In a joint Assembly/Quality podcast, Jennifer Pierce, multimedia editor with Assembly Magazine and the host of Assembly Audible, and Michelle Bangert, managing editor of Quality, explore an area where assembly and quality intersect: machine vision, with David Dechow, founder and owner of Machine Vision Source. He'll be speaking at the Assembly Show this fall. His session is “Benefiting from Machine Learning in Machine Vision Applications.”

From the streets of Jersey City to the Navy to nondestructive testing and his own company,  Joe Sorrentino of Lean Quality Systems, passes along the knowledge of what he has excelled at−quality assurance, leadership, and management training. Joe sat down with Michelle Bangert to talk about, in part, his latest article for Quality.

Michelle Bangert, managing editor at Quality, speaks with Eddie Pompa, a legend in the NDT industry. He's an advocate, educator, and mentor to many in the field.

There are record levels of uncertainty today, but Taylor St. Germain of ITR Economics says there is strong growth ahead. He says manufacturers should follow the data—not just the headlines—and be prepared for growth for the next few years. Listen to hear more of his advice and insights regarding rising costs, labor challenges, and tariffs.

Michelle Bangert, Managing Editor of Quality, talks with the team from Sierra College − Amy Schultz, executive dean for Workforce and Strategic Initiatives, and Roy Ingram, department chair for Electronics, Automation, Robotics, and Industrial Systems, on a topic dear to the heart of the quality industry−the workforce, automation and training. 

Customers seem to have a greater understanding of metrology these days. This is good news for the industry, and for the Coordinate Metrology Society. We spoke with Justin Novak about the trends he’s seen in his 20 years in the field. Justin is the current chair of the executive committee of the Coordinate Metrology Society as well as also the manager for Quality, Continuous Improvement, and Training for the Metrology group at Newport News Shipbuilding.

Michelle Bangert, Managing Editor of Quality, sat down with Francois Gau. He's the CEO of Growth Hive and recently wrote an article for Quality called, “Why Should We Position Manufacturing Quality at the Center of our Businesses?”

Michelle Bangert speaks with Patrick Jester. He’s the president and CEO of Blackthorn Consulting Group, the current ASQ Measurement Quality Division Chair, and the Divisional NCSLI vice president. He has also written several articles for Quality.(Image courtesy of Patrick Jester)

David Robinson, the Director of External Affairs at Manufacturing Renaissance talks with Quality. He’s been with the organization since 2016. In that time, he has written legislation, organized the faith community to advocate for manufacturing, and built a community support network for Manufacturing Renaissance’s programs.

Dr. Satyandra K. Gupta discusses robotics and its impact on manufacturing for Quality, including AI-powered robots delivering consistent quality, addressing high labor churn in ergonomically challenging jobs like surface finishing, and the vitalness of a human-centric approach. Dr. Gupta is the co-founder and chief scientist at GrayMatter Robotics and he recently wrote for Quality about AI-powered robotics.

Muriel Magloire, a Level 2 NDT test inspector currently working in the energy sector, brings her career supporting the U.S. Navy through the Department of Defense, the private sector, and being a mom to a discussion of her article on the NDT worker shortage for Quality.(Image courtesy of Muriel Magloire)

ETQ and CEO Vick Vaishnavi just released the second annual global survey, the ETQ Pulse of Quality in Manufacturing. Vick sat down with Quality Managing Editor Michelle Bangert to discuss the study's interesting insights..

Tash R. Baksh is a seasoned expert with 20-plus years of international experience in operational management across various fields, including medical devices and responsible care. He's a member of the ASQ inspection division and holds three ASQ certifications. He recently wrote an article for Quality about training and workforce development in which he stated, “Pursuing entry-level training programs is not just an alternative—it’s a strategic move to secure stable, well-paying careers in high-demand fields.”

The NDT industry has established in-depth guidelines and requirements for formal classroom training, but a shortfall in the standardization of on-the-job training (OJT) requirements remains.Donald Booth, CEO of the American Institute of Nondestructive Testing, explains.

Coy Limon of 3D Infotech explains the cutting-edge innovations that transform quality control inspection processes. From metrology automation to machine learning-driven defect detection, we will explore how these high-end technologies reshape manufacturing standards. One major trend? Augmented reality (AR) enhances inspection accuracy, and smarter defect detection, while automation is accelerating processes without sacrificing precision. But that’s just the beginning. Here we break down the latest advancements driving efficiency, accuracy and Industry 4.0 integration in modern quality control processes.Watch the video podcast

Atty Chakraborty, our 2025 Quality Rookie of the Year, discusses her work in the emerging field of AI in the medical industry, including examples, predictions for the future, and how it may apply in your work.

Jim Mayer, the Manufacturing Connector, explains how culture starts at the individual level, offers an example of culture from the world of F1 racing, and how the proposed ISO standards may include a cultural component as well.

Meet our 2025 Quality Rookie of the Year, Attrayee Chakraborty. She is a quality professional in the medical field with a background in biotechnology and expertise in Artificial Intelligence (AI). (Image courtesy of Attrayee Chakraborty)

Our 2025 Plant of the Year CEO Explains How to Train, Maintain High Quality, and Find the Right Software With a commitment to people, new technologies, and the highest quality standards, Spectrum Custom Packaging aims for zero defects in every product they make. “We keep scrap and defect rates low, we always aim for zero,” says CEO Shawn Pereira. “It’s nearly impossible but we try.” (Image courtesy of Spectrum Custom Packaging)

Our 2025 Quality Professional of the Year has nineteen competencies listed on his CV as well as 50 skills listed on LinkedIn—if you’re looking for a certified quality engineer (CQE) or an AS9100 lead auditor, you’re in luck—but also stresses the importance of emotional intelligence. Here, Ben Tomic shares his insights from a long career in quality. (Image Source: Magenta Photo)