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This paper aims to investigate the dimensional accuracy consisting of thickness, grip section width, full length, circularity, cylindricity and surface finish of printed polyurethane dog-bone samples based on American Society for Testing and Materials D638 type V standard, which were optimally printed by fused deposition modelling (FDM).

The experimental approach focuses on determining main effects of printing parameters, including nozzle temperature, infill percentage, print speed and layer height on dimensional error and surface finish of the printed samples, followed by the confirmation tests to warrant the reproducibility of experimental results.

This study shows that layer height has the most significant impact on dimensional accuracy and surface finish of printed samples compared to other printing parameters, whereas infill density has no significant effect on all sample dimensions.

This paper presents a comprehensive study relating to various dimensional accuracies in terms of full length, grip section width, thickness, circularity, cylindricity and surface finish of dog-bone samples printed by FDM to improve the printability and processibility via additive manufacturing.

Considers the extent to which ISO 9000 and total quality management (TQM) are being successfully implemented in Malaysian manufacturing companies. A survey on Malaysian companies was conducted in 1995 and produced 247 positive responses. Highlights the findings of the survey such as the status of TQM and ISO 9000 implementation, the benefits and difficulties, quality activities most frequently used and the future trend of Malaysian quality improvement activities. Also highlights a model for the implementation of TQM for the Malaysian small‐ and medium‐sized manufacturing companies.

Recently, ISO 9000 and its associated versions are rapidly becoming a “license to compete” worldwide. Its standards are generic in the way that they can be applied to all functions and all industries in various areas of human endeavor. They have been described as the “one size fits all” standards. In developing countries like Pakistan, adoption and implementation of ISO 9000 quality management system is slow due to lack of awareness and initiatives. The present study is an attempt to analyze different practices of ISO 9000, like its status, problems faced (before, during and after implementations), benefits gained, its impact, certification cost, the next step after ISO’s 9000 certification, critical success factors, the role of training, consultancy, top management support, use of ISO 9000 in the international markets, future prospects and in particular, general practices of ISO 9000 in the Sports Industry of Pakistan. In this study, detailed case studies clearly explain the current status and existing practices of ISO 9000 in the sports industry.

Quality is a fundamental assurance of enterprises’ survival and development. The design and development of a quality system in the environment of CIMS are a very important task in the process of CIM implementation. This paper addresses the development of a quality system and its implementation methodology in the environment of CIMS in China. The quality system is one of the subsystems in CIMS which generally includes a management information subsystem (MIS), an engineering information subsystem (EIS), a production information subsystem (PIS), a quality information subsystem (QIS), and database and network support subsystems (DNSS). This paper first introduces a model of the quality system and its detailed functions, then expounds the methodology and strategy of implementing it in a CIMS factory of China, and lastly examines the commonly encountered problems in its implementation and suggests ways to resolve these problems.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the quality practices of European pharmaceutical manufacturers to determine the level of readiness of this industrial sector to implement and/or sustain lean manufacturing (LM).

An assessment framework developed by Al-Najem et al. (2013) was adapted to evaluate how ready European pharmaceutical manufacturers are to implement and/or sustain LM. Therefore, the lean readiness (LR) level of these organisations was assessed through six quality practices related to LM. These included: processes, planning and control, human resources, top management and leadership, customer relations, and supplier relations. One research question and three hypotheses were formulated and tested using a combination of descriptive statistics and non-parametric Mann-Whitney tests. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire distributed to 310 European pharmaceutical manufacturers and responded by 37 of these organisations.

Overall, the results of this study indicate an inadequate level of LR for the participating firms. Simultaneously, it was concluded that factors such as company size, type of relationships with suppliers and ISO 9000 certification do not have an effect on the quality practices, and hence LR level, of European pharmaceutical manufacturing organisations.

This study provides crucial information regarding the LR level of European pharmaceutical manufacturers, which can now be aware of the areas in their practices that require further improvement towards a successful lean journey. Simultaneously, organisations in the pharmaceutical sector that intend to implement LM can consider the results of this study and evaluate their readiness level. Managers can, therefore, refer to this research and use it as a platform to take better decisions regarding what quality aspects of their operations need to be enhanced to successfully deploy or sustain a lean strategy.

This research is one of the very few studies that have focussed on evaluating whether the European pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is ready to successfully implement or sustain LM. Therefore, this research expands the limited existent body of knowledge of LM in this industry.

This paper presents some of the most important findings of a study of the financial consequences of ISO 9000 registration for Danish companies, based on data from annual accounts available to the public. The purpose of the article is, firstly, to present the results from a survey of the conduct of all Danish registered companies in order to assess the financial effects of registration and, secondly, to discuss the findings in the light of previous research within the area.

The literature includes many success and failure stories of the firms adopting total quality management (TQM). As many firms in Turkey try to adopt this philosophy, there is a need to clarify quality concepts and comment on applications. This paper attempts a broad review of the current status of TQM and ISO 9000 in Turkey. It considers the extent to which ISO 9000 and TQM are being successfully implemented. It also presents the reasons for obtaining an ISO 9000 certificate, difficulties faced during the registration process, improvements achieved and disappointments experienced after being certified. The findings of this study are compared with those from other countries.

The increasing demand of mechanisms making easier the choice of a provider, both in the domestic and global markets, has contributed to ISO 9000 certification possession becoming a requisite for the development of commercial relations. The present article is based upon the results of an empirical research in which the effectiveness and reach of ISO 9000 certification is studied at a multi‐sector level in Spain. Mail surveys were carried out on 3,864 certificated organizations, and 749 (19.4 per cent) responded. Results indicated that certification helps in terms of being a management tool, a source of competitive advantages and its potential to stimulate the company transition towards total quality management.

This study investigates the determinants of corporate performance and evaluates whether ISO 9000 registration impacts corporate performance in a sample of Malaysian listed companies. A performance evaluation model was developed on the basis of four predictor variables that include return on sales (ROS), lender security, free cash flow and economic value added (EVA). The results indicate that the ROS and EVA do determine the performance of the Malaysian listed companies. We also find association between ISO 9000 registration and financial performance in the sampled companies.

The ISO 9000 series of standards has formalised systems for evaluating the ability of organisations to consistently design, produce and deliver quality products and services. Total quality management (TQM) is seen as a relatively new concept and a way for organisations to improve the quality of their products and services, but it may well be the key to survival and achieving competitive advantage in today’s turbulent business environment. However, there are mixed views in the literature concerning whether ISO 9000 and TQM complement or contradict each other. The primary objective of this paper is to address the competing views on both concepts in an attempt to show that both concepts complement each other and ISO 9000 should be used in association with TQM to secure organisational success.