Beijing’s threat to use its dominance of rare earths in the trade war risks serious disruption to U.S. industry, by starving manufacturers of components commonplace in everything from cars to dishwashers and military equipment. And, it is a stranglehold that might take years to break. China could…
The automotive industry is witnessing a demand in higher standards for passenger safety, vehicle performance and fuel economy. The problem: Advanced high-strength (AHS) steels, commonly used in car body structures to absorb impacts, become brittle and sometimes break due to welding and hot stamping processes….
A recent National Public Radio segment discussed phasing out two-tiered wages in manufacturing, offering equal pay to employees. Two-tiered wage systems pay newly hired workers less than current employees performing the same or similar jobs. The basic concept is to provide continued higher wage levels for…
Stop by Sustained Quality booth 500 at the ASQ World Conference starting today, May 20, at the Fort Worth, Texas Convention Center – we want your input to a very important question. What is the biggest challenge facing YOUR company today? Here at SQ, the…
Americans purchased the smallest number of new vehicles in the first quarter of this year since the fourth quarter of 2014 according to J.D. Powers. This trend may not be changing. Demand for affordable vehicles is climbing. The price of an average new car reached more than…
Open-source software is a type of computer software in which source code is released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to study, change, and distribute the software to anyone and for any purpose. Open-source software may be developed in…
May 13-20 is the 7th annual Infrastructure Week. No matter where you live, if you drive a car or a truck or take the bus or a bicycle, infrastructure has a profound impact on your daily life. We all have to get around. We all…
Projects benefit from engagement and interest. That seems like a simple concept, but, maintaining interest and changing attitudes can require skill. Not everyone on your project will have high levels of interest and influence. Believe it or not, that could be a good thing. If…
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are assorted variables organizations use to assess, analyze and track manufacturing and other processes. These performance measurements are commonly used to evaluate success in relation to goals and objectives. KPIs drive continuous improvement. Even though KPIs are thought to have been used…
Team management is an iterative process. Strategies for effective teamwork should be reviewed regularly. Environments change. People change. Most leaders will agree that a company’s success may depend on how well it can nurture their employees’ abilities and willingness to share their knowledge or expert judgement….
