This article explores the transformative impact of incorporating rotary stages into coordinate measuring systems, enhancing their capabilities and the efficiency of the measurement process.

Don't cut corners on color-matching tools. Professional equipment has advantages that imitations can't match. Learn more in this article.

Manufacturing ERP software impacts every aspect of a business and enables automation and data-driven planning for operational efficiency, which is crucial for maintaining profitability in today's market.

Gage accuracy depends on product info. Thread form plating changes pitch diameter. Compensate for buildup to make correct pre-plate allowances. 60° UN threads change pitch diameter by 4x plating thickness.

Ensuring high quality in medical device manufacturing requires operational excellence, which optimizes efficiency and enhances product quality and compliance. Let’s explore some of the key elements and best practices.

Quality control in manufacturing and engineering relies heavily on compression force testing to determine material strength, durability, and stability. This article highlights the key uses and equipment needed for such testing.

How is the ISO involved with Greenhouse Gasses (GHG)? Over the past 20 years or so, ISO has released a number of standards around GHG.

This month, I'm honored to speak at the ASQ Columbus (Ohio) Section’s annual conference on the theme "What is in Your Toolbox?" I'll discuss the seven basic quality tools I've extensively used over my 30+ years as a quality professional. Interestingly, unlike with my children, I do have a favorite among these tools.

Instead of telling people what to do, learn how to guide them to the best decisions. Read a preview and listen to the full podcast with Lisa Weis, President of EngageExcellence, LLC, who has taught a course on this subject many times and says it can change the way you lead, work, and parent.

How did I end up working with medical devices? Reflecting on my career, it's been diverse. Three years ago, I was working on protein structure in research labs. I never thought I'd be in the world of quality later on!

Daniel Zrymiak highlights key threats to quality culture from his experience. Organizations must continuously check for these threats in operations and discussions, ready to respond appropriately.

Listen to this podcast featuring Harshala Patil, a Senior Quality and Reliability Engineer. In it, she discusses her journey into quality, the significance of quality across various industries, and what attracted her to the manufacturing sector.

In today's competitive industrial landscape, adhering to quality management certification and audit standards is vital for consistency and excellence, especially in sectors like aviation and defense. These standards drive improvement and build customer trust. Understanding the audit process is crucial, as preparation varies by audit type, enabling organizations to effectively meet auditors' expectations.

In a world where every minute matters, a car rental turns into a frustrating ordeal of delays and inefficiencies. Will I reach my important meeting on time, or will I be exposed to the 8 deadly wastes?

The Paris 2024 Olympics highlight global unity and the crucial role of metrology in ensuring accuracy and fairness in sports. Precise timing in events like track and swimming, accurate measurements in javelin and cycling, and monitoring environmental factors all contribute to the integrity of the Games and uphold competitive excellence.

I looked into national voices for manufacturing and visited the NAM (National Association of Manufacturers), which has about 14,000 member companies employing around 13 million people. NAM advocates for manufacturers at the government level and has been focused on bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. since 2020.

American manufacturing is making a comeback, fueled by billions in investments and new technologies. This reshoring not only boosts job quality and economic opportunity but also mitigates supply chain risks exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. But is there a catch?

Are you throwing away a significant portion of your budget without realizing it? How often do engineers, scientists, and analysts regenerate knowledge work—solving problems or similar problems that have already been solved?

Women are increasingly sought in manufacturing, a field now prioritizing inclusivity and diversity. Employers recognize that diverse perspectives boost creativity and morale, and they are actively showcasing opportunities for success in this dynamic industry.

Reed Switch Developments Corp. (RSD), a woman-owned manufacturer in Racine, WI, specializes in magnetic reed switches and sensors. Recognized as last year’s Quality Plant of the Year, RSD has achieved a 25% increase in sales year-to-date, leveraging in-house technical expertise and automation to manage growth amid rising costs and economic uncertainty.

Former Boeing engineer Jim Doxey explains a previous motto at the company, why people (and teamwork) are the most important part of a quality system, and offers advice for manufacturers looking to avoid quality woes. He also shares his thoughts on a 30+ career working in manufacturing.

One of the major challenges in the manufacturing industry is the skills gap and the need to attract more individuals, especially young people, to pursue careers in this field. Organizations like IMTS and ASQ emphasize the importance of showcasing the opportunities that a career in manufacturing offers.

Serving as the Chair of the ASQ Inspection Division has been a remarkable journey of leadership, collaboration, and growth. It has been both a privilege and a responsibility to guide the division through strategic initiatives aimed at empowering our members and elevating the quality profession.

This article considers how quality professionals and practitioners can more effectively prepare for their certification exams which are proctored or supervised as they complete a selection of responses from multiple-choice questions.

This may seem like two very different fields, but they surprisingly intersect, combining the precision and accuracy of measurements with the creativity and subjectivity of artistic expression.

In our ever-changing world of global business, quality is a cornerstone of success. Organizations striving for excellence cannot afford to overlook Total Quality Management (TQM), a management philosophy centered on the continuous improvement of processes, products, and services through the involvement of all employees. 

Process validation is becoming ever more important within regulated and non-regulated industries.

You started with a napkin drawing, revise it. Analyze component geometry and purpose. Eliminate parts where you can.

Personal resources may often dictate pace, but they should never govern your commitment.

A cohesive workforce is critical for success.

A bad boss creates more bad bosses.

We are missing an untapped reserve of excellent human material.

Express pride in what you do and draw young workers in.

Getting authority is easier than keeping it.

AI, despite its hype, often causes delays in manufacturers' automation strategies due to confusion and fear. Fundamentally, AI complements machine vision, which uses handcrafted algorithms needing new formulas and trial-and-error development for each product type or feature.

Process mapping is a method to visualize and understand manufacturing processes, similar to a flowchart. It helps identify inefficiencies and delays in the workflow. For example, it can pinpoint the source of delays in an assembly line.

Manufacturers are prioritizing low-code AI tools to simplify application development, enabling non-experts to create and customize AI workflows.

Advancements in AI and machine learning offer hope to revolutionize industrial automation and tackle modern manufacturing challenges.

MLADÁ BOLESLAV, Czech Republic—Škoda Auto has opened new 22 million euro ($24 million) Simulation Center at its assembly plant here. 

Monte Carlo simulation helps companies understand process variability and make informed decisions. It's beneficial for quality control in manufacturing.

Design of Experiments (DOE) helps improve products and processes more efficiently, providing a comprehensive understanding of influences on the end result.

Manufacturing compliance goes beyond ticking boxes; it's about trust and excellence. Small manufacturers can navigate complex regulations by understanding compliance history, using technology, and implementing effective strategies for success.

Quality starts with requirements. Conformance to requirements is important, but not enough. The quality of the requirements is equally critical. An effective quality management system ensures that requirements are not only present and up to date, but also adequate for creating quality.

Front-office operations offer strategic opportunities for continuous improvement. Automating tasks can maximize effectiveness, free up senior employees, and lead to significant improvements in productivity and profitability.

The Digital Twin Consortium (DTC) Composability Framework provides a transformative approach to digital twin system development, focusing on interoperability, security, trustworthiness, scalability, and design reuse to align with businesses’ objectives and evolving needs.

We explore two critical applications of AI and ML in quality management: predictive quality analytics and automated quality inspections.

The hype around "big data" has mainly aimed at niche market sales without delivering expected benefits. Similarly, the business world's obsession with Lean Six Sigma has shown minimal returns on investment. In contrast, over the last 25 years, I've leveraged small Excel files to significantly cut costs and increase profits, often by millions of dollars, through a reliable sequence I discovered.

Manufacturers thrive in a competitive market by prioritizing customer needs: price, quality, and delivery. However, long-term success hinges on quality, which ensures products perform as expected from manufacturing through to post-sale. While price is influenced by costs and market dynamics, and delivery by productivity, quality is key to building trust and customer loyalty.

Regulatory bodies like the FDA and MHRA are adapting guidelines to accommodate the evolving AI landscape, stressing the importance of innovative compliance approaches alongside traditional software regulations, including audit trails, electronic records, and signatures.

Calibration is essential for maintaining quality and safety in industries like pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, and chemicals. The future looks to digital certificates and AI technology to make calibration processes faster and more efficient. This article discusses how AI is set to transform calibration.