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Fatigue testing is changing. While its technology is mature, and recent improvements may only be incremental, it's still developing in subtle ways, experts say. Organizations are increasingly adopting linear electric [...]

Automation relies on precise and accurate data at each step to function correctly. As manufacturing becomes more automated, tracking measurement uncertainty becomes more important. This monitoring requires careful attention and [...]

There are several advantages to using liquid penetrant testing (LPT) for surface defect detection, experts say. LPT is versatile, portable, simple, and sensitive, and can be used on a wide [...]

Metrology is becoming more integrated, efficient, and predictive. Manufacturers are increasingly embedding measurement processes within production, using advanced data analytics, and using more sophisticated software to automate maintenance. Here are [...]

Manufacturing automation is increasing and becoming easier to use, and experts say it gives quality control workers who adopt it a significant advantage in their careers. Manufacturers' use of automation [...]

Dave Leboeuf, product manager at Fowler High Precision, emphasizes the importance of strict manufacturing specifications for handheld gages. Each gage is built to very strict specifications to ensure accurate measurements, [...]

Machine vision lenses play a pivotal role in diverse industries, from smartphones to drones, wearables, and beyond. As technology scales down and the trend towards miniaturization accelerates, how does it [...]

Machine vision has been a rapidly advancing sector, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into the system has propelled its functionalities to new heights. The [...]

Positive material identification, or PMI, is a method of nondestructive testing (NDT). It is as critical for quality control and assurance as it is for safety, says Matt Kreiner, head [...]

PMI (positive material identification) has significantly evolved over time. Advancements in handheld XRF technology have led to improved accuracy, measurement speed, connectivity, and ease of use. PMI was traditionally mostly [...]

On-site and real-time positive material identification (PMI) testing offers several advantages compared to sending samples to a laboratory for analysis. Some of the key benefits include: * Faster Results: On-site [...]

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals have become increasingly important for manufacturing organizations as they strive to align business practices with societal expectations. As leaders weigh variations in standards, frameworks, [...]

In an era marked by a growing concern for the environment, ethical practices, and transparent governance, the task of integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals has become a primary [...]

Automation and robotics significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and CMM software. By utilizing new metrology technology coupled with data analysis, automation eliminates the need [...]

ISO standards provide a framework for organizations to operate efficiently, ensure product quality, and meet regulatory requirements. Their benefits are far-reaching and impactful. ISO standards, such as ISO 9001, are [...]

Statistical process control (SPC) software has become an indispensable tool for quality managers. It provides a comprehensive view of the production process, enabling managers to detect any deviations from the [...]

Over the years, color quality control has evolved significantly, driven by advances in technology and changing industry needs. In the past, color measurement was a manual and subjective process, relying [...]

As manufacturing requirements continue to increase, and reshoring and lack of personnel continue to challenge the manufacturing industry, robotics can help. The pandemic has exacerbated this dynamic. The global demand [...]

Universal testers test the strength of a product, component, or material. This measurement often indicates if an item is functional and safe. Such systems are essential to quality in many [...]

Automated robotics are the best way to mimic a human in a factory environment, experts say. A robot's automated camera could replace a person's eyes, a PC would represent the [...]

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

Magnetic particle inspection ensures that parts are free of fatigue stress, structural defects, or stress cracks. The technology, which can be applied to existing, in-use parts, or newly manufactured parts [...]

Nondestructive testing (NDT) embodies a range of test and inspection measures that quality leaders use to find defects or discrepancies without compromising part integrity. The field continues to advance rapidly, [...]

According to experts, the benefits of today's quality standards are not well known. Take ISO 9001, ISO 14000, and ISO 17021. These standards reinforce quality in any management system, says [...]

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies continuously blaze the trail of what's possible for part design. As such, reliably and accurately inspecting the latest parts has become increasingly complex. 'Complex internal features [...]

Manufacturers accounted for 11.39% of the economy's total output in 2018, as plants across the country created more than $2.3 billion in product output for a wide range of industries [...]

Lean manufacturing applications have evolved greatly since the 1980s, when the term was coined in association with the Toyota Production System. Lean was originally focused on the manufacturing floor, but [...]

Quality and continuous improvement are directly related, experts say. For example, all quality staff must understand their role and how it impacts the customer, says industry veteran and Quality columnist [...]

The U.S. manufacturing industry's skilled labor shortage has been widely reported in the past decade. Millions of jobs became vacant due to the retirement of baby boomers and economic expansion. [...]

Industry 4.0 represents the fourth and newest phase of the Industrial Revolution, one that is centered around interconnectivity, automation, machine learning, and real-time data. The Industrial Internet of Things, or [...]

Gage management provides manufacturers with data to ascertain the quality of their parts. Such adjustments include gage repeatability and reproducibility (GR&R) studies and regular calibrations, which is a means to [...]

Thickness measurement is the gauging of coatings or films on surfaces-such as paint on metal parts. Manufacturers are increasingly using thinner and higher-performance coatings these days, with tighter applied thickness [...]

Medical devices can present unique challenges for manufacturers. Consequences for malfunctioning equipment can be dire. Because of this, medical device manufacturers must work hard to ensure that their products never [...]

Quality control within automotive manufacturing has come a long way. Although automotive parts suppliers use a variety of testing equipment to conduct a wide range of tests and inspecions--and within [...]

Do quality certifications matter? It depends on who you ask. Kimberlee Humphrey, president and CEO of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, says that industry accreditations help employers hire qualified individuals [...]

Leak testing helps manufacturers boost quality without unnecessary costs. It enables them to improve their production process, ensuring efficient assembly and minimizes scrap, delays, and cycle times. It finds damaged [...]

Fatigue testing gives researchers and product designers the ability to create materials and components that will last for their intended life cycle. This makes the technique critical to quality efforts, [...]

Proper fixturing addresses several key parts of quality: It ensures that inspected parts remain in a repeatable and reproducible orientation on a measuring device. It keeps parts from moving during [...]

Total quality management is a way to describe a business environment where employees constantly improve their performance and are committed to maintaining high standards. Before the 1950s, quality management was [...]

AM production enables the creation of parts not possible with traditional technologies through new design concepts, new materials and new applications. However, there are still challenges. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies [...]

Enterprise software is computer software designed to help an entire organization enhance its business and management reporting. Ideally, such programs enable manufacturers to solve enterprise-wide problems, rather than a departmental [...]

Autonomous machine vision inspection provides quick, automated defect recognition and can implement the knowledge it gains, thereby decreasing false alarms and erroneous scrap. In this way, it contributes to quality [...]

Machine vision solutions help advance quality by recognizing defects at more efficient rates than humans can, making for more consistent and faster production cycles. They also provide human operators with [...]

Cameras are the eyes of visual quality inspection systems. Cameras and machine vision technologies help to improve quality by automating processes, making them more precise and repeatable, while also boosting [...]

Nondestructive testing (NDT) encompasses a variety of test and inspection procedures that are used to find defects or inconsistencies in test samples without compromising the integrity of the parts. The [...]

As developments in machine learning and the Internet of Things (IoT) impact how manufacturers run their businesses, automation can support these changes and boost productivity. Automation powers advanced IoT-enabled sensors [...]

Component manufacturers across the manufacturing spectrum--such as in automotive, aerospace, electronics, medical, energy and other fields--must ensure that their parts meet engineers' specifications. In addition to metrology, mechanical testing and [...]

Sensors that report a factory's performance by measuring machine functioning, downtime, and production goals are in high demand. And with that demand comes the expectation that those sensors will be [...]

Unlike manually operated gages or portable measurement devices, coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) can automate the measurement process and therefore remove quality inspection bottlenecks. The highly versatile tools can measure a [...]

Digital gaging, involving the software and hardware used to capture and process digital measurements, has grown dramatically in the past two decades. It has also made quality more efficient and [...]