-site calibrations of speed, displacement, stroke and temperature. The calibration team complies with internationally recognized standards such as ISO/IEC...

Edmund Optics Inc.(has installed a custom aspheric manufacturing unit at its Pennsburg)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Edmund Optics Inc. (Barrington, N J) has installed a custom aspheric manufacturing unit at its Pennsburg, PA, facility. This allows Edmund Optics to produce high-departure aspheric geometries that can be manufactured rapidly in glass, ceramic...

Ram Optical Instrumentation Inc.(launch of its redesigned website)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Ram Optical Instrumentation Inc. (Tempe, AZ) announces the launch of its redesigned website, www.ramoptical.com. The site includes an easy-to-use user interface, updated product information, the new distributor locator and an advanced search...

Link Engineering.(announces their office location in Shanghai, China)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Link Engineering (Plymouth, Ml) announces their office location in Shanghai, China. This facility provides office space and conference facilities for the Link-China organization, and will improve Link's ability to communicate with customers...

The Mahr Group.(acquires Optische Koordinaten messtechnik GmbH )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The Mahr Group (Providence, RI), parent company of Mahr Federal Inc., acquires a majority interest in Optische Koordinaten messtechnik GmbH (OKM, Jena, Germany). Mahr OKM will continue to be run by its existing management team, with the...

Schneider Electric.(has completed registration for ISO 14001 environmental management system standard)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Schneider Electric's North American Operating Division (Palatine, IL) has completed registration for all of its 31 facilities to the internationally recognized ISO 14001 environmental management system standard.

Helmel Engineering Products Inc.(coordinate measuring machines software)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Helmel Engineering Products inc. (Niagara Falls, NY) announces additions to its Geomet CMM Software system to simplify interfacing of the company's shop hardened Phoenik and Microstar coordinate measuring machines into manufacturing cells and...

Stopped production costs an average of $22,000 per minute.(Survey)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... PEORIA, IL -- In a survey of 101 manufacturing executives in the automotive industry, from parts suppliers to engine makers to automakers, a majority say the cost of stopped production is incredibly high--an average of $22,000 per minute. A...

Stat-A-Matrix.(appoints Ernani Pires )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Stat-A-Matrix (Edison, N J) appoints Ernani Pires as president, Joining Stat-A-Matrix as an executive management consultant in 2003, Pires worked as a trainer and consultant in both Six Sigma and quality management systems. In January 2005, he...

Robotic Workspace Technologies Inc.(appointed Neil Dueweke)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Robotic Workspace Technologies Inc. (Fort Myers Beach, FL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Innova Holdings Inc. (Fort Myers Beach, FL), announces that Neil Dueweke has been named president of Robotic Workspace Technologies. Dueweke's career...

NSL Analytical Services.(appointed Adam Anderson)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... NSL Analytical Services (Cleveland) appoints Adam Anderson to the position of Chemist I. Anderson's responsibilities include performing chemical tests of samples, recommending methods and procedure updates, and interpreting and entering test...

Henkel.(promoted Luigi Cusano )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Henkel (Rocky Hill, CT) promotes Luigi Cusano to plant manager for its City of Industry facility. Cusano will assume direct responsibility for the management of the West Coast manufacturing center.

Apriso Corp.(appointed Mark Del Grande, Chris Brecher and Don VanderBeke)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Apriso Corp. (Long Beach, CA) names three software industry veterans to newly created executive posts. Chris Brecher is named executive vice president, worldwide field operations, and will oversee Apriso's global sales organization. Mark Del...

FKI Logistex.(appointed Ed Zahler)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... FKI Logistex (St. Louis) appoints Ed Zahler as director of projects for its Atlanta regional office. Zahler, a company veteran with 30 years of material handling automation experience at FKI Logistex, has held a variety of engineering and...

Multivac Inc.(appointed Michael J. Lynch)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Multivac Inc. (Kansas City, MO) announces that Michael J. Lynch joins the company as director of sales for its medical, consumer and industrial division. Lynch will be responsible for implementing marketing strategies, fostering client...

GM de Mexico.(General Motors de Mexico S.A. de C.V. appointed Kevin Williams)(GM North America appoints Annette Clayton )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Kevin Williams is appointed assistant managing director and manufacturing manager of GM de Mexico, and Annette Clayton will succeed Williams at GM North America vice president of quality.

NSF International Strategic Registrations Ltd.(appoints James Cuff)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... NSF International Strategic Registrations Ltd. (Ann Arbor, Ml) announces James Cuff as general manager of NSF-ISR Canada. Cuff comes to the company with 13 years of sales management experience and six years of experience working in the...

Physical Acoustics Corp.(promoted Mark F. Carlos)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Physical Acoustics Corp. (Princeton Junction, NJ) promotes Mark F. Carlos to president of the company. Carlos is responsible for the overall operations of the MISTRAS Holdings Group's product divisions, including Physical Acoustics, NDT...

Machine tool consumption 11.3% higher than in 2005.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... MCLEAN, VA -- January U.S. machine tool consumption totaled $225.94 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association (AMTDA) and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT). This total was down 31.9% from...

Awards of excellence in metalforming announced.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... CLEVELAND -- The Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) honors eight companies with awards of excellence in metalforming. Presented annually, the awards recognize the high standards of achievement set by the metalforming industry in the areas...

Rockwell Automation plans for Asia Pacific Business Center.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... SINGAPORE -- Rockwell Automation unveils plans for an Asia Pacific Business Center in Singapore that will begin operations in May 2006. The company expects to hire approximately 400 employees by 2008 when the center will be fully operational....

Machine vision market study shows solid growth.(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... ANN ARBOR, MI -- 2005 was a good year for the machine vision and imaging industry and continued growth is expected in 2006, according to a machine vision market study. Smart cameras saw the strongest growth in 2005, with a 19.1% increase...

Change implementers are unsung continual improvement heroes: employees making changes on the shop floor play a vital role that is often undervalued in continual improvement projects.(transforming resistance to acceptance)
May 1, 2006... The people responsible for actually implementing change in an organization have the hardest job, yet rarely are recognized for their extremely difficult and valuable contributions. Continual improvement, whether incremental or dramatic,...

Reject! Before contacting your gage maker about a problem gage, follow a few steps to help determine the problem as quickly as possible.(Column)
May 1, 2006... In my last column I dealt with the subject of wear on gages. Being a faithful reader you'll recall that I also wrote that the word "reject" is another gageuser complaint that strikes terror in the hearts of all those who produce gages. Being a...

No need to scratch: with a variety of gages available for surface measurement, scratch pads are a method of the past for many manufacturers.(importance of surface finish)
May 1, 2006... "Back in the day," as the saying goes, an experienced machinist would use a scratch pad and an educated fingernail to determine the surface quality of a part. Then, in the 1940s, E.J. Abbot of the University of Michigan developed a surface...

Customer returns.
May 1, 2006... 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...

Tool solves measuring challenge: a new caliper measures corners--even theoretical ones.
May 1, 2006... Calipers are one of the handiest tools in the toolbox. Lightweight but rugged, simple to use but extremely accurate, calipers are used on small parts and large. But, as the saying goes, one should use the right tool for the right job and...

Graded gage blocks serve a purpose: a graded gage block can help achieve a predictable uncertainty without consulting a calibration chart.
May 1, 2006... When picking up a gage block to check a micrometer or caliper, many operators don't bother to check the gage block's calibration chart because historically gage blocks sold in the United States were extremely accurate. The new B89 gage block...

Making sense of quality: the most reliable instruments for measuring quality, particularly abstract quality, are one's natural senses.
May 1, 2006... To achieve the simultaneous satisfaction of one's customers and one's own business practices is to overcome the inherent imbalance of loyalties that lies within all attempts to serve two masters. True success is beyond what normal humans are...

Detect defects optically: understanding an optical sensing system helps improve reliability.
May 1, 2006... Photosensing systems have been used extensively for detection, gaging, identification and characterization. They are used in high-speed defect detection and gaging, characterization, pattern recognition and identification. These systems are...

The glow of success: UV luminescence sensors can do more than photoelectric sensors at less cost than vision systems.(quality & inspection)
May 1, 2006... Engineers do not often think of ultraviolet (UV) luminescence sensors for certain applications, yet they are often the best choice. They are more sensitive and selective than photoelectric or infrared sensors, and they are more affordable than...

Size up gage calibration software: many questions need to be asked before purchasing and implementing gage management software.
May 1, 2006... Gage management and calibration software is a critical component of process improvement programs. Used effectively, it can keep the tools on the shop floor operating at optimal levels. There are many different packages available and all promise...

Teach, write and live quality: Roderick Munro, Quality Magazine's 2006 Professional of the Year, has a proven track record of commitment to quality assurance and continual improvement in all aspects of his life.(Roderick A. Munro)(Cover story)(Biography)
May 1, 2006... Quality Magazine PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR * 2006 Roderick Munro has given more than 190 professional presentations, published more than 125 articles and, almost 10 years to the day after joining the American Society for Quality (ASQ), he...

It's quality time!(QUALITY EXPO DETROIT 2006)
May 1, 2006... Quality Expo Detroit 2006 is just around the corner? This year's Quality Show and Conference will be held June 7 and 8 at the new Rock Financial Showplace in convenient Novi, MI. We hope you'll come spend some time with a community that not...

Six sigma: yields results at GW plastics.
May 1, 2006... GW Plastics Inc. (Bethel, VT), an injection molder and provider of precision tooling, components and assemblies, is seeing benefits from its Six Sigma program as it invests resources toward continual improvement. "We believe in this...

CMM precision: proves essential to success.(coordinate measuring machine)
May 1, 2006... Running five shifts, supporting four different product lines and processing more than 20,000 parts per month requires not only detailed planning, but also reliable inspection technology. For Dietmar Ingensiep, group leader of the common rail...

Force tester.
May 1, 2006... The motorized force tester model ESMH is a 50-pound capacity horizontal test stand designed for tension, compression and friction testing. A smooth top surface makes the tester well-suited for coefficient of friction testing. The tester's...

Gage head.
May 1, 2006... The Thruvar gage incorporates push-button automatic setup adjustment that reduces downtime and eliminates special tools. Using the automatic setup feature, it is possible to reset the Thruvar gage without operator intervention for a size...

Connectors.
May 1, 2006... The Models CT3249 and CT3250 Do It Yourself (DIY) QuickConnect banana plug connectors are available in two configurations and six colors. Model CT3249 is a standard 4-millimeter DIY plug and model 3250 is a sheathed 4-millimeter DIY plug. The...

End mills.
May 1, 2006... The 2- and 4-flute solid carbide drill point end mills are multipurpose tools for drilling, milling, spotting, chamfering and countersinking. Cutter diameters are available from 1/8 to 1/4 inch and 0.000 to 0.003 inch for 5/16 to 3/4-inches....

Engine tachometer.
May 1, 2006... The SE-1100 noncontact engine tachometer employs an ignition spark detection method that allows it to be both safe and easy to use. It weighs approximately 110 grams, including batteries, making it accessible from a pocket or pouch. To use,...

Master ring.
May 1, 2006... Master rings are manufactured to classes, based on tolerances to submicrons/millionths of an inch. Rings with the slightest errors at this level can influence the performance of manufactured parts. The master rings are ground and then lapped to...

UV measurement.
May 1, 2006... The UV FastCheck strips are an alternative UV measurement tool. These paper-thin, photochromatic, pressure sensitive strips change color when specific levels of UV dose are received. They can determine levels of UV dose with a simple, visual...

SPC software.
May 1, 2006... The Web-enabled SPC solution, eSPC, manages product quality beyond the supply chain and throughout the entire enterprise for manufacturers of any size to share and analyze real-time data across dispersed facilities. Both on-site quality...

Fiber Probe.
May 1, 2006... The Fiber Probe WFP makes it possible to carry out contact measurements of extremely small geometric features with high accuracy while using extremely low probing forces. Ball spherical radii as small as 10 microns are available. In conjunction...

LED ring light.
May 1, 2006... Operators can plug a mouse into this LED ring light and have control over light direction and intensity. There are a total of 40 high-intensity LEDs giving more than 18 lumens of combined light output. The mouse wheel adjusts the number of LEDs...

Versatile workstation.
May 1, 2006... The MK26, a versatile vibration isolation workstation, uses Minus K negative-stiffness vibration isolators to provide a compact, passive workstation with ultra-low natural frequencies, high internal structural frequencies, and vertical and...

Spindle-blast system.
May 1, 2006... The Model RXS-800 rotary indexing spindle-blast system is available with a vertical gun oscillator mounted on the roof of the blast cabinet. The reciprocating motion of the blast nozzles enables uniform coverage of component surfaces with fewer...

Vision sensor.
May 1, 2006... The Presence PLUS P4 Edge 1.3 vision sensor uses a 1280 by 1024 pixel imager to capture minute details of multiple features at ranges from a few inches to several feet, depending on the lens used. The sensor detects subtle differences in target...

Sound source.
May 1, 2006... The Pistonphone Type 42AP is a battery-operated sound source for the calibration of measurement microphones, sound level meters and other sound measurement equipment. The 42AP has a built-in barometer and thermometer. The operator can read the...

Electron microscopes.
May 1, 2006... The Supra 40 series of ultra-high resolution field emission scanning electron microscopes (FESEM) delivers high-quality imaging solutions for many applications in the field of nanotechnology. The Supra 40 FESEM series comprises three models:...

Updated guide.
May 1, 2006... The "Ultimate Guide to Buying a Light Scattering Instrument" brochure highlights macromolecular characterization instruments, software and accessories. The updated brochure builds on its predecessor by detailing dynamic light scattering (DLS),...

Camera system.
May 1, 2006... The IK-M44A is a remote-head, color camera system with a choice of three optional camera heads. Customers can choose from a 1/3-inch CCD micro-miniature camera head, the 1/2-inch CCD camera head, or the C-Mount camera head that is suitable for...

Linear scale.
May 1, 2006... The absolute sealed LC 182 linear scale can cover measuring lengths of up to 4,240 millimeters. This encoder incorporates a single-field scanning method instead of a previous four-field scanning method. This utilizes a large single scanning...

Motion analysis.
May 1, 2006... The ML10 laser calibration system gives engineers continuous "streaming" data on machine dynamics, viewable on a live oscilloscope-type display. A simple-to-use software package, QuickView enables real-time, high-resolution motion analysis of...

Measurement system.
May 1, 2006... Model 01184 digital FM telemetry steering effort sensor has a portable data acquisition system. The model 90362 system package has a low mass steering sensor, optical encoder and a laptop computer with custom interface software. Sensors are...

SPC Software.
May 1, 2006... The SQCpack has short run SPC charts, the ability to send charts as e-mail, and three-way control charts. Three-way control charts, a variation on the traditional measurement control chart, provide a way to examine three charts on a single...

Portable CMM 'reaches out': FARO Technologies chief looks to move measurement to the machining center.(coordinate measuring machines, Jay Freeland)(Interview)
May 1, 2006... FARO Technologies Inc. (Lake Mary, FL) is located just north of Orlando, FL. Unlike the area's theme parks, which specialize in amusement, FARO is very serious when it comes to helping manufacturers realize the benefits of measurement in their...