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Jim Destefani
Senior Editor
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The Passing of a Legend
The worlds of manufacturing and quality management recently lost a legend with the passing of Joseph M. Juran, who died February 28 at the age of 103.
It’s hard to overstate the importance of Juran’s contributions to manufacturing and quality management in the United States and around the world. Over the course of a remarkable career spanning more than 70 years, Juran pioneered many quality concepts that today are taken for granted. His classic Quality Control Handbook remains a standard reference work for quality managers more than 55 years after its first printing. A subsequent book, Managerial Breakthrough, described a step-by-step improvement process that inspired Six Sigma and lean manufacturing philosophies.
In the early 1950s, Juran’s quality management lectures in Japan, along with W. Edwards Deming’s teachings on statistical process control, became the basis for the operating philosophy that eventually propelled Japanese manufacturers to the top of the global heap in quality and productivity. Many of these principles were later adopted by American manufacturers with similar success.
Juran later founded the Juran Institute to help manufacturers and other organizations learn about and use a range of quality and continuous improvement tools.
Three years ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Juran for an article in another magazine. At age 100, he used a walker to get around, but his mind was still sharp.
We talked about a range of topics, but Juran’s summation is a fitting epitaph and could be a motto for any individual or company interested in continuous improvement. Asked about the current state of quality management and manufacturing in the U.S., he replied: “If we think of quality management as a matter of bringing everybody up to their best, there's plenty of unfinished business to take care of.”
Rest in peace, Dr. Juran. Your business here is finished, and your legacy is secure.
ALSO In this issue..
- Finisher’s Perspective
- Re: Finisher’s Perspective
- Painting
- Plating
- Cleaning/Pretreatment
- New Products
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Share your views, win an Amazon gift certificate.
J. M. Juran’s ideas continue to serve as a kind of road map to quality and continuous improvement for many American manufacturers. Have you had a mentor—someone you could count on to provide sound advice in your professional or personal life? Tell us briefly about that person and the best bit of advice you ever received from them, and you’ll have a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Responses may be published in next month’s Digital Dispatch. Click here to respond.
Last month we asked you to come up with catchy slogans or catch-phrases for your segment of the finishing industry. Here’s a sampling of responses:
Copper and Nickel—More than Small Change
--Rob Berger, Univertical Corp., who adds, “I think this is appropriate considering today’s metals prices.”
Get Your Paint On
Paint: Crayons for Adults
Paint: Pick a Color, Any Color
Paint: The Color of Living
Dress Your Parts in Paint
--Ryan Johnson, Winnebago Industries, who couldn’t stop at just one
The Job’s Not Done Until it’s Finished
--Barry Reid, SHUR-LOK Co.
We like the sound of that last one, so a $50 Amazon gift card is on its way to Barry Reid. Congratulations, Barry, and thanks to all who responded.
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Feature Article— Rise of the Machines
With the advent of smaller and more flexible robots, automated painting is becoming a more viable option for small- and mid-size job shops. To read more, click here.
Painting Clinic—Intercoat Adhesion
In attempting to solve one problem—corrosion—this reader caused another—blistering of an enamel topcoat over epoxy primer. To read the recommendations of our paint expert Carl Izzo, click here.
Painting Forum—Evaluating Mid-Gloss Black Color
This reader is having a hard time correlating color instrument values with appearance for a mid-gloss black paint. Click here if you have any thoughts.
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Feature Article—Improve Process Efficiency by Modifying Tank Layout
The layout of finishing process and rinse tanks plays an important role in overall process efficiency and waste generation. To read more, click here.
Plating Clinic—Where’s My Silver?
Tracking silver anode consumption versus metal deposited, this reader keeps coming up about 10% short. Discover the thoughts of our plating expert Art Kushner by clicking here.
Plating Forum—Copper Over Stainless
This reader is looking for the least expensive way to selectively plate copper on stainless steel tubes. Any thoughts? Click here.
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Feature Article—Parts Cleaning Mechanisms and Applications
This article provides a look at the fundamentals of parts cleaning principles and techniques. To read more, click here.
Parts Cleaning Clinic—Cleaning Copper Parts
This reader is having a problem with stains and oxidation on the surface of copper parts. To read the recommendations of our cleaning guru David S. Peterson, click here.
Cleaning/Pretreatment Forum—Zero Discharge Pretreatment
This reader wants to switch to zero discharge on water rinses and extend tank life. Give your ideas by clicking here.
From the product repository of PF Online:
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