Quality professionals know the value of good measurement systems. They know that without trustworthy, high quality data you cannot make good business decisions. Unfortunately, most business people and many engineers don’t understand this value.
While process improvement initiatives, including SPC and its use of control charts, sometimes get the greatest attention in manufacturing environments, the backbone of a quality improvement effort is often the quiet, unnoticed measurement devices that represent an organization’s commitment to consistency and accuracy.
Height gages have achieved a nearly universal presence in the quality control world. It is rare to see a QC department without at least one or two of these instruments. This commonality makes it easy to overlook just how accurate and flexible these devices are. They measure much more than the term “height gage” would imply.
Let’s see a show of hands. Does everyone here know what modular tooling/fixturing is by now? If yes, are you an advocate yet? If no, why not? Still think it’s not good enough? Just Tinker Toy, Erector Set or Legos? Well, think again.
Quality at the source (QATS) has been used well before lean manufacturing became so popular. Many people in the quality function have applied the principles especially at critical work areas to detect nonconforming items and prevent them from moving forward in the process.
If you are considering wireless gaging, you are probably looking for a system that will work with the gages you have and those you will need in the future.