Quality articles from October 2003

Quality archives from October 2003

Measuring 'quality'.(Editorial)
October 1, 2003... What is the true measure of quality? Is it enough for a manufacturer to have all the statistics, measurements and analysis to convince a customer that his is a "quality" product? If there is no objective quality data, the best marketing...

Coming events.(November)(Brief Article)(Directory)(Calendar)
October 1, 2003... NOVEMBER * Managing With Metrics: Enhancing Results Through Measurement, Cambridge, MA, Nov. 3-4. Hammer and Co., (617) 354-5555. * Grinding Principles & Practices, Cincinnati, Nov. 4-6. TechSolve, (800) 345-4482. * Advanced SPC,...

Vehicle quality improvements reduce warranty work.(Industry News)
October 1, 2003... WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA-Quality improvements across the automotive industry are driving down the need for warranty repairs at new-vehicle dealerships and are transforming the nature of the dealer service business. According to the J.D. Power...

Customer satisfaction holds steady.(American Customer Satisfaction Index)
October 1, 2003... MILWAUKEE-Customer satisfaction, which has ticked steadily upward for the past two years, remained constant last quarter, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Following a first-quarter surge of 1.2% to a score of 73.8...

Power outage forces manufacturers to scrap vehicles.(Industry News)
October 1, 2003... DETROIT--More than 1,000 new vehicles and parts that were moving down production lines when the power went out at more than 50 North American car plants in August have been scrapped due to quality concerns resulting from the process stopping in...

Carl Zeiss microscospe systems hit the road.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... THORNWOOD, NY-A truck carrying microscope systems from Carl Zeiss MicroImaging, will travel throughout the United States, making stops in 54 cities and at the ASM Materials Solutions meeting in Pittsburgh on October 13 to 15. The truck,...

Manufacturers establish forum on product reliability.(Northwest Reliability Forum)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... PORTLAND, OR-Reliability, design and quality engineers representing Pacific Northwest manufacturers and academics have formed the Northwest Reliability Forum to develop a series of product lifecycle-focused forums. The purpose of the...

Ford selects perceptron systems.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... PLYMOUTH, MI-Ford Motor Co. has chosen Perceptron Inc. to provide inline process improvement systems for two new 2003-2004 vehicle programs at four plants. Installation of the new systems was scheduled to be complete in September. ...

ADMET expands retrofit business.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... NORWOOD, MA-ADMET Inc. is expanding its electro-mechanical and hydraulic testing machine retrofit business. ADMET retrofits enable laboratories, manufacturers and other organizations that test metals, plastics, textiles or other materials to...

Metalforming industry expects upturn.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... CLEVELAND--America's metalforming industry expects its most dramatic economic upturn in the past 15 months, according to the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Business Conditions Report. Conducted monthly, the report is an economic...

Industrial laser shipments down.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... MCLEAN, VA-At $97.1 million, second-quarter 2003 shipments of industrial laser equipment and systems for North America and U.S. exports were down 25% from year earlier levels, according to the Laser Systems Product Group (LSPG) of the...

Macro Sensors.(People News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Lester P. Schaevitz has been promoted to director of sales and marketing at Macro Sensors (Pennsauken, NJ).

AMETEK Specialty Metal Products.(People News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Gary D. Flick has been named divisional vice president, metal powders and clad products, at AMETEK Specialty Metal Products (Eighty Four, PA),

Lepel Corp.(People News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Richard Detty has been appointed to the position of induction sales manager for Lepel Corp.'s (Edgewood, NY) induction heating division.

Harmon Inc.(People News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Steve Knudson has been hired as engineering manager for Harmon Inc. (Lombard, IL).

Lanner Group.(People News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Scott Dixon Smith has been appointed president of the Lanner Group's U.S. operations.

Forte Industries.(People News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Dave Gealy has been hired by Forte Industries (Meson, OH) as a systems consultant.

FKI Logistex Alvey Systems.(People News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Tony DiNello has been appointed director of Midwest regional operations and Jeff Cortez has been named operations manager, Midwest region, at FKI Logistex Alvey Systems (St. Louis).

Valenite.(People News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Bradley S. Mead has been appointed vice president sales at Valenite (Madison Heights, MI) for the United States and Mexico.

Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology receives Bosch Supplier Award.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... MAPLE GROVE, MN-Carl Zeiss Industrial Metrology has received the Supplier Award from the Bosch Group (Bamberg, Germany) in honor of the company's high quality of products and services, as well as cost efficiency and on-time delivery. Carl...

Wilson Instruments.(Business News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Wilson Instruments (Canton, MA), the originator to Rockwell Hardness Testing, has inroduced its new Wilson-Wolpert metrology equipment line to complement its hardness testing systems. The line includes micrometers, calipers, digital displays,...

ASI DataMyte Inc.(Business News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... ASI DataMyte Inc. (Plymouth, MN) has established a European subsidiary in Belgium, The new affiliate, ASI DataMyte international BVBA, is located in Hasselt and will serve as headquarters for ASI DataMyte for Europe, the Middle East and Africa....

Document Control Systems Inc.(Business News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Document Control Systems Inc. (Salt Lake City), a provider of comprahensive content and quality management systems that include full-cycle training and validation services, is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Cognex Corp.(Business News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Cognex Corp. (Natick, MA), a supplier of machine vision systems and sensors, has been certified as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for continuing Education and Training (IACET). As a result, the classroom courses, live...

Valenite Gaging Systems.(Business News)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... Valentine Gaging Systems (Oak Park, MI) has opened a new metrology laboratory to provide contract programming, calibration and other related inspection services for manufacturers of parts as well as the gages used in the inspection of parts.

Are quality professionals no longer needed? Integrating quality into all functions is fundamental to building quality into products.(Probing The Limits)
October 1, 2003... I conduct many plant tours each year and a common question from customers is, "Are your raw materials dock-to-stock?" My answer usually goes something like this: "We are working with our suppliers, but we still don't have suppliers that I'm...

Show and tell or teach? Community colleges and technical schools can provide training for workers.(Other Dimensions)
October 1, 2003... Recently I had the good fortune to enjoy a meal with an association of professionals who teach machine shop and related subjects at the Province of Ontario's community colleges. As their after-dinner speaker, I restrained from ranting and...

Nine myths about geometric dimensioning and tolerancing: common myths of GD&T are put to rest.(Training Trends)
October 1, 2003... Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) is an international language used on drawings to accurately describe a part. The language consists of a well-defined set of symbols, rules, definitions and conventions that can be used to describe...

Runny glue.(brain teasers)
October 1, 2003... Everyone 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...

Screwdriver reduces operator error: a torque screwdriver takes the error out of tightening.(Quality Innovations)(SD25 Screwdriver)(CS2000 Controller)
October 1, 2003... Sometimes it is that last half turn that is critical. Come up short and over time that screw or fastener could vibrate out; a little too much torque and the part can be damaged. A new torque screwdriver from SPX GSE tech-motive tool (Novi,...

At the center of quality: spotlighting the ideas, solutions, products and companies that impact our industry.(SGS Systems & Services)
October 1, 2003... SGS is a recognized leader in Quality, Environmental and Social Accountability Management System Registration, having delivered over 60,000 accredited certificates around the world. SGS Systems & Services Certification is a member company...

Video is versatile: video measurement is one of metrology's most versatile instruments with applications ranging from the microscope to the comparator.(Quality Measurement)
October 1, 2003... As video technology has improved, its uses seem limited, only by the supplier's and the end user's vision. Advances in optics, lighting, software and hardware are pushing the boundaries of traditional video measurement systems. These new...

Controlling employee tools: getting employees to give up their gages for calibration is no easy task.(Quality Software & Analysis)
October 1, 2003... Some companies allow employees to use their own tools, even require it, while others strictly forbid the practice. Getting gages from employees, particularly employee-owned gages, for calibration poses its own set of challenges. Some employees...

Right selection adds value: a few tips make the process of selecting a registrar or consultant less daunting.(Quality Management)
October 1, 2003... The route to development and certification of management systems such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 can be a daunting one, with its buzzwords and onslaught of suitors wanting to sell certification and consulting services. Some basics can be applied...

CMM assists with ventricular device.(Jarvik 2000)(Coordinate Measuring Machine)
October 1, 2003... The makers of the Jarvik 2000 artificial heart--technically a left ventricular assist device--are now getting a manufacturing assist from the Sheffield Discovery II Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). Robert Jarvik, M.D., the inventor of the...

Chrysler improves quality one part at a time.(HoloMapper)(Flatness measurement instrument)
October 1, 2003... With manufacturing plants throughout the world that produce parts for a variety of automobiles, the Chrysler Group recognizes that quality control must be exercised with perfection in its entire manufacturing value chain. At Chrysler Group's...

Form and surface tester.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The CNC CV/CS/SV form tester is capable of automated contour and surface roughness measurements with independent and simultaneous multi-axis CNC control. A tilting drive unit has a range of 45 to -10 degrees. The power incline allows for...

Manufacturing cell.(New Products)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The reconfigurabe Module-Mation MM400 three- or four-axis manufacturing cell has a 500-millimeter Z axis, 400-millimeter X axis and 400 millimeter Y axis. The unit offers a traverse rate of 950 inches per minute. The control-ready modules are...

Optical comparator.(New Products)(MV-14-FD)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The MV-14-FD, part of the Master-View line, features the Fagor NVP-200 QFC, a full-featured three-axis QC readout with geometric functions. Standard features include fiber optic edge detection, 360-degree digital protractor markings, 2-micron...

Scanning probe system.(New Products)(SP25M)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2003... The SP25M, a two-in-one probe, can perform scanning for form and touch-trigger sensing for size and position. Measuring 25 millimeters in diameter, the probe can be mounted to motorized articulating heads and can be fitted to a range of...

Laser micrometry.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The LaserMicro 100 is a laser micrometer system that measures outside diameters and dimensions of shafts, rubber rolls and other cylindrical parts. It has repeatability of [+ or -]2 microns at a linearity of better than [+ or -]1 micron over...

Measuring platform.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The automated HPM Series of noncontact measurement systems takes critical dimension and coordinate measurements for large panel applications. The X, Y travel is 12 by 12 inches to 52 by 52 inches. The system measures line width and overlay...

Laser tracker.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The Laser Tracker IIPlus features a repetitive-time-of-flight Absolute Distance Measurement technology that can complete automated measurement tasks. It weighs 18.5 pounds, stands 14 inches in height and 7.5 inches in width. The measurement...

Ultrasonic thickness gage.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The PosiTector Ultrasonic Thickness Gage measures wall thickness and the effects of corrosion or erosion on tanks, pipes or any structure where access is limited to one side. It features a two-button menu driven user interface with a large...

Mill tooling.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The extended line of KM tooling includes a range of chucks, adapters, gage bars, extensions and reducers that handle virtually any possible milling, drilling and turning operation. It features a quick-change tooling system that has a spindle...

Bolt hole probe positioner.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The US-1518 ScanDex helps inspectors position an eddy current bolt-hole probe into the hole by mechanically maintaining the eddy current coil parallel to the hole. This eliminates human error and ensures that the coil has maximum coupling to...

Workstation.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The all-welded workstation is constructed from 12-gage steel. It measures 108 by 48 by 34 inches. The workstation has 16 drawers, divided eight on each side of cabinet, and each drawer measures 5-inches high and has a load capacity of 250...

Vision inspection system.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The VIS-140 Vision Inspection System is modularly designed to adapt to nearly any environment. It features high-resolution imaging and variable working distances. Its camera head has dual lamps and a laser-positioning indicator for multiple...

Portable weld monitor.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The MX 321 is a portable handhold monitor that can be used either for spot testing of welding operations or it can be attached to welding equipment for continuous performance monitoring. It weighs 1.5 pounds and, with the MX 321 monitor, the...

NanoPositioning stages.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The HERA precision-guided PZT NanoPositioning stages provide a linear travel range of up to 600 microns and optional subnanometer-resolution capacitive position feedback in a package as small as 40 by 40 by 15 millimeters. Designed for...

Electronic height gage.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The Micro-Hite plus M Electronic Height Gage features the TESA rotary power feature that allows users to switch between manual and motorized operations. It provides high accuracy and repeatability with a constant measuring force of 1 newton. An...

Coating thickness gage.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The handheld, multi-function, coating thickness gage, Model No. PTG-2500, features a small contact probe. Technical data can be saved and downloaded to a PC or printer using RS232 output via Infrared IrDA adaptor. It features automatic ferrous...

Defect software.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... Defect Manager 4.0 helps manage complex software product and project development and ISO 9000 certification that include remote workers, outsourced development, and outsourced testing via the company's Defect Manager Web interface. It...

Lithography laser.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The Precision Motion Control system features a laser with fiber optic delivery suitable for next-generation lithography (NGL) motion control. The laser operates in air and delivers light to a remote optical recombination device inside the...

Imaging software.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... Spot software version 3.5 features an enhanced Merge Image option that includes brightness scaling and custom positioning of merged images, so corrections for misaligned fluorescence cubes or weak dyes can be performed. The 3.5 version also...

Pocket infrared thermometer.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The ThermoTrace Mini Infrared Thermometer, Model 15031, is a lightweight surface temperature measuring device. It weighs 1.25 ounces with a length of 2.8 inches. It has a temperature range of -8 F to 230 F. It is best used in applications when...

Leak test.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The Lightning is a dry leak detection system that performs pressure decay leak testing sensing pressure changes to 0.00005 psi. It generates self-diagnostic messages and setup procedures and can be integrated into a fully automated system. Test...

DMIS software.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... OpenDMIS is a standards-based independent CAD-CMM software that conforms to all of the existing and emerging international CMM standards and specifications, The object-based programming integrates CAD data with the CMM programming and...

Software.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... Proof Positive is a quality assurance product for use on the Autodesk Inventor platform to reduce product development cycle time, rework and cost by identifying and correcting problems early in the design process. It is an interactive, CAD...

Machine vision cameras.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The Legend 550 Series of cameras for machine vision applications feature DSP technology and increased memory. The 550 series operates at speeds up to eight times faster than the company's previous model, the Legend 540. The cameras incorporate...

Gear checking tool.(New Products)
October 1, 2003... The M62 gear rolling inspection bench is based on a modular design. This auto-rotation double flank gear roller is easy to re-tool, allowing users to manually measure a family of test gears against a master gear. The M62 can be used on the shop...