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The International Organization for Standardization Technical Management Board is circulating a new work item proposal for an ISO Guidance Standard on Social Responsibility. The first meeting of the ISO/TMB group that will develop the proposed ISO SR standard will be held March 7–11 in Brazil. The…
Nanometrics Inc. and August Technology Corp. have announced that they plan to merge. As a single corporate entity, August Nanometrics Inc. will provide comprehensive inspection, and measurement and analysis systems to the global semiconductor, flat-panel display and related microelectronic…
DNV Certification was recently accredited to perform audits to RC 14001 by the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Program (ANAB). The RC 14001 standard combines components of ISO 14001 and Responsible Care into one audit. In doing so, RC14001 goes beyond the scope of an environmental management system…
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers will host its 2nd annual Automation & Assembly Summit April 18–20 in St. Louis.The conference, titled “Achieving World-Class Manufacturing with Advanced Automation,” will feature more than 50 technical sessions, keynote presentations from leaders in…
Carl Zeiss AQ recently presented three awards to young entrepreneurs for their outstanding business plans in the German optical technologies industry. It was the first time the company widely advertised the competition in Europe. First place was awarded to Günther Kamlage, for his unique laser…
Masami Tanaka started 2005 with a new job, president of the International Organization for Standardization. Tanaka emphasized in his inaugural message the need for sustainable development and standardization in a globalized society. “Sustainable development and the global economy require…
ISO recently released a formal transition plan for organizations working toward compliance with ISO 14001: 2004.The transition plan is designed to help organizations registered to ISO 14001:1996 update their EMS to be consistent with the new version of the standard. After May 15, 2006, the…
The National Quality Institute recently made available a self-evaluation tool for small businesses that wish to improve. The program was designed for organizations with fewer than 100 employees and provides an outline of how to evaluate businesses, as well as tips on how to plan, carry out and…
Grand Canyon University will offer an MBA in Six Sigma through its Ken Blanchard College of Business. Classes will be offered at the university campus in Phoenix, as well as online and at training facilities coordinated with major corporations. The college decided to offer the degree after…
The American Society for Quality recently launched a new membership program that allows additional access to membership benefits. Sustaining members will continue to receive access to ASQ networking opportunities, literature, strategic initiative materials and journals. In addition, each sustaining…
The Performance Management Group will offer an enhanced management training boot camp in four cities this year, starting in February. The consulting firm added team leadership, metrics and scorecarding to its schedule of intensive management training sessions. The upgraded sessions, which last a…
Sypris Test & Measurement Inc. was recently named a certified supplier for the testing of military aircraft electronics manufactured by BAE Systems.The certification will allow BAE Systems to stock Sypris product without inspecting it first, saving the company time and money, while maintaining…
The 2005 Outlook on Quality Systems Conference, which will be held Oct. 3-4 in Miami Beach, Florida, will offer four exciting, information-packed tracks: ISO 9001:2000, ISO/TS 16949, ISO 14001, and Quality Tools. Conference planners are seeking proposals for presentations and panel discussions,…
Aceva Technologies Inc. recently predicted that 2005 will see Six Sigma expand across enterprises and be accepted as the gold standard in process improvement. The prediction is part of Aceva’s annual business trend report. “2005 will be the year where Six Sigma will become a standard of measure in…
The Baldrige National Quality Program recently released its criteria for performance excellence in three areas: education, health care and business. The criteria are the basis for evaluation for the Malcolm R. Baldrige National Quality Award, and represent a common language for communication among…
The National Committee for Quality Assurance has announced that 39 health plans have committed to participate in NCQA’s Quality Plus program. Collectively, the plans cover 11.5 million Americans. Quality Plus standards focus on the depth, accuracy and interactivity of the information health plans…
The National Quality Institute and John F. Thomas Management Consulting have formed a strategic alliance to implement quality programs in Canada. The goal of the joint effort is to firmly establish Canada as a global leader in product and service excellence. An increasing number of Canadian…
TÜV America’s Product Safety Division has been recently renamed as Product Safety Services. Formerly known as Machinery, Information Technology and Consumer Products, the department will continue to provide electrical and mechanical safety evaluations for products in the United States (NRTL),…
Northrop Grumman Corp. recently received three more CMMI Level 5 ratings, the highest possible rating for benchmarking commercial and defense industry best practices for management and engineering. The ratings apply to three businesses within Northrop Grumman’s Mission Systems sector: the…
Many well-known business gurus will be speakers at the upcoming Outsourcing Summit, which will be held in San Diego next month. The conference will feature keynote addresses from Robert Reich, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, who will speak on “The Art and Practice of Change Insurgency;” Abe…
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Technology Administration and the Big Three automakers recently formed a partnership to improve the manufacturing competitiveness of the U.S. automotive industry. The partnership, called the United States Alliance for Technology and Engineering for Automotive…
One current and one former employee of 3M Co. recently filed suit against the company, alleging that its implementation of Six Sigma discriminates against older workers. The lawsuit, filed by Clifford Whitaker, 60, and Michael Mucci, 55, alleges that 3M favors Six Sigma training among its younger…
TÜV America recently added EAC 37 auditing services for clients in the education industry already undergoing ISO 9001 registration.TÜV was accredited by the ANSI-RAB NAP (now known as ANAB) to evaluate compliance to EAC 37 on Dec. 7, 2004, and will now apply its Insight Auditing services to the…
The American Society for Quality will offer courses examining quality management and improvement for people working in the service industry. ASQ has offered courses for service industry professionals in the past, but the focus was on applying quality tools and processes commonly used in the…
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association recently released a significant update of its Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine standard. DICOM establishes a single language for exchanging medical digital images and related patient information, and allows the interoperability of…
