2023 March

Check out the March 2023 edition, meet this year's winner of Quality's 2023 Plant of the Year, a Vision & Sensors special edition, a feature on different ways to accomplish shaft measurement and much more!

QM 0323 Management Plant of the Year feature

Quality Plant of the Year Winner

2023 Quality Plant of the Year: Reed Switch Developments

The annual Quality Plant of the Year has a strong past and a bright future.

Michelle Bangert

March 1, 2023

4 Comments

Under Debra Dahlin's leadership, WBE-certified Reed Switch Developments Corp. (RSD) has grown steadily, despite a series of recessions, a global pandemic, and a major pivot from primarily standard parts into small-to-medium volume custom ones. Read more about the 2023 Quality Plant of the Year winner.

QM 0323 Software and Analysis Factory Workers

Software & Analysis

Make A Quality Part On Time Every Time With ERP Software

With modern ERP software, scrapping non-conforming parts can and should happen in real time.

Mike Melzer

March 10, 2023

8 Comments

There’s more to delivering parts on time than knowing how many you scrap and how much it costs. Having an ERP system that integrates various software modules with the quality module is essential for understanding, measuring and managing all the processes that contribute to superior quality and on-time delivery.

Test & Inspection

Determining if Force and/or Material Testing is Right for your Application

Your choice can be simplified by knowing what kind of information you need to collect.

Jacob Morales

March 9, 2023

2 Comments

There is a distinction between force measurement and material testing and your choice can be simplified by knowing what kind of information you need to collect.

Quality 101

Taper Pipe Thread Inspection, NPT

If you take care of your gages, they will take care of you and the parts you manufacture.

Mike Oddy

March 2, 2023

5 Comments

Taper Pipe Threads are one of the more challenging threads to produce and measure. The ASME B1.20.1-2013 Pipe Threads, General Purpose (Inch) is the current standard that covers both the part thread specifications and the gages for NPT, NPSC, NPTR, NPSM and NPSL threads.

Measurement

Selecting The Right Solution For Shaft Inspection

Shaft measurement can be accomplished in many different ways, according to the needs of the manufacturing process.

Kurt Clancy

March 3, 2023

6 Comments

In order to determine which type of gage is best for shaft inspection, various aspects of shaft production and features need to be considered.

QM 0323 CLMN Speak of Quality Collin Sutt

Speaking of Quality | Collin Sutt

From Firefighter to Proactive Problem Solver

Making this kind of shift can be a monumental task, requiring a multifaceted approach.

Collin Sutt

March 15, 2023

5 Comments

Over the years, I have seen firsthand that there seems to be no shortage of opportunities for quality professionals to become an irreplaceable member of an organization if they are highly skilled in resolving issues.

QM 0123 CLMN From the Editor Darryl Seland

Column | Darryl Seland

From the Editor: Riddle Me This

Aristotle and self-drive cars.

Darryl Seland

March 14, 2023

2 Comments

In the quality industry, dealing with big data can feel like battling extraneous detail and being ever vigilant against poor assumptions. With millions of points of data, we can be overwhelmed by what is important and what is not.

VS 0323 Machine Vision 101 AI Surf System Linea Console

Vision & Sensors | Machine Vision 101

System Integration: Consolidating Vision Systems into the Manufacturing Process

Complex machine vision inspection systems have become a key component of the manufacturing process.

Glen Ahearn

March 17, 2023

3 Comments

We sat down with Dr. Arun Dalmia, founder and president of Active Inspection, a systems integrator based in Grand Rapids, MI, to ask him some questions on how system integration has helped his clients build robust and sustainable manufacturing processes and how the role of systems integrators is evolving.

Vision & Sensors | Cameras

The Changing Face of Smart Cameras in Machine Vision

Beyond the growth in applications brought about by improvements in CMOS sensor technology, another significant trend is the increase in applications that extend beyond the visible spectrum.

Genevieve Diesing

March 16, 2023

4 Comments

A smart camera in the machine vision market is defined by its system architecture, experts say. Specifically, a smart camera packages an imaging sensor, sensor interface, computer, and I/O interface into a single package.

VS 0323 System Integration AI-based Quality Inspection

Vision & Sensors | System Integration

Quality Inspection with AI Vision

What to know before you start using it.

Heiko Seitz

March 8, 2023

8 Comments

User-friendly software tools that enable even users without experience to evaluate their applications with AI vision and implement them intuitively.

Vision & Sensors | Inspection

Exploring Integrated Optical Inspection Systems

For noncontact surface characterization of manufactured materials.

March 6, 2023

5 Comments

As an alternative to CMMs, production engineers have the option of deploying versatile, noncontact optical inspection systems that allow for the implementation of first-article or random part inspection in a fast, nondestructive way.

The Quality Show is a 3-day tradeshow dedicated to connecting quality manufacturing professionals with process improvement vendors for all things QUALITY. Join thousands of quality managers, engineers and manufacturing professionals to network, attend education sessions and test out the latest technologies and products that will improve quality and productivity in your manufacturing process. We will be back in Rosemont, IL at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center for the 5th biennial Quality Show, October 24-26, 2023. Look forward to seeing you there!

Quality Magazine

Cover Story

2023 Quality Plant of the Year: Reed Switch Developments

Features

Make A Quality Part On Time Every Time With ERP Software

Determining if Force and/or Material Testing is Right for your Application

Taper Pipe Thread Inspection, NPT

Selecting The Right Solution For Shaft Inspection

Columns

From Firefighter to Proactive Problem Solver

From the Editor: Riddle Me This

Vision & Sensors

System Integration: Consolidating Vision Systems into the Manufacturing Process

The Changing Face of Smart Cameras in Machine Vision

Quality Inspection with AI Vision

Exploring Integrated Optical Inspection Systems

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