First Technology Safety Systems Inc. (FTSS, Plymouth, MI), maker of crash test dummies and computer crash simulation models for automotive, military and aerospace applications, uses the HandHeld laser scanner from NVision Inc. (Coppell, TX) to ensure the accuracy of its crash dummies.

Trident Industrial Inkjet, manufacturer of industrial inkjet print head technology, has chosen the JetXpert system from ImageXpert (Nashua, NH) for accurate and repeatable in-flight droplet analysis.

Born July 15, 1848, Vilfredo Pareto was an Italian economist, theorist and sociologist. Pareto is chiefly known for his influential theory of ruling elites. Also, he is generally credited as the father of a diagnostic tool used by all who apply the very rudiments of quality analysis.

During his recent presentation at the 2009 Quality Measurement Conference, Ted Doiron of NIST called gage blocks, “a zombie technology.” He defined this as, “a dead technology given a semblance of life, but awkward and inefficient, by a supernatural force (human inertia) usually with evil (costly) effects.”

Ask any machinist how statistical process control (SPC) helps him manage his processes. The response is not likely to be positive. It is not uncommon for control charts to be placed around machines and other equipment, showing a history of how certain process parameters or key process characteristics (KPCs) have been performing.

A shipbuilder minimizes risk and maximizes performance through the use of engineering simulation software.

A medical device manufacturer saves production time by switching from manual measuring instruments to a multisensor coordinate measuring machine.

Efficiently managing processes is key to the success of a business. That is all the more true in this tiring economy. An early step in process management is identifying and documenting the main processes. A powerful visual tool, process mapping has been in use for many years.

Requirements for product testing vary widely within the market. Clearly, a variety of means can accomplish this task, from simple photoelectric sensors to expensive custom vision systems.

Douglas Woods, president of the Association for Manufacturing Technology, testified in front of the U.S. House Committee on Small Business. He discusses his time in front of the committee, as well as what specific government plans are helping, and can help, the manufacturing industry.