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Tire-SUV Situation Analyzed by Quality Experts

27 November 2000

Tire-SUV Situation Analyzed by Quality Experts

    MILWAUKEE, Nov. 27 The tire tread separation-SUV rollover
situation that has captured headlines throughout the world receives a thorough
examination in a special product safety and reliability section of the
December edition of Quality Progress, the monthly magazine of the American
Society For Quality (ASQ).
    The 17-page section includes the views of seven leading quality
improvement professionals and others who explore the controversy and its
implications for quality standards and the quality profession.
    William Tony, ASQ's publisher, says the section was developed because ASQ
and Quality Progress believed it was important to address the quality aspects
of the situation and potential ways to prevent future events that may lessen
consumer confidence in the safety and reliability of products they buy and
use.
    Tony adds that the publication selected reputable experts from the
association's membership and other industry professionals to write articles
for the section.  The authors possess diverse backgrounds including
manufacturing and consulting.  The magazine also features viewpoints from a
quality standards auditing expert, a representative of a consumer
organization, the co-chair of ASQ's Professional Ethics and Qualifications
Committee and the chair of ASQ's Product Safety and Liability Prevention
Interest Group.
    Among the articles and their authors are:
    -- "Internal, External Quality Audits Couldn't Have Prevented Recall" by
       Dennis Arter.  Arter is an ASQ Fellow and author of Quality Audits for
       Improved Performance.  He has been an instructor in quality auditing
       since 1987.
    -- "Science and Strategy Should Replace Systems" by Hans Bajaria.  Bajaria
       is a consultant, president of Multiface Inc., in Garden City, M.I., an
       ASQ Fellow, and an ASQ-certified quality manager, quality auditor,
       quality engineer and quality reliability engineer.
    -- "Product Liability Prevention of Major Importance" by Randall Goodden.
       Goodden is chair of ASQ's Product Safety & Liability Prevention
       Interest Group and author of Product Liability Prevention-A Strategic
       Guide.
    -- "Management Responsibility Through ISO 9001 Eyes" by William M. Harral
       and James R. Harral.  The Harrals are consultants with Arch Associates
       in Northville, M.I.  William M. Harrals is an ASQ Fellow and holds ASQ
       certifications in quality auditing, quality engineering, reliability
       engineering and quality management.  He served on ASQ standards
       committees and is on the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to ISO Technical
       Committee 176, which deals with International Organization for
       Standardization quality management and quality assurance standards.
       James R. Harral is a quality engineer and ASQ member.
    -- "Design and Manufacturing FMEAs Are Called For" by D.H. Stamatis.
       Stamatis is president of Contemporary Consultants in Detroit, an ASQ
       Fellow, an ASQ certified quality engineer and author of 12 books.

    Quality Progress, with a monthly circulation exceeding 135,000, is a
peer-reviewed publication written for quality and continuous improvement
professionals in manufacturing and service industries.
    The American Society for Quality is a 121,000-member professional
association with headquarters in Milwaukee.  The 54-year-old organization
advances individual and organizational performance excellence worldwide by
providing opportunities for learning, quality improvement and knowledge
exchange.  ASQ has been the administrator of the Malcolm Baldrige National
Quality Award, managed by the U.S. Department of Commerce, since the award's
inception more than a decade ago.