PREDICTING PRODUCT LIFE USING RELIABILITY ANALYSIS METHODS

As part of its Short Course Webinar series, the Reliability Division offers a four-part overview of quantitative methods for predicting product reliability based on physical testing data or field data.  

WORLD CONFERENCE: HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2012, LOOKING AHEAD TO 2013

Speaker videos and interviews from the 2012 World Conference on Quality and Improvement, held May 21-23, are now available. Review highlights from 2012, and then submit a presentation for 2013.    

MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR SIX SIGMA IMPLEMENTATION

In the May 2012 Six Sigma Forum Magazine, Jung-Lang Cheng offers advice on assessing the effectiveness of a Six Sigma effort to ensure success.

Read “Where Do You Stand?” (PDF, open access).

BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Metrology Handbook, Second Edition

by Jay L. Bucher, editor

Developed as a practical reference for metrology and calibration professionals, The Metrology Handbook provides a foundation for understanding basic metrology and calibration principles and practices and is appropriate for those with intermediate or advanced experience seeking to increase their knowledge. This book is a collection of valuable information compiled by experts in the field to serve as a single resource for metrology and calibration professionals. The supplemental CD-ROM contains acronyms and abbreviations, a glossary of terms, tables and formulas, and common conversions.

Sponsored by ASQ’s Measurement Quality Division, this handbook serves as an excellent desktop reference for calibration technicians, supervisors, managers, quality inspectors, auditors, those in calibration and/or testing laboratories, consultants, and teachers. Whether you’re changing disciplines in your career field, helping to becoming certified to a new or different standard, accepting more responsibilities as a supervisor or manager, training your fellow calibration practitioners, or using it to prepare for ASQ’s Certified Calibration Technician (CCT) exam, this handbook provides the information, guidance, and knowledge to help you achieve your goals.

QUALITY ENGINEERING - SPECIAL ISSUE ON STATISTICAL ENGINEERING

The April - June edition of Quality Engineering is a special issue on statistical engineering (SE). Articles cover the fundamentals of SE, how students can be introduced to SE, and case study illustrations.

THE TEAM EXCELLENCE FRAMEWORK - WEBCAST

In this first of a three-part series of webcasts, the authors of Best Practice in Team Excellence show you how you can harness the power of the Team Excellence Framework for your teams and organization.

View the webcast (exclusive content for ASQ members).

ADVANCING THE STEM AGENDA: QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SUPPORTS STEM

Cindy P. Veenstra, Fernando F. Padró, and Julie A. Furst-Bowe, editors

This publication is a selection of papers and workshops from the ASQ Education Division’s Advancing the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Agenda in Education, the Workplace, and Society Conference, held in July 2011.

Educators and policy makers will find ideas for inspiring student interest in STEM careers, improving the delivery of STEM education, and helping STEM college graduates transition to the workplace.

Read a sample chapter and the full table of contents.

QUALITY AWARDS BOOST PERFORMANCE

A case study in the Journal for Quality and Participation details how STMicroelectronics uses the EFQM Excellence Model as a framework for achieving its mission, vision, and goals.

Read “Using the EFQM Model Effectively” (PDF) and see more articles from the April 2012 issue on the usefulness of award criteria and standards.

GEOMETRICA USES WIKI TO DOCUMENT QMS

Geometrica, a manufacturer of domes and free-style structures, attributes its fast track to ISO 9001:2008 certification to its use of a wiki to document its quality management system.

Read the case study.

THE BASICS OF RISK MANAGEMENT

In a recorded Webinar available from the Government Division, Bill Scott and Mark Krempley offer a basic overview of risk management. The Webinar covers the risk management cycle and process, measuring risk, continuous improvement, and obstacles to implementation.

INTERNATIONAL SUPPLIERS: THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURE

In the Spring 2012 Partnership News, a member benefit publication of the Customer-Supplier Division, Mark C. Hehl discusses the importance of understanding different world cultures and offers practical methods you can apply in professional interchanges.

SOFT SKILLS FOR TQM

In an article for ASQ Higher Education Brief, Everard van Kemenade, Ph.D., explores the soft skills that are needed for total quality management (TQM) and examines whether accreditation standards in higher education adequately require institutions to address these needs.

TANGLED MESS

Richard J. Schonberger shows you how to straighten out workflow paths to enhance in-house efficiencies and outgoing quality. Read his article in the May issue of Quality Progress, and listen to an audio interview.

LEAN SIX SIGMA INCREASES EFFICIENCY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES FIRM

A fund services organization used a Lean Six Sigma approach that featured kaizen events to enhance process control and increase capacity. In just four months, nine quick-fix projects achieved savings of $220,000, paving the way for larger strategic improvements.