Michael Ford

Principal, TQM Works Consulting, Port Crane, NY USA

Michael D. Ford, MSISE, CFPIM, CSCP, CLTD, CQA, CRE, CQE, ACPF, CPSM, CSSGB is Principal of TQM Works Consulting, for which he is widely recognized as a premier provider of corporate training across a wide array of subjects. He provides innovative solutions based on 35 years of experience in retail, distribution, manufacturing, and consulting. His work history includes software implementation, business planning, inventory management, distribution planning and education. This includes a broad range of experience from ETO to MTS, as well as non-profits, service, and Department of Defense.

He has presented at over 400 industry events throughout the U.S., Canada, Japan, Nigeria, S. Africa and Australia, and has provided over 6,000 hours of classroom training. He specializes in delivering training that is “edu-taining” and as a result averages 4.7/5.0 on evaluations. Ford is a 2016 graduate of Binghamton University, earning a M.S. in Industrial & Systems Engineering. He continues to pursue “lifelong learning for lifetime success” and has participated in over 250 professional development activities beyond his formal education and has additionally acquired 9 internationally recognized professional certifications. Ford has been recognized as a “subject matter expert” (SME) within the field of operations management and served on the review team for APICS CPIM courseware updates and as an SME for the APICS Principles courseware.

He has created courseware to support face-to-face instruction as well as online deliverables.Ford has served as an Adjunct Professor for Penn State University, Binghamton University, Morrisville State College and Elmira College. He has as well instructed continuing education classes for campuses throughout Penn State University (Mont Alto, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Abington) and State University of New York (Binghamton U., Broome CC, Tompkins-Cortland CC, Morrisville College, Finger Lakes CC).

Ford has provided training for multi-national corporations such as IBM, Pfizer, Lockheed Martin, BAE, BorgWarner, BASF, Crestron, Aeroflex, Cargill, Mallinckrodt, and Proctor & Gamble. He has also provided training to federal government agencies such as FEMA/DHS, the Defense Logistics Agency, Veteran’s Administration, and multiple army depots.

Ford combines his technical expertise with personal skills to develop a unique “outside the box” approach to life’s challenges. Ford is a both a systems thinker and critical thinker motivated by the strategic big picture and how tactical elements contribute to the whole. His is engaged on a lifelong pursuit of truth, the elimination of bias, and evidence-based solutions.

Ford is proud to declare his curricula vitae as diverse as any other trainer on the planet, including: instructor development, night shift strategies, leadership, calculus tutoring, engineering drawings, critical thinking, change management, organization skills, forklift operator training, family fitness, automotive maintenance, OSHA safety training, English Second Language tutoring, social responsibility, technical writing, work center setup reduction, machine maintenance, financials, motivational speeches and many more topics!

What’s Best for You: 100% Inspection or Statistical Sampling?

We may recognize two fundamental realities.

(1) Business operations have a fundamental need to ensure quality products are provided to customers.

(2) Lean principles dictate that inspection does not add value. How do we reconcile the apparent contradiction of these two statements?

Operations may adopt several approaches to this dilemma, that each have underlying assumptions. 100% inspection is the challenge of proving all parts are good. In contrast, no inspection assumes all parts are good. In between, we have statistical sampling which is akin to the position of “I’m not sure if the parts are good or bad, so I will perform an analysis and draw a conclusion.”

The choice of which approach to adapt may include the risk associated with a defect, for example, pilots performing pre-flight inspection of an aircraft. Alternatively, companies that utilize certified suppliers may have confidence that receiving inspection is not necessary. We may also utilize statistical process control as a means of ensuring quality, focusing on the process rather than the part.

Session participants will attain the following learning objectives:

•Learning the four costs of quality

•Understanding the appropriate use of 100% inspection

•Understanding the appropriate use of no inspection

•Understanding the appropriate use of statistical sampling

•Learning when and how to replace product inspection with process auditingThe facilitator will include timely examples addressing the following discussion points:

•How do we ensure products bought online have quality (is produce fresh, do clothes fit, etc.)?

•Should we trust auto-pilot functions to perform pre-flight inspection (and the same for self-driving vehicles)?