This article introduces materials testing for metal powder and parts made using metal additive manufacturing. It covers types of testing and their objectives for characterizing printed metal, aimed at non-experts new to metal printing and testing.

Selecting the correct phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) probe is critical for accurate inspections. This guide provides practical advice to help you make well-informed decisions and ensure optimal results.

EVs could represent 45 to 58 percent of all vehicles by 2030, with the lithium-ion battery market expected to grow over 30 percent annually. The question is whether battery quality can keep up with this surge.

Time series analysis enables manufacturers to track quality data, revealing patterns, trends, and anomalies to maintain consistent production standards. This method can be applied to daily production output or hourly quality measurements.

In March 2013, Lululemon, a billion-dollar Canadian athletic apparel company, made headlines after the media got wind of an unusual story. The Vancouver-based company recalled its popular black yoga pants after customers complained that the active wear was too sheer.

Though FaciliWorks CMMS is already used by hundreds of Mexican companies, there is still an enormous number of potential clients who are in need of a system like FaciliWorks.

The initiative is designed to accelerate manufacturing nationwide.

Cortec has been ISO 9001 certified since 1994, demonstrating a continuous dedication to total quality and excellence.

The solar cells that have a conversion efficiency of 21 percent.

Regulations could cost the U.S. economy $3.4 trillion.

Eclipse Automation is offering employees bicycles to promote environmental impact awareness.

So, the other night I am browsing my local drug store, killing some time as I wait for the pizza I ordered at my favorite pizza joint in the same strip mall.

Company to reduce carbon footprint 25% by 2025, launch STEM scholarship program.

Tariq Masud sat down with Quality to explain why this topic is so important. He will be presenting at The Quality Show on Tuesday, October 24.

Learn how design controls can help quality managers assess medical devices.

Vaccines are being rolled out across the globe. The process is occurring faster in some areas than others, sure, but the fact that a vaccine is being distributed at all means that the worst is behind us and that everything will go back to normal. Right?

The single most important thing manufacturing leaders can do to engage their employees is to share the ‘why’ behind their daily work, says Kathleen Skarvan, CEO at New Prague, MN-based Electromed—Quality’s 2021 Plant of the Year.

Ensuring stringent medical part quality is challenging, but with the right vision system, manufacturers can utilize powerful technology to help determine that the challenges are being met. 

How LVHN used Lean Six Sigma tools and Minitab statistical analysis to achieve improvements in patient-centered care.

For their dedication to quality, Larsen Manufacturing (Mundelein, IL) has earned our 2022 Quality Plant of the Year award.

Reverse engineering as a term is adopted by many industry subsets. From genetics, computer code, complex PCBs (printed circuit boards), and even military espionage. In this article, we are specifically relating to a metrology-driven process steered by high-precision 3D data acquisition tools. 

We review essential software specifications and cover how those attributes can be leveraged when considering computer-controlled physical product testing equipment in the lab or on the shop floor.

We will explore the use of CMMs, advancements in technology, and their growing contribution to support leading developments in automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

Gerresheimer, a manufacturer for the pharma and life science industry, will invest more than $88 million in expanding its manufacturing operations in Peachtree City, creating over 200 new jobs for Fayette County.

As the industry continues to trend toward a more patient-centric approach, we see an increasing buzz around the development and utilization of wearable injectors, also known as on-body delivery systems (OBDS)—the next evolution in needle-based drug delivery products.

Traditional machine vision used rule-based programming for controlled environments but struggled in less controlled settings. Edge learning AI, operating directly on vision systems, enhances machine vision's power and usability, revolutionizing quality assurance and manufacturing processes.

In the medical device industry, reliability is critical. Manufacturers conduct extensive testing to ensure devices meet required standards, such as 95/95 or 95/99 confidence and reliability, assessed using Minitab Statistical Software.

Automating testing and inspection requires careful consideration of tools, including robot type, end-of-arm tooling, and ancillary systems. While cobots are popular for quality tasks, their full collaborative capabilities may not be utilized in some applications, leading to higher costs without maximizing benefits.

System integration strategies vary by industry and project scale. Success relies on thorough planning and execution, especially in machine vision technology. Here are key integration elements for success with vision technologies.

Reverse engineering is the process of taking apart a product to understand its design and functionality. This knowledge is helpful for creating similar products or improving existing designs.

Labor shortages continue to pressure manufacturers, with some dedicating up to 20% of their workforce to manual inspection. Embracing Quality 4.0 with automated in-line inspections and AI process analytics could provide significant value.

In this article we survey key considerations when making a lens selection. Of course, your lensing professional will be happy to advise – but they’ll ask you some of these questions anyway, so it’s helpful to make notes relative to your planned application.

Discovering, evolving, and sometimes unsettling, artificial intelligence mirrors our human learning. Yet, as it integrates further, questions arise: Can it handle quality assurance? What's in the future? And crucially, how much control are we comfortable relinquishing to it?

AI is revolutionizing quality control in manufacturing, driving us into Industry 4.0 and beyond. Manufacturers can streamline processes, boost efficiency, and deliver top-notch products globally. Embracing AI isn't just advantageous; it's essential for thriving in today's economy. Businesses must invest in AI to empower their workforce and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape.

GigE Vision® sets the standard for high-performance industrial cameras, leveraging Gigabit Ethernet for fast, cost-effective image transfer. Introduced in 2006, it enables the transmission of digital images and video over Ethernet networks up to 100 meters. With version 3.0 on the horizon, GigE Vision remains the top choice for long-distance camera setups, offering unmatched performance and affordability.

Quality managing editor Michelle Bangert talked with Justin Newell, CEO of Inform North America, who recently wrote an article for Quality on trustworthy AI.

In a world where AI vision technology is setting new quality control standards across industries, machines can now detect even the smallest defects in car parts and ensure that every packaged product meets health standards.

Manufacturers face complex challenges, including attracting and retaining labor and adapting to a volatile market. Skilled human labor remains crucial despite advancements in automation.

Industry solutions and products rely on common standards and interfaces, enabling seamless collaboration and increasing efficiency.

The growing use of AI in manufacturing has revolutionized quality control. Traditional inspection methods struggle to keep pace with complex production processes, but AI augments accuracy and efficiency, upholding high-quality standards.

In battery cell production, maintaining high quality and reducing material waste is crucial. Digital image processing and machine vision solutions enable reliable defect detection, ensuring the production of safe, high-quality battery cells for electric mobility.

Selecting the correct LED lighting for machine vision can be challenging, even for experienced professionals. While red LEDs are commonly used, blue LEDs can be a superior choice for certain applications.

As businesses increasingly rely on machine vision to enhance quality, improve productivity, and increase the bottom line, technology providers are relying more on industrial computing solutions that enable faster processing speeds and higher efficiency, or that support new tasks altogether. 

79% of organizations are still managing shop floor quality processes with spreadsheets and paper. But the truth is, to remain competitive and reduce risk across your operations, it's time to modernize your programs and say goodbye to the spreadsheets.

The aerospace industry is known for manufacturing parts with critical dimensions and tight tolerances. Despite the high-demanding inspections they are required to perform, important players in the industry have managed to reduce bottlenecks and detect problems early in the manufacturing process.

Are you a manufacturer researching ways to improve and increase productivity, as your cast parts become more complex?

How can a QMS help your organization to achieve a strategic culture of quality? What can you learn from the unique challenges other organizations face in different industries? 

In manufacturing, the slightest deviation can have significant repercussions. This guide presents solutions, in the form of best practices, that will help quality and production managers solve their productivity issues and implement near-line and in-line automated dimensional inspections.

Download the ebook, How to Create a Quality Product Roadmap, to learn how to develop a quality plan based on customer-driven metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) that will help you establish a reputation as a trusted supplier for years to come.

Today’s manufacturers are under pressure to be more flexible, reduce downtime and costs and increase efficiencies.