Quality articles from November 2003

Quality archives from November 2003

Can't keep it all.(From The Editor)(Save American Manufacturing (SAM) U.S.A.)(Editorial)
November 1, 2003... Save American Manufacturing (SAM) U.S.A. is an Aurora, IL-based group that has as its goal, "building public and government awareness of the devastating effects the increasing economic trade deficit with China is having on U.S. businesses."...

Coming events.(Industry News)(Calendar)
November 1, 2003... DECEMBER * Value-Stream Mapping Workshop, Albuquerque, NM, Dec 2-4. Lean Enterprise Institute, (617) 713-2900. * Print Reading for Manufacturing, Chicago, Dec. 2-3, Affiliated Educational Consultants, (773) 262-8140. * Internal...

Manufacturers urged to accept challenge of foreign competition.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... KIAWAH ISLAND, SC -- U.S. manufacturers and government policy makers must develop unique strategies to contend with unprecedented global competition that is hurting U.S. businesses and costing jobs an industry leader told a group of executives...

Elcometer.(Business News)(acquires Protovale Oxford)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Elcometer (Manchester, UK) has acquired Protovale Oxford Ltd., manufacturers of industrial metal detection equipment for the concrete, timber and utilities industries. Pretovale Oxford Ltd. will become part of the Elcometer worldwide business...

Tecnomatix Technologies Ltd.(Business News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Tecnomatix Technologies Ltd. (Herzlia, Israel) announced that Engineering Bausch und Ziege GmbH (EBZ), a leading German automotive engineering firm, has signed a $500,000 contract with Tecnomatix for use of eMPower solutions, which will serve...

4aBetterBusiness Inc.(Business News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... 4aBetterBusiness Inc. (Northfield, IL) announces the ISO/TS 16949:2002 Transition Toolkit. This all-electronic toolkit helps companies transition from QS-9000 to ISO/TS 16949: 2002. It includes process-approach guidance, guided gap analysis,...

Six Sigma Academy.(Business News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Six Sigma Academy (Scottsdale, AZ) has announced that it has formed a strategic alliance with For CEOs Only Inc., the parent company of the G100, the network of 100 of the world's most influential chief executives. The partnership is aimed at...

Boeing.(Business News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... For the second year in a row, Boeing (Chicago) has been named the No. 1 employer by engineering and science college students, according to the 2003 Universum Undergraduate Survey.

Sidney Tool & Die Inc.(Business News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Sidney Tool & Die Inc. has received ISO 9001: 2000 certification and is working on AS9100 certification.

Quality Vision International Inc. (Rochester, NY) has announced an exclusive marketing agreement with Apollo Research Corp. (Buffalo, NY) for its Feather Probe technology for vision and video applications.(Business News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Quality Vision International Inc. (Rochester, NY) has announced an exclusive marketing agreement with Apollo Research Corp. (Buffalo, NY) for its Feather Probe technology for vision and video applications. The Feather Probe uses a proprietary...

Small manufacturers on hold.(Industry News)(Manufacturing Extension Partnership)
November 1, 2003... LIVONIA, MI -- As the Bush administration prepares to release a manufacturing initiative, small manufacturers are urging the administration to support one of the U.S. Department of Commerce's own programs--the Manufacturing Extension...

Manufacturers' economic forecast continues upward trend.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... CLEVELAND -- Metalformers' economic projections for the next three months continue to rise, according to the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Business Conditions Report. Conducted monthly, the Business Conditions Report is an economic...

ASTM launches balloting system.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA -- ASTM International, a voluntary standards development organization, has announced the launch of a new Internet-based system designed to initiate, develop and track draft standards and revisions before and during their...

TRUMPF Photonics Inc.(People News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Holger Schlueter has been appointed vice president and general manager of TRUMPF Photonics Inc. (Princeton, NJ), a manufacturer of high-power diode laser sources.

Strategic Distribution Inc.(People News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Susan Eckel has been appointed director of business development at Strategic Distribution Inc. (Bensalem, PA).

Hitachi Computer Products (America) Inc.(People News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Kenneth J. Chambers has been named eastern regional sales manager for Hitachi Computer Products (America) Inc. Oklahoma Manufacturing Division (Norman, OK).

Classic Industries Inc.(People News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Ricardo Lugo has been appointed Classic Industries Inc.'s (Latrobe, PA) vice president and general manager of Puerto Rico operations.

Precix.(People News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... John Guan has joined Precix (New Bedford, MA) as senior development chemist.

Forte Industries.(People News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Rob Fink has joined Forte Industries (Mason, OH) as technical operations manager.

Indigo System Corp.(People News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Stephen P. Kaufman has been elected to Indigo System Corp's (Goleta, CA) board of directors.

Celebrate six sigma excellence.(Industry News)
November 1, 2003... Entries for sixsigmaIQ's Six Sigma Excellence Awards, in association with Celerant Consulting, are now being accepted. The awards celebrate the best and most innovative Six Sigma projects in four different categories. sixsigmaIQ has...

Mistras acquires Conam.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ -- Mistras Holdings Group has acquired Conam Inspection, a nondestructive testing (NDT) company. "We are excited to have Conam Inspection join the Mistras Holdings Group family, and I can't think of a better fit as we...

Materials tour cancelled.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... THORNWOOD, NY -- The Zeiss MAT Mobile tour has been cancelled until further notice because of unforeseen circumstances. The truck was damaged in a fire on Sept. 29, while in transit to a site location. The tour was scheduled to stop in...

Changes at ASQ.(Quality Mailbag)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... Dear Editor, I welcome the opportunity to respond to the Probing the Limits column, "Wake Up, ASQ!" (Quality, August 2003, p. 18). By speaking to Mr. Dalgleish in advance, perhaps he could have gained an understanding of the changes...

Opened my wallet.(Quality Mailbag)(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2003... Dear Editor, I have put off the purchase of a new computer for about 3 years now and have had a dire need for a new one during the past 10 or 12 months. I suspect that I would have made the purchase within the next few months, but the new...

ASQ: a consultant's promotional tool? Practicing quality professionals vent about ASQ practices.(Probing The Limits)(American Society for Quality)(Column)
November 1, 2003... Many readers of this column assert that the American Society for Quality (ASQ) acts as a promotional tool for quality consultants. To my mind, this assertion appears to have validity. In August, I wrote a column titled, "Wake Up ASQ!" in...

Thread gages or thread comparators? Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.(Other Dimensions)
November 1, 2003... Few topics in dimensional metrology will inflame the passions of a metrologist, but the subject of this column--thread gages vs. thread comparators--is one of them. In the gaging industry, when asked to choose the best method to qualify a screw...

Six sigma for small companies: implementing a six sigma intervention need not cost millions.(Training Trends)
November 1, 2003... One of the more familiar problems in business is how to implement Six Sigma in small-and medium-sized companies. This is an issue because larger companies are beginning to mandate Six Sigma to their supply base as a condition of future...

Tightening the noose.(Quality Brain Teasers)
November 1, 2003... Anyone who has faced a production problem with a need to solve the problem by using production data can relate to the notion of a brain teaser. The brain teasers presented here are based on real-world situations that are encountered by workers...

Leak test system: this leak test system simultaneously determines leak location and total leak rate.(Quality Innovations)
November 1, 2003... The part has a leak, but where is the leak and how much is leaking? In many cases, just knowing that a part leaks is not enough, and in those cases manufacturers need quick answers. "Manufacturers want to immediately identify the problems...

At the center of quality: spotlighting the ideas, solutions, products and companies that impact our industry.
November 1, 2003... ideas Making Quality Improvement Easy Today's quality improvement projects are more complex than ever. They need to be tooled in an analysis of hard data and produce measurable results, yet many of the professionals implementing...

Setting up in-process gaging: several factors need to be considered when setting up in-process gaging.(Quality Measurement)
November 1, 2003... In process gaging allows a manufacturer to get control of its process and ensures that every part is good, thereby eliminating scrap. If parts are measured post-process instead of in-process, by the time a part is taken off a machine and...

NASCAR Team measures success: by making investments in new technology, Joe Gibbs Racing teams have sped to the top of the standings.(Quality Test & Inspection)
November 1, 2003... The engine roared, the individual parts working individually and collectively at thousands of pounds of G force as driver Tony Stewart passed Ryan Newman on lap 327, with just seven taps to go before the finish. The race, 500 miles long, was...

Charting process control: upon further inspection, process control may not be as good as it first seemed.(Quality Software & Analysis)
November 1, 2003... Statistical process control (SPC), Six Sigma, process capability and [C.sub.pk] are counterintuitive and complex concepts. Well-meaning people may show a chart to a customer thinking that it is terrific when, in reality, it is worthless. It...

Turnkey Keys productivity: in today's quality marketplace, the easier the product is to install, learn and use, the better the product. For many manufacturers, turnkey systems fit the bill.(Quality Management)
November 1, 2003... A manufacturer can look at a turnkey unit as a way to solve a variety of measuring issues. Whether for existing products or a new product, turnkey systems are often a way to add production capacity in a limited space. A turnkey unit has a small...

Comparing the comparators: quality takes a look at optical comparators and accessories.(Quality Management)
November 1, 2003... Optical comparators have been used as a workhorse by the industry for decades. But today's accessories feature better illumination, travel, digital capabilities and user-friendly software. Quality has compiled a list of available optical...

Bore measurement times cut in half.(Case Studies)
November 1, 2003... Schweizer Aircraft Corp. (Elmira, NY), the country s only family owned aircraft manufacturer, is busy at work to more efficiently and reliably inspect 100% of the parts it makes. As a maker of a diverse range of aircraft products such as...

Bearing company turns to optical inspection.(Case Studies)
November 1, 2003... Manual inspections of precision bearings took 45 minutes to inspect and 45 minutes to set up two years ago. Today, with a multi-sensor optical coordinate measuring machine (CMM), the same job can be done in less than seven minutes. Rexnord...

Extensometers.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... Compatible with needy any brand of tester. High-accuracy strain measurement for all types of materials testing. Catalog covers tensile, compression and cyclic models, plus many others for specific test. Large variety covers gage lengths from...

Measure color ... measure quality: MiniScan [R]XE Plus--a portable, self-contained color measurement system.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... Tackle basic or sophisticated color measurement challenges with this full self-contained system, including built-in software designee for both novices and experienced users. MiniScan XE Plus measures your product in the lab. on the plant floor...

Automatic multi-sensor measuring systems from Optical Gaging Products.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... OGP designs and manufactures dimensional measurement systems that use contact and non-contact sensors to thoroughly measure manufactured parts, From bench top to large format floor mode systems, each automatically measures features at the...

Registration and training services.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... www.osiamencas.com is me complete guide to registration and training services for ISO 9000, ISO 14001 ISO/TS 16949 OHSAS 18001, ISO 13485. AS 9100 and TL 9000. The site includes detailed overviews of each standard FREE downloadable guidance...

GAGEtrak calibration management software.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... GAGEtrak V5:5 calibration software has been upgraded to include Electronic Signatures, Custom Report Writer and Advance Audit Trail. Since 1988, JBL Systems has provided world class software for Quality Management. Software packages include...

Coming soon: JMP version 5.1.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... JMP software dynamically links statistics and graphics, allowing users to interactively explore data, make discoveries and gain knowledge for better decision making. Upgrades include: Linux operating system support, new statistical/DOE...

MeasurLink[R]: a total quality information acquisition and management system.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... MeasurLink[R] allows for Inspection Integration with these metrology tools: CMM, Vision, Form, Surface, Roundness, Micrometer, Caliper, Indicator, Bore Gage, and much more... Quality Management Suite: Real-Time, Real-Time PLUS, Process...

Mycrona[TM] Sirius 3D optical measuring system.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... The Mycrona[TM] Sirius is designed to be integrated into a production environment and improve your quality process. With minimal operator influence, the Sirius allows users to solve problems on the shop floor by achieving better quality and...

CyberMetrics introduces GAGEtrak 6.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... CyberMetrics, the company that pioneered calibration software for Windows in 1992, is pleased to introduce our updated version of the world's best selling calibration software -GAGEtrak 6. Significant new features include Automatic E-mail...

Plug, ring, snap, and thread gages.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... Dundick product guide offers excellent opportunity for making significant savings in gauging costs. Descriptive 20-page catalog illustrates and provides complete information on the comprehensive line of plug gauges, gauge sets, and thread, ring...

New catalog for Wilson Instruments-Instron.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... Wilson[R] Instruments-Instron[R] releases a catalog for its new metrology product line, which provides testing solutions for metals and plastics. The 200-page, four-color catalog features photographs of each product, including hand-held...

www.statsoft.com.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... StatSoft, Inc. is one of the largest producers of enterprise and desktop software for Data Analysis, Data Mining, Quality Control/Six Sigma, and Web-based Analytics. STATISTICA provides the most comprehensive set of tools for SPC applications:...

www.ibs-us.com.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... Offers QA/QC quality management, shop floor control and platform independent web based software solutions. Companies reduce cost for ISO 9000/14000, ISO/TS 16949:2002 FDA21 CFR Part 11 standards. acts include document control, corrective...

www.juran.com.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... Home of Juran Institute, the recognized leader in Six Sigma deployment, quality management and improvement, and design for Six Sigma. The site explains how Juran Institute helps organizations achieve sustainable breakthrough results. It also...

QuintSonic.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... The new QuintSonic is a portable nondestructive coating thickness testing gauge specially developed for quick and easy measurement of coatings applied on nonmetal materials, as Well as OR metals. The QuintSonic features me ability to measure...

SPC express for Windows.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... This SPC software is extremely practical and easy-to-use. It has been designed for shop floor use, giving production immediate feed-back on their processes. Sample data can be entered via keyboard or electronic gages, Tech Support, one year of...

Autograph Universal Tester.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... Shimadzu's computer-controlled Autograph AG-I provides high precision of test force with a measuring accuracy range of [+ or -] 0.5% to 1% of indicated test force. All-in-one designated software enables ultra high-speed sampling & comes...

Precision Gages for quality assurance.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... Call or go on-line to order your next Thread Ring or Thread Plug gage. Gage Assembly Company offers a 50-year heritage of manufacturing excellence, value and matchless customer service. Thread gages are made with the finest fabrication and tool...

X-Rite VeriColor System.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... When it comes to specifying and matching color and texture manufacturers put their trust in X-Rite's industry leading hardware and software solutions. www.xrite.com/vericolor to earn more about the VeriColor System X-Rite's new non-contact...

New "1600" Series Horizontal Beam Comparator.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... Features a 5- by 20-inch Nickel-plated stage with 150 pounds cad capacity, 12-inch X-axis and ?-inch Y-axis travel, 0.00005 inch (0.001 millimeter) precision g ass scales, quick release on X-axis. [+ or -] 15 degrees helix on stage, erect...

Introducing Minitab's redesigned website.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... --sharper, cleaner, easier to use! Visit www.minitab.com for all the information you need about MINITAB 14. the new release of our statistical software and Shop our new online Minitab Store where you can purchase boxed or downloaded versions of...

If it moves- sense it, count it, freeze it, record it, measure it.(Literature Review)
November 1, 2003... Nidec-Shimpo America Corp., Instruments Division is proud to announce the release of their latest SHIMPO SPEED MEASUREMENT products mini catalog. This handy catalog highlights specifications and prices, the latest Laser non-contact/contact...

Product index.(Acceleration Test Systems And Equipment-Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM), Portable)(Directory)
November 15, 2003... Product categories are in alphabetical order underneath their individual categories with sources listed under each heading. Addresses for the listed companies are given in the Suppliers/Sources section. ACCELERATION TEST SYSTEMS AND...

Product index.(Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM), Probes And Styli-Holders Indicator)(Directory)
November 15, 2003... American Technica Inc. Apollo Research Corp. * Brown and Sharpe Inc., MS Div. (800) 766-4673 See ad in this issue * Brown and Sharpe Inc., Tesa USA (860) 283-3600 See ad in this issue Carbide Probes Inc. * Carl Zeiss IMT...

Product index.(Holders, Tool And Work-Right Angle Plates)(Directory)
November 15, 2003... HOLDERS, TOOL AND WORK * Dorsey Metrology International Inc. (845) 454-3111 See ad in this issue * Flexbar Machine Corp. (800) 879-7575 See ad in this issue Hardinge Inc. * Starrett Co.,The L.S. (978) 249-3551 See ad in this...

At the center of quality: spotlighting the ideas, solutions, products and companies that impact our industry.(Quality Calibration Service Inc.)
November 15, 2003... Ideas Quality Calibration Service Raises The Bar---Again Continually raising the bar of Quality becomes more and more difficult when you're already a leader in the industry. However, at Quality Calibration Service that is exactly how...

Product index.(Ring Gages, Fixed Limit-Training Quality)(Directory)
November 15, 2003... RING GAGES, FIXED LIMIT * Detroit Precision Hommel (248) 853-5888 See ad in this issue * Dorsey Metrology International Inc. (845) 454-3111 See ad in this issue * Dundick Corp. (708) 656-6363 See ad in this issue * Dyer Co....

Product index.(Training, Software-X-Ray Tubes)(Directory)
November 15, 2003... TRAINING, SOFTWARE * ABYSS Co. (866) 782-2977 See ad in this issue Agate Software, QSolve * CEBOS (810) 534-0130 See ad in this issue * CyberMetrics Corp. (800) 777-7020 See ad in this issue ...

Suppliers/sources: companies providing products included in the product index appear alphabetically here.(Directory)
November 15, 2003... AAF International American Air Filter P.O. Box 35690 Louisville, KY 40232-5690 (868) 223-2003 Fax: (888) 223-6500 info @ aafinti.comwww.aafinti.com A. A, Jansson Inc 2070 Airport Rd, Waterford, MI...