With the right tools it’s possible to verify the quality of materials, suppliers and the final product.

How is your compliance policy? Is it an all-consuming mission at your organization?

In today’s aerospace manufacturing environment, compliance to standards such as AS9100 is often not optional. A critical part of the AS9100 process involves first article inspection reports.

When I last spoke to Drew Greenblatt, in March, the world looked a little different.

This year NASA and Space-X made history. For the very first time, “NASA astronauts have launched from American soil in a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft on its way to the International Space Station.”

How well do you think you’re optimizing your manufacturing process? Obviously suboptimal processes are not ideal, and most manufacturers are working on getting the most out of their current workflow. But what exactly is optimization?

First article inspection is a vital part of the manufacturing process for many companies.

With great uncertainty comes great reward. If you’ve planned for the unknown, when something unexpected happens you’ll be that much more prepared. 

Erik Larson’s latest book begins with this quote. If you’ve ever read a book about a serial killer and the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, the last crossing of the Lusitania, an American family in Hitler’s Berlin, the inventor of wireless and Britain’s second most famous murderer, or the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, you may be familiar with Erik Larson.

Kelly Allan has seen many examples of continual improvement gone awry. He offers this cautionary tale from a client.