Blended Digest 3

St. Joseph’s School Commends American Quality Management for Its Generosity to the Lakota Children

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:41:08 +0000

American Quality Management, a consulting firm based in Montebello, CA, has announced that they have received recognition for their donation in support of the Lakota (Sioux) children at St. Joseph School. The school has the mission of educating and providing housing to Native American children and their families. The company is a consulting and auditing firm that is focused on helping companies of various sizes in developing a world class quality management system that is based on international quality standards, such as ISO 9001, AS9100, and ISO 14001.

Connie Smith, a spokesperson for American Quality Management, says, “We felt that it was only right that we should help the Native American children at St. Joseph’s School. It was an opportunity to give back to the community and to focus on our human nature and our innate need to contribute to people around us. Making a contribution to a worthwhile cause is always essential.”

American Quality Management is made up of a team of quality management professionals who apply a comprehensive quality management approach to help clients accomplish the best results with the highest possible return on investment. For more than 25 years, they have been assisting companies achieve and maintain their ISO and AS certifications. This is because they truly understand the challenges that companies face in trying to meet customer expectations, including the requirements of the AS or ISO standards.

They can help clients get certified and then assist them in improving their system and their specific business methods, enabling them to optimize their benefits from the new systems. For instance, this may be in the form of a tailor-fitted quality management application that can actually help business run better than ever while enjoying the results of their hard work due to significant increases in cost savings and efficiency.

American Quality Management provides consulting services with regards to the different quality standards: AS9100, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. While the AS9100 certification was primarily developed for the aerospace and defense industry, it can also be used in other industries when a quality management system with additional requirements over an ISO 9001:2105 system is necessary. ISO 9001 is the standard that is based on several quality management principles, including the motivation and implication of top management, strong customer focus, continuous improvement, and the process approach. With an ISO 9001 certification, customers are ensured to get consistent, good-quality products and services.

Meanwhile, ISO 14001:2015 is the standard for environmental management systems. Its purpose is to allow a company to improve its environmental performance through a systematic approach that contributes to sustainability. This standard helps a company achieve the purposes of its environmental management system that offer value for the company itself, the environment, and interested parties.

The team of quality management professionals at American Quality Management will work with clients to establish a program suitable to their needs. They will provide consulting and system maintenance services involving various tasks. They will also provide on-site consumer audit support for training and safety. For training, this will involve a number of tasks, such as: internal auditing, corrective and preventive actions, root cause analysis, lean principals, risk assessment, team work, and value stream mapping. For safety, this will include: safety training, safety documentation, illness injury prevention program, safety inspections, safety meetings, and OSHA requirements.

The work to be done by American Quality Management will have a number of phases. Phase 1 is the discovery stage, where they check existing documentation and perform process mapping. Phase 2 is the documentation preparation stage, where they establish the manuals, procedures, forms, training, and other data for the particular company. Phase 3 is the implementation and training stage, where they provide process owner training and quality management system training. Phase 4 is the internal audit and management review stage. Phase 5 is the certification audit stage, where they prepare the audit package and provide onsite support for the third-party registrar audit.

Companies who want to learn more about the quality consulting and auditing services offered by American Quality Management may want to visit their website, or contact them through the telephone or via email.

St. Joseph’s School Commends American Quality Management for Its Generosity to the Lakota Children

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 22:38:37 +0000

Supply Chain Optimization in the Age of COVID

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 18:13:30 +0000

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies worldwide to scale back production and transportation, temporarily close, or shut down permanently. These disruptions have severely impacted global supply chain optimization.

Supply chain optimization is key to operating at optimal performance, and the health crisis has created new challenges for businesses across all industries to maintain their highest rate of productivity.

If companies want to survive throughout the pandemic and successfully emerge from it, they must focus on protecting and improving their supply chain efficiency. To do so, business leaders need to:

Understand the ways the disease has impacted their supply chains
How they can adapt to these changes
Learn the steps to take to protect themselves
Plan for the future of supply chain optimization post-COVID-19

Diving Deeper: How COVID-19 Affects Supply Chain Optimization

Reduced Workforce

Over 235 countries have recorded Coronavirus cases, with more than 35 million people infected, and over one million deaths as of early October 2020, according to the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering. In the U.S., there have been 7.4 million cases and 210,000 deaths from the disease.

Following government guidelines, companies have taken steps to ensure their employees’ safety, such as requiring face coverings, social distancing, remote work, and limiting the number of employees on each shift. Many employees have also refused to return to work out of fear for their health.

All these factors have created a reduced workforce, leading to less product manufacturing and slower delivery times.

For example, consider the farming industry. Many farms rely on migrant workers as their workforce. Shortly after the pandemic hit, the U.S. announced immigration and travel bans, which included seasonal migrant workers.

Over the spring and summer, countless farms faced a shortage of labor to pick produce. The situation left farmers with excess fruit and vegetables rotting in unharvested fields. That meant less produce reached consumers, and what did reach them came at an inflated price.

Supply and Demand

While reduced production has reduced supply, demand shortages have ravaged other industries. The travel and leisure industries have suffered the hardest. Since the pandemic started, fewer people are buying airline tickets or booking hotel rooms, and many hot tourist destinations are in lockdown.

Airline travel was essentially grounded at the start of the pandemic. Customers were simply too fearful to fly. As a result, many airline companies have reduced their daily flights, removed routes, and scaled back plans to purchase new planes.

With more planes left on the ground, fewer planes need regularly scheduled maintenance and updated parts. Companies that manufacturer those parts will either build up a surplus or limit production capacity.

Companies that build airplanes are in the same boat. The slowdown or cancellation of airplane production has caused a ripple effect for airplane part production companies.

For example, Boeing temporarily stopped producing its 787 Dreamliner planes at facilities in South Carolina and Seattle due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Chicago-based company applied for federal relief to cover losses and to boost its supply chain.

These examples are just a small window into the havoc COVID-19 has wreaked on supply chains worldwide—like dominos, supply and demand changes affect every link in the chain. The pandemic has forced companies to place emphasis on planning short-term and long-term contingency plans. Only those who find innovative ways to mitigate supply chain disruptions will be standing when the economy stabilizes, and that requires supply chain optimization.

How Companies are Adjusting

Six months into the pandemic, companies are learning to steer through supply chain problems by developing new policies. Many business leaders find themselves:

Staying away from single-source dealers
Ordering extra inventory
Reviewing their contracts with suppliers
Developing mapping to maximize efficiency

Bidding Farewell to Single-Source Dealers

In an attempt to get the best deal, many companies narrow down the field of suppliers to one company. While this may drive the price of the product down, it can leave those same companies without a Plan B.

If a company’s single-source supplier can’t deliver a product, then the company is left to scramble to find another supplier. The pandemic has highlighted just how dangerous counting on Plan A can be, as many suppliers have either shut down or been unable to manufacture their products.

Smart logistics managers are now lining up contingency plans for their supply lines with a hybrid approach where they order products from two or more suppliers. While it may increase costs, the move provides insurance that the company will receive its products and continue to meet customer demands.

Ordering Extra Inventory

Many companies rely on just-in-time manufacturing to reduce supply chain waste. With this system, suppliers deliver materials according to a pre-arranged schedule. This approach works efficiently because manufacturers can order the exact amount of product necessary without any excess.

However, we never know when the next crisis will hit. Right now, the world is dealing with a pandemic. The next international calamity could be a natural disaster in a geographical location that is a critical link in the supply chain, a war, or who knows what else.

To plan for the worst, companies have begun to stock up on inventory to reduce the chance of a shortage of materials if an unplanned event impacts their primary supplier. Just-in-time ordering hasn’t been abandoned, rather cautiously reserved for less-vital supply chain elements.

Reviewing Contracts with Suppliers

The pandemic has raised some red flags on the current contracts suppliers and manufacturers have agreed to, as well as on future contracts. Due to fewer flights, closed ports, and fewer trucks on the road, product delivery has been delayed.

Companies are closely monitoring their existing contracts with suppliers to determine what obligations each party is liable for. When existing contracts are set to expire, companies are considering the ramifications of the pandemic and future global emergencies that could arise.

Developing Mapping of a Supply Chain to Maximize Efficiency

When it comes to supply chains, companies have different tiers of suppliers. The Tier 1 level is primary suppliers, while Tier 2 is secondary suppliers.

For a company to manage an international crisis, it must keep track of all its suppliers – and not just the Tier 1 level. The disruption of one supplier can halt or delay the entire supply chain. Companies that have visibility across all levels can survive a supply chain catastrophe, mostly unscathed.

General Motors is a perfect example of this approach. When the tsunami of 2011 impacted Japan, GM invested in mapping tools. These supply chain tools helped GM to discover which suppliers were close to the event.

In turn, GM figured out what steps were necessary to avert a major disruption to its supply chain.

As the coronavirus first originated in Wuhan, China, companies with updated mapping tools knew whether they had suppliers in the area. If they did, they were able to reach out to suppliers in other areas or countries to order their products.

How Companies are Safeguarding Their Supply Chains

Almost every industry is currently focused on taking preemptive measures to diminish the threat of COVID-19 on their supply chains when it comes to personnel—and rightly so. Here are a few examples of the steps that may counter future delays:

Focus on showing employees how they can avoid catching the coronavirus. Business leaders must remind the workforce to wear a face covering, remain six feet apart from co-workers, and frequently wash their hands.
Develop a screening process. Companies are requiring employees to answer a series of questions to determine their risk and possible exposure to COVID-19.
Take temperatures daily to test for a fever with a touchless thermometer. The Centers for Disease Control considers someone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or greater to have a fever.
Plan for a daily reduction in the workforce. According to the CDC, employees who have a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis or contact with someone who does must quarantine for at least 14 days. Businesses must prepare for employees to remain out of work with contingency plans to cover for anyone unable to return to work for an extended period.

Measures to protect supply chains that are not related to personnel are also a worthy consideration, such as:

Concentrate on cash flow
Understand Tier 1 supplier risk management
Identifying multiple suppliers and eliminating single-source suppliers
Managing inventory levels
Following trends in supply and demand
Developing supply chain mapping tools

The Future of Supply Chain Optimization During a Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has established new norms in supply chain optimization. Experts predict manufacturers will shift from international suppliers to more regional outfits. They also see a move away from single-source suppliers to multi-source suppliers – even if it comes at a higher cost to consumers.

Above all else, the pandemic has taught companies to think more strategically to avoid falling victim to international emergencies. They will need to take advantage of the latest supply chain optimization technology to figure out how to continue to maximize and sustain peak productivity.

COVID-19 Impact on Manufacturing

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 19:13:29 +0000

The coronavirus pandemic has put the world as we know it on pause. As of August 2020, more than 24 million people have contracted the virus, leading to more than 822,000 deaths worldwide. The United States has been one of the hardest-hit countries, and people everywhere have felt the COVID-19 impact on manufacturing.

Manufacturers have seen production, demand, and revenue fall across all business areas, from mining to mechanical engineering. Many companies are struggling to maintain cash flow and handle their existing debts. Some manufacturers cannot outsource production remotely, disrupting the entire supply chain.

As detrimental as the coronavirus pandemic has been for people’s well-being and the economy, COVID-19’s impact on manufacturing has benefitted some industries as much as it has harmed others. While these benefits do not act as counterbalances for the hundreds of thousands of lives lost, these adaptions suggest a way forward from the crisis.

How COVID-19 Affects Lean Manufacturing

The pandemic has touched communities across the world, from hospitals to hotels and schools to service industries. We’ve seen both influxes in demand and dramatic drop-offs. Even five months after the initial outbreak hit the US, we have seen shortages in hospital cots, surgical masks, and ventilators.

Consider the pivot of Pathfindr, an asset tracking business in the United Kingdom. The company makes sensors that track parts during the manufacturing process, thanks to GPS and Bluetooth.

Since the pandemic, Pathfindr’s engineers have redesigned their technology to help people maintain social distancing. As a result, they have created a device called the Safe Distancing Assistant that gives users a jolt if the gadget senses them reaching to touch their face.

The same applies to manufacturers in San Diego. The city’s core manufacturing strengths include defense, aerospace, craft brewing, and shipbuilding. Disruptions to the supply chain have forced many local manufacturers to adapt their business models to meet demand, including:

ResMed: A company known for treating sleep apnea, they have begun producing respirators and ventilators for hospital and residential use.
Orucase: This travel bag manufacturer now makes half a million medical-grade face masks per day.
Cubic: The public tech company that provides products and services for transportation and defense has pivoted to prototype ventilators.
Flexsystems: This plastic products manufacturer has updated its operations to create splash guards and fabric masks for healthcare professionals and residents.

How Manufacturing Is Adapting

We have already touched on issues and adaption within the crisis management and response. The manufacturing ecosystem remains fragile in other sectors. Here are some of the current issues we face in the workforce, supply chain, and finance, as well as how manufacturers can respond with practical steps.

Workforce

Safety should be every company’s top priority, now and in the future. Every manufacturing company should implement additional safety measures if they haven’t already. That includes determining which jobs employees can perform remotely and which must occur on-site.

Manufacturing, like countless other industries, has experienced labor cuts and cost structure overhauls. These declines may continue as long as critical sectors, like travel and aviation, remain stifled under the coronavirus. Some companies may benefit from outsourcing labor, whether they move their information technology to the cloud or hire contractors to fill in for full-time employees.

Other potential steps include:

Training employees on proper safety protocols
Eliminating non-essential travel
Encouraging remote working
Encouraging sick employees to stay home
Finding new ways to work with more remote employees

Operations and Supply Chain

While manufacturers can adapt to new demands, they must prepare for bottlenecking domestically and abroad. The weakening supply chain will likely increase strain on operations over the coming months, and lower levels of manufacturers may suffer.

Cutting discretionary operations can reduce the stress of the coronavirus pandemic in the short term. The real question is whether or not companies have the financial reserves to outlast the recession. The remaining manufacturers of surviving companies will have a leg up when we reach a new normal.

Some other steps manufacturers can implement include:

Improving sanitation
Automating as much as possible
Updating best practices
Communicating with staff
Evaluating cybersecurity
Transferring knowledge via the supply chain

Finances

The COVID-19 impact on manufacturing has put us in uncertain times when it comes to producing necessary items. No one knows with certainty the best path forward, and many companies have made changes to adapt to these new challenges.

Companies should prioritize transparency as they address ongoing hurdles. Leaders should disclose pressing risks and the ripple effect they may have on trade and taxes. Multinational companies should look overseas for a resurgence of cash flow as the United States stagnates in its recovery.

Other solutions may involve resolving employee mobility issues for people in COVID hotspots and considering the impact of tariffs on the new manufacturing climate. As manufacturers navigate these obstacles, they should proactively talk with stakeholders to minimize surprises and unexpected setbacks.

American Quality Management Discusses The Importance Of Lean Manufacturing In The Age Of Coronavirus

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 21:41:08 +0000

American Quality Management, a California based auditing and consulting firm, has released an article that discusses the importance of lean manufacturing post the coronavirus pandemic. Lean manufacturing is a manufacturing method that aims for minimum waste while increasing efficiency. The article claims that the pandemic has created new opportunities for incorporating lean manufacturing principles in industries across many fields.

To explain its point of view, the article cites the example of Pioneer, an Ohio-based production company, that specialized in horse-drawn farm equipment. When there was an acute shortage of medical equipment in the country owing to the spike in coronavirus cases, the company stepped up to leverage its manufacturing capabilities to fill the gap in the market. Within 2 weeks the company was able to establish a hospital cot prototype, network directly with relevant industry partners, and produce 50 cots on their first day of fabrication. Eventually, the company was able to get to the point where they were producing 2 cots per minute. AQM claims that this is an excellent example of utilizing lean manufacturing methods to maximize efficiency at a given task.

The article also details other techniques that are being incorporated in the workspace to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. It states that many companies are redesigning physical spaces to prioritize worker safety. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, workspaces are being shuffled to enforce employee spacing according to social distancing guidelines. Another initiative that has been undertaken is the setup of visual displays of proper distancing and hand-washing techniques. Workspaces also have point-of-use cleaning supplies spread throughout their physical production space.

The article goes on to say that all of these measures would be not effective were it not for maintaining close communication between all employees. The lean manufacturing model accommodates the need for greater communication by pushing for more regular team check-ins and greater leadership alignment. The article says that the onus is on team leadership to identify top-priority tasks. The article goes on to recommend that leaders sideline non-essential tasks to maximize efficiency depending on the manufacturing capacity. This involves adapting to consumer needs and streamlining the products and services that are in high demand.

The article also talks about the surge of mandatory mask mandates in many industries. These mandates are being instituted by manufacturing companies not only for the safety of their workers but also for the financial security of the organization. However, some workers have actively resisted these mandates because of the nature of their work. For example, some employees who work in sparsely populated cities or those who operate in physical spaces with built-in employee distancing practices have been resisting the mask mandates.

Connie Smith, the owner of American Quality Management, talks about the future of the manufacturing industry in optimistic terms. She says, “Though there have been major challenges for lean manufacturing in the wake of the coronavirus, industry leaders have accepted the challenges head-on and have been instrumental in transforming those difficulties into unique opportunities for growth. We are tracking all the new developments as the industry goes through a period of upheaval. Now, more than ever, it is important for companies to form strong working relationships with each other to share knowledge. That is going to be vital for creating fast and effective solutions to keep up with the demands of the market.”

American Quality Management helps companies acquire and maintain their ISO and AS Certifications. This includes the AS9100, the AS9120, or any of the required ISO standards, ISO 9001:2015, or ISO 14001. The company’s team of ISO 9001 consultants aim to provide solutions for a business’s QMS, environmental, and safety programs. American Quality Management claims to provide properly defined projects including specific goals, milestones, agendas, status reports, and action items to help a business achieve its certification goals and increase its operational efficiency. They have been operational in California for more than 25 years. The company has a contact form on its website for interested parties to elaborate on their quality management system needs and to request quotes.

American Quality Management Discusses The Importance Of Lean Manufacturing In The Age Of Coronavirus

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 21:38:09 +0000

Lean Manufacturing in the Age of COVID-19

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 23:13:26 +0000

Lean manufacturing relies on the principle of efficiency with minimum waste. The process applies to industries across many fields, but it is especially relevant to the manufacturing sector among ISO 9001 certified organizations.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on production have created new opportunities for lean manufacturing. This change has challenged the possibility of complete waste reduction, although many manufacturers are rising to the occasion.

COVID-19’s Effect on Lean Manufacturing

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to hit communities all across America, hospitals and medical centers grappled with an overwhelming demand for care but limited medical supplies. Shortages of hospital cots, surgical masks, and other equipment were widespread.

The exponential increase in demand for supplies was a turning point for the production industry—an opportunity to utilize lean manufacturing to address the rapidly incoming problems of coronavirus.

As an example, Ohio-based production company Pioneer quickly connected the rampant medical supply shortage with its manufacturing capabilities. Before coronavirus, Pioneer specialized in horse-drawn farm equipment. When coronavirus started to surge in the midwest, leaders of Pioneer took only two weeks to:

Establish a hospital cot prototype
Connect with relevant industry partners
Produce 50 cots on their first day of fabrication

Then, by utilizing lean manufacturing, Pioneer created a task time of just 30 seconds. In other words, they were now producing two cots every minute.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of lean manufacturing. With high stakes and short deadlines, the manufacturing industry can ultimately realize the growth possible in zero waste production.

Industry leaders at Pioneer demonstrated that we do not need to reinvent manufacturing every time new problems arise. Instead, we can rely on the already existing network of production capacity to achieve different goals.

How the Manufacturing Sector Is Adapting

Lean manufacturing during coronavirus shows that there will always be new and effective strategies to maximize efficiency in production. As the world changes during the time of COVID-19, production strategies are changing as well.

The manufacturing sector is adapting to the effects of the pandemic in the following ways:

Worker Safety: Worker safety is of the utmost importance. Companies are redesigning physical spaces to prioritize worker safety. If remote work is not an option for a particular industry, it can arrange employee spacing and distance to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Visual Displays: Many manufacturing sectors have visual displays of proper distancing and hand-washing techniques. They also have point-of-use cleaning supplies spread throughout their physical production space.
Communication: While employees might be at a greater physical distance from each other, having close communication remains essential. The lean manufacturing model pushes for more regular team check-ins and greater leadership alignment.

Another strategy includes team leadership identifying top priority tasks. Depending on capacity, leaders sideline non-essential tasks to maximize efficiency. Also, company leaders are adapting to consumer needs and streamlining the products and services that are in high demand.

Masks and Metal Fabrication During Coronavirus

Many manufacturing industry workers have witnessed the surge of employee mask mandates. However, some workers have actively resisted these mandates because of the nature of their work. For example, some employees:

Work in sparsely populated cities
Operate in physical spaces with built-in employee distancing practices

Mask mandates are making an appearance across all industries. For example, metal fabrication industries are pushing for their employees to wear protective masks. It is not only for the safety of their workers but also for the financial security of the organization.

The specifications of the mandates are different depending on an employee’s sector. However, all businesses could face lawsuits for refusing to enforce it.

For example, the steel market has been rapidly adjusting to its new demands following coronavirus. The market witnessed a decrease in overall steel demand; however, the surge in scrap production allows the industry to consolidate its material costs.

The steel market industry is using the lean manufacturing model to:

Maintain its pre-COVID-19 levels of production
Integrate new manufacturing techniques
Adjust to new levels of demand

Thinking Ahead

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to send ripple effects into all parts of the manufacturing industry. So, new perspectives and approaches are increasingly important. As the pandemic has shifted the supplies and demands of the industry, it has also improved the potential for complete manufacturing efficiency.

Coronavirus poses several challenges for lean manufacturing. Fortunately, capable industry leaders are transforming those difficulties into unique opportunities for growth. Relationships between companies are vital for creating these fast and effective solutions.

When lean manufacturing for coronavirus ends, companies like Pioneer will be able to scale back production quickly. As for the steel market, they are keeping their eyes on scrap prices. As steel prices decrease, there are service centers hesitant to put in orders.

Understanding and Meeting OSHA Safety Signage Requirements

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 17:13:02 +0000

Every day, American workers operate and work around machinery and equipment that could harm or kill them. Thanks to workplace safety efforts, which continue to improve, accidents uncommon. Nevertheless, the over 3 million on-the-job injuries reported in 2014 demonstrate that there is still plenty of room for improvement.

One easy, simple, and cheap way to improve workplace safety is through appropriate safety signage. Clear, effective safety signs not only prevent accidents, but they also increase efficiency and elevate workplace safety awareness.

The benefits of proper safety signage to any employer are clear. What isn’t so clear are the regulatory requirements for these signs. The following outlines where to find these requirements and what they mean in practice.

OSHA and ANSI

OSHA and ANSI are the two regulatory bodies that publish standards for safety signage in the workplace. 29 CFR 1910.105, which is OSHA’s Specifications for accident prevention signs and tags, outlines signage design requirements and specifies where safety signage is required.

The ANSI Z535 standard goes still further, specifying standardized coloring and pictograms for different types of hazards. The ANSI standard specifies every aspect of the safety sign:

It stipulates sign and label colors.
It establishes and defines “signal words,” such as “DANGER” or “WARNING.”
It spells out correct text size and style.
It specifies the proper placement of signs and labels.

ANSI standards are revised periodically; the most recent revision of the Z535 standard was in 2011. Employers should make sure that any new labels they print comply with this current standard.

Classes of Hazards and Their Signage

OSHA and ANSI categorize safety hazards into three primary classes of severity, each with its corresponding signage.

Danger signs alert the reader to the most serious hazards, where he or she must be especially careful. The signal word “DANGER,” preceded by a safety alert symbol, are printed in white letters against a red background. This type of sign indicates that death or serious injury will almost certainly result if a hazard is not avoided.
A warning sign is appropriate for a hazard that could cause death or serious injury, but doesn’t pose a risk severe enough to warrant a danger sign. Warning signs include the word “WARNING,” preceded by a safety alert symbol, printed in black letters against an orange background.
Caution signs advise of hazards that could result in minor or moderate injury if not avoided. Caution signs include the word “CAUTION,” preceded by a safety alert symbol, printed in black letters against a yellow background. Caution signs are often employed to advise against unsafe practices.

A fourth hazard classification encompasses biological hazards. These alert personnel to the presence of this type of hazard.

Other Types of Safety Signage

Besides just warning of hazards, other types of safety signs can help to promote a safe and orderly work environment. These include:

Notice Signs: Using white letters on a blue background, these communicate directions, procedures, and other important information about a machine, a designated area, or equipment. The information conveyed is not related to risk of injury.
General Safety Signs: As opposed to alerting the reader of a hazard, these provide helpful safety information. These may relate to first aid, sanitation, or suggested general safety policies. They are printed with white letters on a green background.
Admittance Signs: These explain the consequences and potential hazards associated with entering a designated area.
Fire Safety Signs: These indicate the location of emergency firefighting equipment and fire exits.
Non-Hazard Signs: These simply convey information, such as indicating the way through a facility. Although they have nothing to do with safety hazards, they are still safety signs, since they promote an orderly, safe work environment.

Placement of Safety Signs

OSHA specifies when a safety sign is necessary in 29 CFR 1910.145(f)(3). It states that these:

“Shall be used as a means to prevent accidental injury or illness to employees who are exposed to hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions, equipment or operations which are out of the ordinary, unexpected, or not readily apparent. Tags shall be used until such time as the identified hazard is eliminated or the hazardous operation is completed.”

If these conditions are met, then the OSHA standard specifies that the safety sign placement should be “as near as possible” to the hazard.

Safety signs must be visible and readable from a safe distance. 29 CFR 1910.145(f)(4) requires the signal word (DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION) to be readable from at least 5 feet away. The logic behind this is to alert a worker of a hazard while he or she still is far enough away to avoid it.

One other important requirement is that the safety sign itself must not present a hazard. For instance, a safety sign with exposed, pointed corners or sharp edges would be its own hazard.

How a SWOT can make your life easier

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 16:13:03 +0000

If a business is looking to thrive, it needs to define its objectives, as well as any factors which may negatively impact those objectives.

A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis allow a business to determine both internal and external factors which may affect a businesses profits and objectives, then effectively react to them to minimize or even eliminate potential losses.

Strengths are what makes the business unique and what they can do better than the average business, such as having low employee turnover or good customer relationships. When analyzing strengths, a business needs to review what it perceives as its own internal strengths, as well as what the market perceives as the strengths of the business. After determining strengths, a business should then work on enhancing them even more in order to create more opportunities for the business.

Weaknesses, on the other hand, represent internal improvements a business should make or options it should possibly even avoid. Weaknesses also hurt a business since they hinder it from achieving objectives; however, a business can better achieve an objective by identifying weaknesses early. Examples of weaknesses include having high production costs, too much overhead or a low marketing budget.

Opportunities serve as indicators of external areas where a business can grow or adapt to stay relevant with competition in the market, as well as ways in which a business can achieve objectives. Opportunities can range from producing and providing a new product due to high demand in the market, to recognizing and reacting to market trends ahead of time to increase profits and relevancy.

Threats are both current and potential challenges which a business is facing or may face in the future. External threats can include economic issues such as a depressed market or competitive issues like a rival producing a new product or starting a new marketing campaign. The key to identifying threats to a business is to create a plan to counterattack the problems, which will affect success and future growth.

A SWOT analysis is beneficial for businesses because it is a low-budget, quick way of brainstorming and strategically planning methods that will increase profits and achieve objectives. It also allows a business to use its strengths to combat its weaknesses if possible. Unfortunately, though, SWOT is most effective at a micro level rather than a macro level, so it is best for a business to use the analysis model with a specific objective in mind.

Overall, a SWOT analysis is an effective way for a business to react to and even eliminate profit losses, as well as efficiently achieve its objectives, by identifying internal and external factors within and around the business. Using the simple SWOT analysis structure can help a business quickly answer questions related to its present and future concerns by logically looking at the issues at hand to help brainstorm the appropriate solutions and strategic plans. Although it should not be used as a primary tool, it represents a helpful guide to make a business more productive.

American Quality Management Recertifies for ISO 9001

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:50:25 +0000

American Quality Management, a consulting firm based in Montebello, California, has announced with pride that they have been recertified for ISO 9001:2015. The company is a consulting and auditing firm that specializes in providing assistance to companies of any size in establishing world class quality management system that comply with international quality standards, such as ISO 9001, AS9100, and ISO 14001. With their recertification, they will be able to continue offering help to their clients in undergoing an audit and receiving an ISO 9001 certification confirming their company’s management systems registration.

Connie Smith, a representative for American Quality Management, says, “This certification accomplishment positions you among the best in your industry for fulfilling the ISO requirements. This certificate also represents a major investment for your organization; tremendous resources have been dedicated toward this effort, so we encourage you to maximize and leverage the accomplishment.”

According to Connie Smith, there are a number of ways that their clients can leverage their certification. First of all, a certified company can notify its suppliers and customers and encourage them to update their systems with their present certification information. It is to the advantage of the company that all parties that are part of their value chain are notified about this certification accomplishment.

The company may also want to issue a press release to share this particular accomplishment with all employees, customers, suppliers, and prospects. This PR can be posted on the company website and distributed to media outlets who are associated with the company’s particular industry.

The company of quality management consultants also suggests that client companies with this certification to proudly disseminate information regarding the certification accomplishment throughout the organization and even beyond. This can be through the company’s employee communications system, its website, and marketing. The client company may also want to buy some banners, flags, and marketing merchandise that show the NSF logo and the company’s specific ISO certification in the client company’s facility.

American Quality Management offers ISO 9001 certification services for companies that don’t have their own staff for handling the ISO certification process. There are a number of advantages that client companies can enjoy as a result of the ISO 9001 certification. These include: improved customer satisfaction because of the higher quality of products and services; establishment of a food reputation that stands for quality, thus boosting the company’s competitive edge; enhanced efficiency of their everyday operations; lower costs in relation to product returns because of defective products; increase in market share and brand equity; continual productivity improvements; decrease in the need for time-consuming customer audits; enhanced customer trust; optimization of internal communication and processes; and improved accountability standards for all management levels.

The ISO 9001:2015 is a globally recognized quality management standard that has already been implemented in more than 200 countries around the world. It has been accepted as a standard set of rules for managing quality in different kinds of people, languages, and cultures. It has evolved into the most proven quality management standard as a result of its successful implementation that has resulted in improvements in quality, employee efficiency, and a substantial reduction in expensive wastes. This is particularly beneficial for those who are in industries where the profit margins are relatively small.

American Quality Management experts are on hand to use their ISO 9001 expertise to assist client companies who either want to establish an ISO 9001 system for the first time or simply improve on their current quality management system. They also have a lot of experience with regards to the lean six sigma quality system. However, they realize that each business is unique and therefore make sure that the quality management system developed for each particular client company is 100 percent custom-fitted to their unique requirements.

People who need more information about the ISO 9001 consulting services provided by American Quality Management, including other services, may want to check out their website, or contact them on the phone or through email.

American Quality Management Recertifies for ISO 9001 https://t.co/OWHiuv1kgQ

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:08:07 +0000

American Quality Management Recertifies for ISO 9001 https://t.co/OWHiuv1kgQ
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) April 24, 2020

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

American Quality Management Recertifies for ISO 9001

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 16:55:14 +0000

American Quality Management Employee Receives Certificate of Appreciation https://t.co/JHUywAUY02

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 18:17:26 +0000

American Quality Management Employee Receives Certificate of Appreciation https://t.co/JHUywAUY02
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) February 21, 2020

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

American Quality Management Employee Receives Certificate of Appreciation

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 17:42:21 +0000

Montebello, CA based American Quality Management (AQM) is proud to announce that one of their employees recently received an award for her dedication to providing life-changing guide dogs to people with vision loss. The employee, C. Smith, received the certificate of appreciation from an organization that strives to improve the lives of people living with vision loss.

Guide dogs are assistance animals trained to lead blind or visually impaired people around obstacles, allowing their owners to live fuller lives since they have a degree of more freedom when traversing their environment. While they are trained to navigate around certain obstacles, they unfortunately cannot read signs and are color blind. This means the owner has to direct them via the use of signals learned in mobility training. The handler knows where to go and how to go there, and the dog guides them both there safely. Guide animals are also generally exempt from regulations against dogs in public spaces. Smith has been helping blind people get these guide dogs to help them get around safely. Her work led the organization in question, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, to honor her for her efforts.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind is a canine development center in Patterson, New York. Established in 1966, the development center is often the first step in every suitable dog’s journey to becoming a guide dog. The organization is considered an international leader in breeding and genetics, having built their breeding program on best-in-class analyses of genetic data from every step of a dog’s life. Blind and visually impaired men and women from across the United States and other countries come to Guiding Eyes for their guide dogs, a process that requires their participation in the training center’s 19 day program.

“Since our founding by Donald Kauth in 1954, we’ve graduated over 7,000 guide dog teams,” says Guiding Eyes for the Blind. “As an accredited member of the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), we’re proud to support their mission to improve and uphold worldwide standards for the breeding and training of guide dogs. We also partner with other organizations to ensure that exceptional dogs who are not suited to guide work may become service dogs.”

Connie Smith works for a quality management consultancy called American Quality Management. The consultancy has been helping companies maintain their ISO and AS Certifications for 25 years. Thanks to the company’s efforts, their clients have met all of the required ISO standards and received suitable solutions for all QMS, environmental and safety programs.

“If your organization needs a cost-effective solution to help qualify or maintain your quality management systems, then look no further,” says the firm. “At AQM, we are never satisfied with you simply passing an audit. We believe that having a piece of paper is secondary to achieving a cutting edge quality system that unquestionably benefits your organization from the ground up. We are professionally trained consultants with over 25 years of auditing and quality management experience, and we won’t rest until we’ve developed a fully customized and state-of-the-art QMS that boosts your quality and delivery to peak levels while trimming your cost and error to its absolute minimum.” Notably, AQM is also ISO 9001 certified. Smith is a part of the AQM team and has worked with the consultancy for years.

Many of the consultancy’s clients have left great reviews of AQM’s services on various platforms. One such review, which can be found on their website, says, “Your team came in not knowing how challenging this task would be, but they accurately assessed the areas that needed special effort and found perfect solutions for the many weaknesses in our company’s QMS. After having been disappointed by other consultant firms and customers relying on us to achieve certification, we were in a desperate position. Your team far exceeded my expectations of professionalism and the level of service provided.”

For more information on Connie Smith, American Quality Management, Guiding Eyes for the Blind and the award Smith received, visit the associated entities’ websites and other online resources. American Quality Management is pleased to have a member of their team recognized for their service to the community.

American Quality Management Employee Receives Certificate of Appreciation

Fri, 21 Feb 2020 17:19:14 +0000

Hello world! https://t.co/heSBloZVME

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 01:11:20 +0000

Hello world! https://t.co/heSBloZVME
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) February 6, 2020

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Businesses Advised to Update Their Environmental Policy for 2020 https://t.co/miN65beGOH

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 19:01:08 +0000

Businesses Advised to Update Their Environmental Policy for 2020 https://t.co/miN65beGOH
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) December 12, 2019

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Businesses Advised to Update Their Environmental Policy for 2020

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 18:38:08 +0000

Connie Smith, owner of a quality management consultant firm in Montebello, California, is advising businesses to update their environmental policies for 2020. She explained that this is because a primary factor in getting and maintaining an ISO 14001 certification is a company’s policy for the environment. This particular ISO standard provides the specifications for an environmental management system. It provides the details of a framework that a company or organization would need to follow in order to have an effective environmental management system whatever the activity or sector.

According to the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), an environmental management system is “part of the management system used to manage environmental aspects, fulfill compliance obligations, and address risks and opportunities.” The framework in the ISO 14001 standard can be applied in a plan-do-check-act (PDCA) strategy for continuous improvement.

The latest version of IS0 14001 is the ISO 14001:2015 and should be utilized by any company or organization that wants to establish, improve, or maintain an environmental management system that complies with the standard’s environmental policies and requirements. ISO 14001:2015 is applicable to all organizations, whatever the size, location, industry, or sector. It focuses on a number of topics with regards to environmental management systems. These are context of the organization, planning, leadership, operations, support, performance evaluation, and improvement.

The 2015 revisions include the integration of a required high-level structure with the use of mandatory definitions, and the incorporation of common standards clauses and requirements. The 2015 version has an impact on 10 major areas: expansion in EMS coverage and scope; new requirements for leadership management; required interactions with external parties; expanded legal compliance requirements; new documentation requirements; need for risk-based planning and controls; changes in competence and awareness requirements; expanded operational control requirements; increased certification costs; and effects on the internal audit system.

Meanwhile, Connie Smith says, “Going green shouldn’t put your organization in the red. If you’re ready to get with the ISO 14001 trend, our Environmental Consultants at American Quality Management can help you clean up your act without cleaning out your wallet.”

American Quality Management can help a business or organization clearly define their set of objectives and create a world class system to help them accomplish their specified goals. The AQM ISO 14001 consulting services will also show how the company or organization can effectively maintain their new environmental management system to ensure that all of their operational procedures and daily activities continue to be compliant.

There are two major benefits of a company getting ISO 14001 certified. First, they will increase their marketability as a result of the company being more appealing to customers and suppliers who believe in protecting the environment. Second, the company will benefit from cost savings through the discovery of new ways to minimize waste cost effectively and make use of state of the art green technology for more efficient energy use.

Also, by being ISO 14001 certified, a company or organization can systematically ensure compliance with both domestic and international laws with the result that there is a decreased risk of being subjected to penalties, fines or public boycotts. ISO 14001 can also be integrated into established quality assurance practices, such as ISO 9001 or OHSAS 18001.

By following the protocols resulting from a carefully planned environmental quality management system, company managers are assured to be able to administer the right oversight of all activities, decisions, services, or production processes that could possibly affect the environment. When quality managers are able to successfully implement ISO 14001 systems, they can have peace of mind knowing that all those risks have been minimized, thus substantially reducing the possibility of civil, legal, or consumer backlash.

American Quality Management specializes in environmental systems and have established a proven track record to help businesses achieve ISO 14001 certification. People who need more information on making adjustments on their environmental policy in order to be certified can visit the AQM website or contact them through the telephone or via email.

Businesses Advised to Update Their Environmental Policy for 2020

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 18:25:17 +0000

How To Write A Proper EMS Policy

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 23:49:06 +0000

A key factor in obtaining and maintaining ISO 14001 certification is your environmental policy. What are the factors you need to consider while crafting your policy? How do you ensure that top management understands it? Is it adequate for your organization? The answers to these questions will vary by company, depending on size and environmental impact but the following guidelines will help you define your environmental policy.

Why do I need an Environmental Policy?

The Environmental Management System (EMS) has mandatory requirements for your organization to have an environmental policy. Once your environmental policy is defined by senior management, it will provide key benefits to your organization, such as:

staying legal
provide information to employees about their role in environmental impact
lower liability by reducing incidents
provide improved monitoring tools
increase efficiency in processes
lower costs by conserving materials and energy

What should I include in my Environmental Policy?

Clause 5.2 of the ISO 14001 standard leaves some room for interpretation but does provide guidance on what your environmental policy should contain and what purpose it serves at your organization. How detailed do you need to be and what items are “must have’s” in your policy?

Your policy needs to be crafted for your organization. Avoid copy and paste. While you may want to review other organization’s EMS policy, you need to create yours specific to your needs. It stands to reason that the greater your environmental impact, the more detailed and focused your policy should be. Identify key impact areas and highlight them. If your organization produces large amounts of emissions, your policy should not focus on water-table impacts.

Include a commitment to continuous improvement. A key reason to implement a system such as ISO 14001 is to improve. Rather than just identifying your current way of doing things, including a commitment to continuous improvement in your environmental policy. Don’t get hung up on the details of how it will happen; rather, state the commitment to do it.

Identify objectives and targets. This will be a more detail section with application to specific departments and processes in your organization. Seek input from key individuals in each department and use that to create a working, useful approach. This is where it is easy to go astray. Don’t create unreachable expectations or goals, but include reasonable, actionable steps to improving your environmental impact.

Know and comply with relevant environmental legislation. While each organization is unique, there is very likely others who are facing similar environmental impacts as you. Seek them out and learn. Find and attend events appropriate to your organization and subscribe to industry news. These are all ways you can stay abreast of the changing legislative landscape and adjust your policy accordingly.

Prevent pollution. While this may seem extremely basic, it is important to include a commitment and actionable ways to reducing pollution. Exact details may not be required in the policy, but it should be something you can easily refer to during an audit.

How do I implement my Environmental Policy?

Something like an environmental policy is easy to be put on a shelf and forgotten about. While this may be tempting, don’t let it happen! You’ve started your journey on improvement, and you wouldn’t want to stop now.

Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Each employee needs to understand what the environmental policy is, how their actions create environmental impact and what they can do to reduce that impact. Find a way to tie practical examples to negative environmental impact so that it is easier for your employees to remember.

Documented and audited. You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Identify the key performance indicators (KPI’s) for each department in your organization and measure them. Provide relevant and timely feedback to each department on movement, whether positive or negative.

Remember that your environmental policy should be as unique as your organization. While ISO 14001 provides the guidelines and framework for your EMS policy, it is up to you to make that policy as simple and meaningful as possible. Craft your environmental policy with care and use it as a badge of honor: your commitment to reducing your organization’s environmental impact.

Will Blockchain and Smart Contracts Accelerate Smart Manufacturing?

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 22:54:30 +0000

Local sourcing can be more efficient and secure with blockchain and smart contracts. Can it go the next step toward moving manufacturers to smart manufacturing as well?

No manufacturer is an island – and thus a digitally connected supply chain is a cornerstone of any Industry 4.0 or Smart Manufacturing discussion. For most companies secure and semi-automated work with supply chain partners is just a concept, but now you can get started in earnest!

On November 15, SyncFab, a procurement platform for precision parts, opened up a pre-sale of blockchain MFG utility tokens. These tokens would be used with their SaaS exchange and their smart contracts. I believe this ushers in a new era of efficiency, security and intelligence, and a level playing field for industrial supply chains.

This is a classic instance of the “marketplace” explained in Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing visions. Designers, buyers and sellers, connected to the SyncFab platform and using the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will automatically find and work with each other. Innovators and buyers issue RFPs for the parts they need with a target price, and those able to make those parts can decide whether to bid and at what price, knowing there is an acceptable range of prices.

What is blockchain and how does it work?

The blockchain provides a secure encrypted means of tracking digital records. (Blockchain is perhaps best known as the digital ledger for bitcoin currency.) Using this technology, all participants in a supply chain interaction will safely store information and it cannot be altered. The part specifications, including CAD drawings, can be exchanged in this way, along with smart contract information about design intent and contractual terms and conditions from the buyer and quality data from the supplier.

SyncFab’s CEO and Founder Jeremy Goodwin says, “It’s very early in the use of blockchain in industrial supply chains. We are looking at how to upgrade capabilities so JIT manufacturing requirements can be met more rapidly – tightening supplier requirements.”

Why do it?

SyncFab’s mission is to create local marketplaces for precision parts, reshoring manufacturing and removing transport and latency costs from the supply chain. The vision is that a supply chain for precision parts can participate in a peer-to-peer fashion that favors responsiveness, rather than size or brand name.

The SyncFab platform will be able to help buyers source, track and manage precision parts production. For the suppliers, participating in this exchange will help them improve capacity utilization.

Blockchain creates a more seamless process that will

Speed and ensure unbiased and organized sourcing activities by reducing misunderstandings
Boost the reach of smaller 3D printing, CNC and other types of precision parts companies
Secure IP for innovations both by buyers and sellers of precision parts

I hope SyncFab founder Jeremy Goodwin is correct that this will “Incentivize CNC machine shops – and their blue-collar workers who write up quotes – to be more responsive.” I also hope he’s right that it will help to decentralize power in supply chains so not only the larger companies but all “innovators” will be driving activity in these smart supply chains.

Who else is involved in the “block” party?

This is a partnership between SyncFab with its procurement applications and smart contract technology and Smart MFG Tech Ltd for its ERC20 Ethereum MFG utility tokens. The combination is a platform for peer-to-peer supply chain activities for precision parts makers.

I agree with Goodwin that the path to smart manufacturing and supply chains will be for broad industry collaborations to move toward standards. To that end, SyncFab is part of several public-private networks. One is with San Leandro, the San Francisco Bay area city that hosts their headquarters, for local parts procurement and selling. Another is with Clean Energy and Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII) the US-government-industry partnership organization focused on smart manufacturing.

Beyond SyncFab, IBM is using blockchain in its HyperLedger, which is more focused on private instances. We suspect that larger companies that are already captains in their supply chain may gravitate toward this approach, at least initially.

SyncFab has also created Smart Contract technology, and that will be critical to the success of such a marketplace. As with any trading exchange, the capabilities of the suppliers – and the behaviors of the buyers – become more evident over time. Looking forward to seeing what emerges from this platform!

Data Integrity by Authenticating People and Process in Industry 4.0

Tue, 31 Oct 2017 00:24:09 +0000

Authentication for personnel can deliver great security and traceability. Here it’s shown in in a wearable band for added productivity and ease. Photo courtesy Nymi.

What’s the #1 source of error and security problems for production processes and documentation? People! So I am delighted to meet companies working on the authentication of people as they perform their work. This is crucial to data integrity in the new digital world.

Much of Industry 4.0 focuses on the product cyber-physical systems (CPS) and the equipment cyber-physical production systems (CPPS). The marketplace they represent is a powerful breakthrough. As more and more of the process is automated, ensuring data integrity is essential. Reducing human intervention only goes so far, even in this futuristic vision. There are and will be people in manufacturing.

Enter companies performing authentication of a person. Biometrics products are certainly not new. In fact, there’s an entire list of them here. What caught my eye was Nymi, a company that delivers a novel CPS device that offers:

multi-factor authentication
in a wearable band that’s unique to the individual
always-on, Bluetooth and near-field communication (NFC)
designed to communicate with CPPS for process step / authorization / certification
able to integrate into MES for full context – AND log-off of a workstation when out of range

The Nymi band can offer complete authentication through an individual’s work shift – for every product, every process, every activity. Perhaps most impressive, the wearers won’t have an additional burden of walking over to, swiping, looking at, touching, or pausing for some other authentication activity. Once it’s set up, the people part of the process becomes just as complete and transparent as any other aspect of CPS-CPPS.

Wearing the band, a user authenticates once when they put it on. Then it is always on, communicating with devices and systems throughout the facility or company. For industries where strict SOPs and process / product documentation and traceability are key, buying bands for operations employees could pay off in a matter of weeks.

For example, this device can be used to log in and out of equipment. It can also be integrated with software systems such as MES. This verifies the user, and can automatically log their time at a workstation – or lock them out of processes for which that user is not certified or needs a training update. Clearly, it can also operate integrated with the facility security and workforce management or time and attendance systems.

Other systems offer biometrics and multi-factor authentication that will work in a regulated environment such as life sciences manufacturing. Some come from software companies, working with generic identifcation hardware such as badge readers, biometric scanners, etc. For example, Synchronoss offers a cloud-based universal ID subscription service for identity proofing, secure authentication, and digital signing and approval as part of its managed mobility solutions. Centrify offers multi-factor authentication as part of its security software suite. So that’s good news for buyers – there are choices. Not all use the same approaches, so finding the one that fits your environment is important.

The net net is, this might be a critical enabler for the seamless marketplace that Industry 4.0 envisions. Information from products, equipment AND people – all playing together with the MES putting it in context. User non-repudiation and process specifics, tracked automatically, without extra effort. Now that’s a future vision that’s automated, secure, compliant and productive.

Semiconductor: Escape the Trap or Die

Fri, 20 Oct 2017 00:16:31 +0000

The semiconductor industry is moving into a new era, and must escape old traps to grasp IoT and Industry 4.0 opportunity.

The semiconductor industry is caught in a trap made of its own success. It’s called the whole-economy disruptor of Internet of Things (IoT). It’s alluring – huge growth potential, new applications an use cases… And yet, semiconductor makers can easily die in the trap of IoT’s need for higher mix and lower costs, faster ramp to yield, and perfect quality.

Old Systems Trap

Many fabs’ equipment and manufacturing IT systems are not very agile. The manufacturing execution systems (MES) in many facilities are over 10 years old. The equipment is amazing, but not designed for Industry 4.0. Even the equipment layer (EES) with fault detection and correction and run-to-run control cannot fully compensate. These older systems cannot effectively streamline and orchestrate an Industry 4.0 environment.

Yet, customers expect the semiconductor suppliers to be ready to support their futuristic Industry 4.0 transformation. Already, demands for edge and fog analytics inside the products is in place for call-home. What they really want is all of that during fabrication, assembly, and test as well as the customer’s production. This is Industry 4.0 smart supply chain.

Lack of Understanding Trap

As sophisticated as the semiconductor industry is, many of the practitioners – even in manufacturing IT – are not well educated about key aspects of Industry 4.0. One example is they don’t fully grasp what’s needed in MES today. Fortunately, capable systems are available, and the papers I’ve written about that explain more. The most recent is: The New MES, Backbone of Industry 4.0.

I’ve also seen that many in semiconductor don’t understand big data. It’s different than the vast volumes of test data semiconductor companies process now. What the industry does today is critical, but cannot parse a variety of data into full context for business insights. This is particularly true across the supply chain.

Moving from Data to Wisdom

It’s not about data, but about business wisdom. This nugget comes from Scott Van Etten, Program Manager of the High Performance NAND Test Laboratory at ITT Chip Semiconductor Institute at UNISINOS in Brazil. I had the pleasure recently to speak about this on a webinar with him. He sees the future unknowns pushing companies to get beyond data, information and knowledge: to wisdom.

He pointed out that most semiconductor companies can’t get a quick understanding of how to consistently drive improvements across the supply chain. As a result new product introduction (NPI) is slow. He also pointed to an inability to optimize the product lifecycle and make strategic decisions.

To learn about the very complex process of semiconductor manufacturing, you can dive in deep with The Semiconductor Manufacturing Handbook, Second Edition. I wrote the chapter on MES fundamentals, and the book is now available from McGraw Hill. A glance into this brand new textbook makes it clear that the amount of data already in use is just a fraction of what it can, must and will be.

Out of the Traps, Into the Future

With all of the amazing advances in the semiconductor industry as we move into 7 nm and 5nm and entirely new architectures, the IT infrastructure for production holds the key. In the past, modernizing semiconductor manufacturing IT was so risky that companies did not dare. Now, it may finally be apparent that the risks of missing the opportunity of rapid volume growth and IoT leadership is greater than the risk of switching systems.

Companies across the industry have already replaced MES and EES in the past several years. They are finding new ways to leverage production data. Companies must set themselves on a path to rapid innovation not just in the fabs, but across the supply chain. To get the cheese and still escape the jaws of the trap, companies must extract wisdom from their data and share it securely. Our economy depends on it.

Weaving the New Economy from Digital Thread

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 22:03:50 +0000

The digital thread is a foundation for the new economy. Siemens has a comprehensive portfolio of software to support the vision of Industry 4.0. Here, Dr. Jan Mrosik, CEO of the Digital Factory Division, articulates the vision.

What if the new economy is already here? Some manufacturers have fully embraced the digital thread and are delivering fast, high-quality, cost-effective personalized products. As they set new expectations for customer time and value, they are also re-defining how the economy works.

For these companies, Industry 4.0 is not decades away. They are designing and making smart products, leveraging IoT, 3D printing and additive manufacturing, augmented reality, generative design, artificial intelligence, and the cloud.

They are creating a smart value network and learning as the go. They are weaving a new economy right now today – and it’s strong fabric.

This was my big take-away from the 2017 Siemens PLM Software Industry Analyst Conference. The vision of Industry 4.0 and a future economy is here already today. Siemens customers told their stories, from the largest in the world to tiny start-ups. They are working with the digital thread that runs from concept to production to use in the field. These manufacturers are weaving a new competitive landscape.

Breadth and Depth

Siemens talks in a very conservative and pragmatic way, but yet they are bold in pointing out that the breadth of their product portfolio is unmatched. Their manufacturing domain expertise is also extraordinary, as this software group sits in a digital factory division that is a leader in products and services for production process automation.

In the production area, Siemens can not only simulate but commission and test plants and automation. They are starting to automatically generate pre-tested PLC code. They demonstrated augmented reality for work instructions, and are experimenting with blockchain for product genealogy and tracking.

The acquisition of Mentor Graphics greatly strengthens Siemens software in every industry that’s making smart products…. which is nearly every industry! Like Siemens, Mentor has design, simulation, and production software. This brings Siemens in as a serious software competitor in semiconductor and strengthens it further in defense, automotive, and electronics.

Triple Digital Twin

One element the conference emphasized is that Siemens is the only company to offer three digital twins: the product twin, the production twin, and the performance twin. Together these deliver a comprehensive virtual view of the physical.

Enabling virtual design, simulation, testing, and verification of a product is well proven. Combining it with the digital twin of production enhances design for manufacturing and design for quality. The many factors that interoperate in a real production environment can be incorporated into this production digital twin. This holds in additive manufacturing, traditional, and mixed environments.

Feedback from field performance into both production and process digital twins really closes the loop. Further simulating performance for products out in the field is critical as the manufacturer’s value proposition increasingly moves from the products to value-added services.

Digital twins are like weaving a fabric from two threads rather than just one. It makes it sturdier, stronger, more substantial and reliable. The virtual and real aspects of each twin feed and support each other throughout the product lifecycle and the value chain.

Cloud-based IoT and Analytics

I see one more major aspect – and that is the MindSphere cloud-based open IoT platform. There are other IoT platforms, and it’s not yet clear how they will all play out for market position. Siemens seems to be serious about having MindSphere be an open platform, which will be the key to its success.

Siemens’ many divisions and partners are developing more apps that leverage the vast data from the three digital twins, and beyond. Note that what was Omneo has become tje Product Performance app resting on MindSphere. These distributed big data capabilities are critical to full leverage of the applications in Siemens’ vast portfolio.

Continuing with the weaving analogy – MindSphere is like a strong second foundational thread (called the warp in weaving). (Second thread because the Teamcenter PLM has long been the first.) The MindSphere and Teamcenter platforms together help ensure those digital twins talk to each other and are continuously updated between virtual and real. This makes the digital thread more than a historical record – but rather the real-time lifeblood.

Does this single-vendor approach have its downsides? Of course. Even with openness. Yet, it’s clear Siemens and its customers are weaving a strong fabric for the new economy.

Think Direct Materials Negotiations Could be Better? Guaranteed.

Wed, 06 Sep 2017 20:26:28 +0000

Cognitive sourcing can deliver guaranteed benefits in direct materials negotiations. Get ready.

Can you point to a way to save on your direct materials procurement negotiations? Maybe not. However, most professionals involved in sourcing and direct procurement know that they are leaving money on the table. As timeframes continue to shrink for complex supply chains to introduce new and improved products, it’s become harder to make good decisions.

With today’s advanced analytics, it seems there should be a way to leverage more data in each negotiation. Finally, it looks as if there is new software to identify savings opportunities and risks for direct procurement teams in real-time during negotiations. LevaData announced its Series A financing and Cognitive Sourcing Platform on August 29.

Directing Cognition at Direct Materials

Ever since strategic sourcing software became a big deal this has been something I’ve expected. (Can it be 20 years ago?). Yet most of the systems really have focused elsewhere.

As LevaData CEO Rajesh Kalidindi says, “Direct sourcing teams have been left behind or ignored by most … solution providers in the market today.” I agree. This has left direct materials strategic sourcing scrambling to pull together what they need for each negotiation event or market opportunity. Rajesh should know; he was Director of Supply Chain Operations for Cisco.

LevaData is pulling from third party data as well as the enterprise’s own data using a SaaS platform. It’s a continuous sourcing approach that delivers recommendations for action, not just data or market insights. It also delivers a multi-tier view of costs, supplier risk and opportunities, and advanced algorithms to set up a negotiation playbook for each supplier or manufacturer – or for a multi-tier group all working on the same product.

Beyond Software

LevaData’s innovation goes beyond what the software can do. The platform is designed to empower, not replace, sourcing professionals as they make decisions. This comes back to the task-based way of leveraging analytics I believe will transform the nature of work in many domains. LevaData is also delivering human intelligence and coaching.

Perhaps most compelling, LevaData offers its Cognitive Sourcing Platform as a subscription or on a pay-for-performance model. The company guarantees 5X ROI in the first year of adoption.

While the announcement is new, the customer base (now over 20) has been benefiting for the past two years. They have over $50B managed and over $100M in savings already quantified. The customers are mostly electronics companies such as FitBit, and others in industrial automation, electronic point-of-sale, video/voice conferencing, home audio, and memory modules. This creates a strong peer group using the same commodities from which the platform can create further useful analysis on direct materials opportunities and risks.

Options to Ponder

LevaData is not the only company offering cognitive procurement for direct materials. Last November at Empower 2016, IBM discussed using Watson with Emptoris. The big announcement was of a new Emptoris app, Procurement Intelligence. They also re-named SupplierIQ to Watson Company Analyzer. Another player in cognitive procurement is Trade Extensions, now part of Coupa.

Software buyers must realize it’s good news that there are several strong competitors. These three companies are quite different in scope and scale, as well as software approach. So procurement teams moving into cognitive approaches have options!

Ready or Not, Here it Comes

Spend Matters says “the cognitive era is not yet upon us.” I disagree. I agree that cognitive procurement is in its early stages and will benefit from incorporating machine learning. I also agree that procurement and sourcing professionals will need to spend time training systems to get the full benefits.

Yet that’s not a good reason to delay starting to use it. In fact, overworked procurement teams may find this to be a life-saver. With only a few months to realize ROI, those who adopt soon may gain strategic advantage quickly.

The cognitive procurement era is upon us. Some are already using this software. It delivers significant savings and benefits, and some will even guarantee benefits.

For those who want to lead in their segment, it’s not a time to hide from this next important step. Ready or not, here comes cognitive strategic procurement for direct materials. It will change the market. Guaranteed.

Can Simulation and AI Optimize a Warehouse?

Wed, 02 Aug 2017 12:26:48 +0000

AI and Simulation may revolutionize day-to-day WMS operations. Photo courtesy EVS

Can software that incorporates artificial intelligence and simulation actually optimize warehouse operations? EVS claims it can deliver insights by simulating the environment and workflow changes to gauge impact on productivity prior to making the actual changes. EVS claims that it’s the first and only company to do so with its new mobe3 warehouse management system (WMS). EVS might have a valid claim, and they do have a pretty cool sounding new solution.

Simulation is not a new technology in supply chain software – nor even in warehousing. What’s new is that simulation has not been fully integrated as part of the day-to-day WMS. Traditionally, it was run in a separate off-line system to create what-if scenarios to gauge impact of investments and major changes.

With mobe3, EVS says it will quantify the effect of changes in the warehouse on a day-to-day basis, and factor in the results of those scenario decisions as part of what the WMS is directing employees to do. Optimizing picks and put-aways using simulation is not common in the industry today. Mobe3 also provides ongoing views of performance and runs native on mobile iOS-based devices to support the inherent movement of warehouse employees.

Optimization and simulation, as well as artificial intelligence, support better decisions as they can handle more data and very complex and dynamic problems people often struggle to master. As distribution operations become more challenged by rising customer expectations and ever more specific products and variants to handle, keeping up with change is a critical challenge warehouses must meet to succeed. Moving products through both effectively and efficiently – or reliably, quickly and at low cost – will differentiate those who thrive from those who struggle.

EVS has been around for about 15 years, starting in the process industry warehousing business. EVS’ current customers are mostly mid-range businesses. Target industries include 3PLs, manufacturing, food and beverage, life sciences, chemicals, biotech, and electronics.

It’s arguable whether this is “the first true innovation in warehouse management systems since 1999” as the PR agency suggested in its e-mail. Yet, it does hold great promise to help warehouses keep up with the disruptions they have been experiencing with greater intensity as Amazon expectations and services have reached into nearly every segment.

Process manufacturers use simulation and increasingly, artificial intelligence, for many other operations. Process industry supply chain planning and production execution have long incorporated simulation to optimize outcomes. These companies use real-time metrics and what-if scenarios to drive optimization that has kept them vital – and the warehouse is getting this opportunity now too.

Can you foresee how your warehouse operations might change? They do, year-to-year, month-to-month, shift-to-shift and moment to moment. What could you achieve with insight into what the impact will be when they do, and recommendations for decision-makers from the top to the forklift? There is probably a sound business case in most warehouses that have a future….

Hearing the Big Data of Sound

Fri, 23 Jun 2017 13:22:30 +0000

Can you hear the big data of sound coming to help your business? Image: Dennis Owusu-ansah | Dreamstime.com

What’s often the first indicator that something’s gone wrong? A change in what you hear. A sound. Think about this in your plant. Sound and vibration are powerful indicators of a change in condition. Wouldn’t it be great if you could incorporate that into your predictive and prescriptive maintenance? Or into your service offering for your product? Or into the product itself for self-monitoring? Now, you can.

Several companies now offer some form of machine sound analytics. We learned about this from Jags Kandasamy, Chief Product Officer at OtoSense, a startup that turns machine sounds into actionable meaning. Apparently others agree. An array of Fortune 500 and 100 companies from all over the world are deploying it now, for a wide array of applications. Jags told me, “We are the artificial intelligence for sound. We map the sound a human hears how we hear it in our heads – in the system.” The results are spatters like the one shown.

Process experts and operators can work with the big data of sound through graphical spatters. Anomalies often show clearly in their spatial relationships. Image Courtesy Otosense

Robots and other automation have long had vision, and robots have tactile sensors as well – adding sound could be a revolution. Microphones and accelerometers are not new to the plant, but making sense of the sounds and vibrations they capture has been a largely manual process. Automating it is a very specialized field. As with all sensors and software to support them for plant operations, sound processing and analysis must be fast, reliable and relatively low cost to really resonate in the market.

Until now, speed has often been a problem for industrial and monitoring applications. Capturing the signals is fine, but processing them to understand what is – forgive the pun – signal vs. noise – has been challenging. Big data to the rescue, right?

Well not so fast. Sending information to the cloud for big data analysis typically slows the process too much for it to work effectively in a production operation. However, in the main, Otosense has figured out how to keep operations at the edge. So it’s speedy and local.

Only the expert interactions to train the system go to the cloud and back. During setup and expansion of the system, a subject matter expert categorizes sounds and their meaning (regular operating sound, startup, shutdown, particular situation, abnormal or problematic sound, and possibly many more specific states).

Otosense is not the only company working on the big data of sound. Several companies offer it for specific types of machinery like rotating machines (Augury, 3D Signals), oil and gas leaks (Sensoleak), or wind and turbine energy (APL’s AureSSound). Only a few are attempting to provide this machine learning approach to sound and vibration data for ANY machine: Neuron SoundWare and Reality Analytics Inc. (reality.ai) are in the category with Otosense.

Reality Analytics is for R&D engineers, and has received its first round of funding as well as winning the 2017 Innovator of Things Award from Project Kairos. This focus allows it to remain in the technical sphere. Neuron SoundWare has also won an award, the Napad Roku for best Czech or Slovak startup in 2016. They are not listing customers on their website, but it truly could be a challenge of NDAs. Otosense lists 20 “User” companies on its website and several awards, including Red Herring, Global Mobile, GSMA Mobile World Congress, and Silicon Valley Forum.

The competition in this space is exciting and important. These companies will help move each other along. Can you hear the sound of yet another improvement in machine monitoring and analytics knocking on your plant door?

Smarter e-Commerce Fulfillment: A Smart Investment

Wed, 24 May 2017 15:23:26 +0000

Analytics specific to e-commerce fulfillment can save companies money and help meet customers expectations. That’s a smart investment! Image courtesy of Grand Canals.

I love to shop on-line. When I order on-line, like everyone else, I look for fast, low-cost or even free shipping. Amazon has taught us to expect that, and reliable, on-time arrival goes without saying. By the way, I want easy returns too. It’s great for consumers, but not necessarily so great for companies selling on-line. As consumers or business customers our expectations are extremely high, and few sellers can match Amazon’s capabilities. While customer expectations rise, so do carriers’ prices. It’s a squeeze for those selling on-line or fulfilling orders.

How can other businesses compete successfully? That’s a question that Grand Canals has set out to answer. As with so many other questions in industry, analytics is providing new answers, and Grand Canals has developed analytics specific to small parcel delivery options. Grand Canals’ Fulfillment Intelligence Cloud software is designed to layer on top of existing software and pull information from the major small parcel shippers such as UPS, FedEx, USPS and DHL.

Grand Canals customers are on record with some eye-popping shipping cost savings. Grove Collaborative, a B corp for natural consumer products, saved 25% per order. Toy and gift retailer Hollar saved greatly on their annual logistics spend while improving fulfillment time. 3PL Seko found large per year savings opportunity with discount and mode modeling.

So, how does it work?

This SaaS solution is purpose-built for analyzing e-commerce fulfillment operations. It provides a consistent analytics layer that connects supply chain systems: ERP, warehouse management, transportation management, and small parcel carriers’ software. Like most analytics products, the system normalizes the data to generate effective results.

Analysis of how to provide cost-effective shipping for every order across a variety of carriers can create many aspects of supply chain improvement for both the e-Commerce company and its customers:

Optimized carrier contracts and automated RFPs
Ideal routing logic and optimized service mix
Compliance monitoring
Network and DC optimization
Order and transportation management integration
Increased customer shopping cart conversion
Predictive analytics for changing carrier needs

Grand Canals envisions this as a three-part journey: Get Lean, Stay Lean, and Transform.

Last week, they announced a new version of their product, Fulfillment Intelligence Cloud 3.0, that can quickly and automatically generate and analyze RFPs to carriers. It also has carrier switch modeling for complex what-if scenarios, and a new user interface . They will be expanding functionality for more modes, and creating a full solution focused on 3PLs.

Time to Invest

Retail e-commerce sales are growing rapidly, and accounted for 8.5% of the total U.S. Retail sales in the first quarter of 2017. Returns for on-line sales are 30% compared to 8% for traditional in-store purchases. So this is a significant challenge , which is growing every day. It’s worthy of investment. Last week, Grand Canals announced its $4.8M Series A funding from Cloud Apps Capital Partners and AllMobile Fund. With this round, the company will be able to grow to reach more of the companies struggling to fulfill orders quickly and profitably.

Initial markets are B2C and B2B e-commerce. Grand Canals is developing a special version for 3PLs, where it will become part of their billing or invoicing system. Companies with $500,000 or more in shipping spend may want to consider this solution. Those with smaller fulfillment operations may find other solutions more appropriate.

Fulfillment Intelligence Cloud this sits on top of the transactional systems as a unified analysis layer that leverages those carrier line-item transaction reports. If you integrate order and invoice information, the analysis becomes richer. As with all analytics, the more data the customer provides, the richer the analytics view they can receive.

Ready to get smarter with your fulfillment? How about some carrier integration and analytics to start? Would you like to be the first of your competitors to gain these major savings?

Smart Manufacturing is about Hardware: Yes or No?

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 18:18:33 +0000

Hardware for Smart Manufacturing like AR glasses are amazing – and so is all the software behind them! Image (c)Dolgachov – Dreamstime

I’m beginning to think my focus on manufacturing software is too narrow: from machine monitoring to MES/MOM and scheduling, supply chain, quality, PLM, ERP and analytics across all production segments. Does that sound broad or narrow to you? As a long-time industry analyst and advisor, I strive for a broad view. However, I see that my current focus might not be broad enough.

What’s missing? Hardware. Smart Manufacturing is getting goosed into action by hardware – or things. (There is a spot in me that sinks when I write that!) Yes, the hardware matters. I’m continually amazed by the new and improved robots, 3D printers, virtual and augmented reality glasses, and all manner of industrial internet of things (IIoT)-enabled equipment and machines. Like other forms of automation, these ‘things’ can make production operations more reliable, faster, and less expensive.

Once connected to the Industrial Internet or IIoT, the possibilities for Smart Manufacturing or Industry 4.0 are vast. Finally the vision of one-off production, in local sites close to demand, may be coming true. This throws into question what a manufacturing company will look like, and opens up entirely new business opportunities.

I think that knowing they might walk around using VR glasses could attract some younger workers into manufacturing. Being able to 3D print customized replacement joints has already made some people I know able to walk with far more comfort. Ensuring that robots do the least ergonomic and dullest tasks already increases safety and workers’ health.

This new hardware is awesome! It’s become the face of Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0. And the face is no longer dirty or only focused on what the hands are doing.

So will I shift my focus to hardware from software? No. I’ll read up on the hardware, but the magic behind the hardware is the software. It works behind the scenes to will make all of this data from hardware things useful. And the software is just as amazing and interesting as the hardware. Maybe more so, just a lot harder to see.

Typically the goal is not just to automate, but to gain more information. Big data analytics are critical, but they don’t just happen by hooking up modern IIoT-enabled hardware to data lakes. There is MUCH more to it!

Just as robots are learning to collaborate with humans, software must collaborate with the hardware and other software too. There are layers of software required now to ensure that machines can talk to one another. Fortunately standards like OPC-UA and MTConnect are allowing machine data to move among systems with basic structure and meaning.

Even once the data is in a common standard, it’s not in context. This is the complicated business of taking multiple streams of cleansed data and viewing them as a set (for example, what product was being produced, by what equipment and people in what conditions, etc.) so that analysis can more deeply understand the conditions behind a pattern. For just a couple of examples: in discrete machine-driven industries, System Insights’ VIMANA and Enrich do that in the plant; and for complex product data, Siemens OMNEO does that.

Data security and encryption are also essential, from the automation layer all the way up. For those in automation, check out Bedrock Automation. As IoT spreads intelligence, cybersecurity needs increase at every level. Security can include encryption in any IT system as well.

There are too many categories of software and companies in each one to mention them all… So that part has not changed. Suffice it to say that all of the traditional software elements are now joined by IIoT software. Even those with large stacks or platforms for IIoT such as GE Predix, Siemens MindSphere, PTC Thingworx, and Schneider Electric EcoStruxure, and Bosch IoT Platform ave partnerships with many other software companies. No doubt they will continue to build those networks, and not just of those leveraging their platform, but to ensure a complete stack.

As companies go after the benefits of amazing new hardware for production, it’s critical to ensure there is a software architecture to make use of all that new data. You’ll need software to capture it, cleanse it, put it in context, coordinate it, and turn data into information, and put it in forms so that it can be analyzed in big data platforms.

Delighted to know that the hardware is pushing the software to new heights – and depths- and agility. Also delighted that new hardware can make manufacturing look as cool as it is!

New Reality for Augmented and Virtual Reality

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 22:32:47 +0000

Augmented and Virtual Reality gain visibility and resources: Schneider Electric buys MWPowerlab. Photo courtesy Schneider Electric

Train operators, maintain assets, and maybe even develop processes… virtually. Are you doing it yet?

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are not new, but recent advances make it far more practical for process manufacturers to use. A sign that this is becoming mainstream: Schneider Electric announced it has acquired its VR and AR partner MWPowerlab s.r.l.

The two software companies have been working together for some time, so this is a natural step. Their focus has been to develop training and asset management applications in Schneider Electric Software’s home industries of oil and gas, food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, and pharmaceuticals.

Original industrial uses of VR were primarily in training, such as SimSci EYESIM operator training simulator. Taking a model or physical scan of actual operating equipment, companies develop immersive training environments to simulate physical control rooms and plant or field equipment. This allows training in a safe and controlled yet realistic environment, allowing better preparation.

For asset management, companies are starting to use AR. This uses the virtual to understand and direct associates to take action in the physical world. Associates with appropriate headgear and a mobile device can now see work orders, instructions for operation and maintenance and get a virtual demonstration of exactly the actions they are meant to take. With scanning of the physical reality built in, verification of equipment, plus start, progress and completion of a task are readily available in asset management software. The companies have a video demo of this available. Again, Schneider Electric Software has long had strong asset management software in Avantis and services for its customers also.

Another application for VR and AR is process development. When I asked the question about that possibility in today’s analyst briefing, Schneider’s Dr. Toby Scheele said he was smiling at the question! Model-driven engineering for developing continuous processes is not nearly as prevalent as it is for discrete products and processes. Schneider clearly aims to change that situation. The vision to move deeper into this realm is compelling – particularly as it builds on Schneider’s recent simulation advances.

For a production software person like me, VR and AR initially seemed to be just funny hardware gadgets that would not be pragmatic for most companies. Now, a few years later, I realize how off-base I was. This deal is all software, and MWPowerlab and Schneider have remained hardware independent. The demo does point to Microsoft’s HoloLens, which they see holds particular promise.

Now I see VR and AR as critical tools to help production associates and engineers take the best possible actions with confidence. From envisioning a process, to training operators and technicians, to maintaining the equipment… the entire lifecycle can benefit from VR and AR.

Until now, VR and AR have been somewhat exclusive. Let’s see whether Schneider Electric Software can bring it more into the mainstream.

What’s virtual and augmented is now real! Can you see it?

Keeping Your Business Ahead of the Competition https://t.co/HTDvk7PV8H

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 22:55:42 +0000

Keeping Your Business Ahead of the Competition https://t.co/HTDvk7PV8H
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) September 6, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

AS9100 Benefits: What’s in it for you? https://t.co/oImEyO2WWm

Sat, 13 Aug 2016 01:31:04 +0000

AS9100 Benefits: What’s in it for you? https://t.co/oImEyO2WWm
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) August 13, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Lean Production Manufacturing: Cut Waste & Make Profit https://t.co/goh263B3RJ

Wed, 20 Jul 2016 22:24:58 +0000

Lean Production Manufacturing: Cut Waste & Make Profit https://t.co/goh263B3RJ
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) July 20, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Rules set by AS9100 Aerospace standard https://t.co/ChPr1KeJ2o

Fri, 24 Jun 2016 21:24:38 +0000

Rules set by AS9100 Aerospace standard https://t.co/ChPr1KeJ2o
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) June 24, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Go Lean to Achieve Efficiency https://t.co/LoCglwoPK2

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 22:55:31 +0000

Go Lean to Achieve Efficiency https://t.co/LoCglwoPK2
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) June 17, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Great resource for fellow auditors and consultants alike here https://t.co/6FOW0opeh8

Sun, 22 May 2016 18:57:40 +0000

Great resource for fellow auditors and consultants alike here https://t.co/6FOW0opeh8
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) May 22, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

All About AS9100C https://t.co/41v4zgtk56

Thu, 19 May 2016 23:08:59 +0000

All About AS9100C https://t.co/41v4zgtk56
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) May 19, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Quality Round Up – May 2016 Edition https://t.co/3rLaSbuPPd

Mon, 16 May 2016 21:33:55 +0000

Quality Round Up – May 2016 Edition https://t.co/3rLaSbuPPd
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) May 16, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Reasons Why You Should Invest in a Quality Management System https://t.co/qZTibYa4RW

Fri, 13 May 2016 19:38:17 +0000

Reasons Why You Should Invest in a Quality Management System https://t.co/qZTibYa4RW
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) May 13, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Great writer on the subject of quality here. #AQMapproved https://t.co/BnOtIIpvso

Tue, 10 May 2016 00:18:31 +0000

Great writer on the subject of quality here. #AQMapproved https://t.co/BnOtIIpvso
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) May 10, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Improving Quality in a Business https://t.co/8YXxa39DGw

Mon, 02 May 2016 19:44:13 +0000

Improving Quality in a Business https://t.co/8YXxa39DGw
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) May 2, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

Environmental Benefits of Conservation https://t.co/RTA9edxeV7

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 20:45:02 +0000

Environmental Benefits of Conservation https://t.co/RTA9edxeV7
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) April 21, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

A Unique Standard for Aerospace https://t.co/GBzF8hWr9p

Wed, 13 Apr 2016 00:36:34 +0000

A Unique Standard for Aerospace https://t.co/GBzF8hWr9p
— Connie Smith (@AQMAuditing) April 13, 2016

from Twitter https://twitter.com/AQMAuditing

IAQG ICOP Resolution 104 Revision 2015

Sat, 19 Dec 2015 20:32:02 +0000

The IAQG has issued a new resolution effective 6/27/2013 for AS9100 and AS9120. This resolution pertains to the handling of recertification audits, issuance of certificates and OASIS upload. Below are the changes outlined in the resolution.

The issuance of a certificate on recertification shall follow these requirements.
The recertification process shall be complete prior to the expiration of the existing certificate.
The recertification process is defined as ending with upload to OASIS of the new certificate.
If the new certificate cannot be uploaded to OASIS prior to the certificate expiration, it shall be uploaded within 30 days from the expiration.
Registrar shall not issue client a certificate until such time as OASIS has been updated.

If the recertification process including upload of information to OASIS is not complete in the time-frame above, either before the certificate expires or no more than 30 days after certificate expiration, Registrar shall withdraw the certificate and the client shall start over with an initial audit.
What does this mean for the Registrars?

They need to be sure we are scheduling AS9100 and AS9120 recertification audits far enough in advance of certificate expiration so that we give the audit team, client and review committee enough time to process each recertification. Registrars will also have to closely monitor timelines on certificate expirations so we do not exceed the 30 day requirement in OASIS.

What does this mean for AS9100/AS9120 auditors?

It is important that you make clients aware at the closing meeting on recertification audits of these timing requirements, and that delay in response to NCRs may result in withdrawal of their certification if we cannot re-issue their certificate prior to it expiring in OASIS

For more information on how IAQG ICOP Resolution 104 Revision applies to 2015, click here.

The post IAQG ICOP Resolution 104 Revision 2015 appeared first on American Quality Management.

AQM ISO 9001:2008 Certification Announcement

Mon, 07 Dec 2015 21:14:22 +0000

American Quality Management Consulting and Auditing (AQM) is proud to announce that we are pursuing certification to the ISO 9001:2008 quality standard.

While we have always prided ourselves on providing services of exceptional quality, the pursuit of this registration is solid proof of the outstanding commitment AQM has to our customers.

ISO 9001:2008 covers all areas from Development to Customer Service and each and every employee at AQM is thoroughly trained in the quality system requirements.

Our employees believe in and support our corporate quality policy:

American Quality Management will consistently provide outstanding service to the height of its capabilities. Since every customer we work with is different, we will adapt our services to accommodate each of our client’s individual needs in order to create a clear path towards certification or any other goals that are established.

American Quality Management will always respond to any customer questions or concerns promptly and to the best of our abilities. Building on ingenuity and pride of work, American Quality Management will continue to improve its quality management system and processes by monitoring customer satisfaction and delivery of service.

The Registrar that we have selected has been in the third party certification business for over 50 years and is accredited by the ANAB.

Our commitment to continuous improvement of our services is and shall remain paramount in our endeavors to continue to provide exceptional results with extraordinary people.

The post AQM ISO 9001:2008 Certification Announcement appeared first on American Quality Management.

Here Comes Long-anticipated Microsoft Dynamics AX (In-memory and Voice Activated) Cloud ERP Software

Fri, 04 Dec 2015 20:47:06 +0000

The eagerly anticipated next release of Microsoft's global cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, Microsoft Dynamics AX, will occur in the first quarter of 2016. TEC's PJ Jakovljevic takes a look at the new release and why this is such a transformational one for both Microsoft and ERP users.

Business Simplification 2015: The Unmet Strategic Imperative

Thu, 03 Dec 2015 18:41:51 +0000

Business simplification is a strategic imperative for today’s companies if they wish to unlock innovation and position themselves for future success in an increasingly complex world. Yet, many corporations are not aligning their actions more effectively with their stated goals of simplifying business processes, decision-making and IT functions.

Read this white paper, based on a survey conducted by Knowledge@Wharton and SAP, to learn more about business simplification and how it could help your enterprise.

Simplifying Small Businesses and Midsize Companies to Unlock Growth

Thu, 03 Dec 2015 18:39:56 +0000

Business simplification is an imperative for companies of all sizes, but it is especially critical for growing small and midsize enterprises. As they expand, they gradually add new software and processes that introduce complexity into their operations. This web of piecemeal solutions can bog down efficiency and inhibit growth.

In this white paper, experts discuss how companies can untangle technological complexity and achieve business simplification. Included are the results of a survey compiled by Knowledge@Wharton and SAP, compiling responses from small and midsize businesses.

Scaling SMEs: Building a Flexible Platform for Growth

Thu, 03 Dec 2015 18:20:11 +0000

This report from The Economist Intelligence Unit discusses how high-growth small and midsized enterprises (SMEs) are scaling their organizations to provide resources for growth whilst ensuring flexibility to respond quickly to changes in market conditions.

The report also looks at the role of technology in scaling SMEs, and success factors in scaling headcount.

Dreamforce 2015 Showcases Salesforce.com's CRM Software Might with Cloud Innovation

Wed, 02 Dec 2015 20:42:43 +0000

TEC principal analyst P.J. Jakovljevic attended the Dreamforce mega-conference. With about 150,000 participants, the event is geared for Salesforce.com's customers, partners, and market observers.

Cloud customer relationship management (CRM) software can be immensely valuable for enterprises, and Salesforce didn’t hesitate to fully showcase how their cloud CRM solutions cater to customers.

Read this conference report to find out about the latest Salesforce developments, the vendor's approach to cloud CRM software, and how this approach could align with your enterprise's CRM needs.