The 402nd Electronics Maintenance Group at Robins AFB, Ga., a unit that tests and repairs avionics on various military aircraft, has won a second place Shingo Prize, a prestigious award considered the Nobel Prize of manufacturing. “It’s wonderful news,” said Sandy Faircloth, director of the group’s 402nd Electronic Maintenance Support Squadron. The Shingo Prize recognizes organizations that demonstrate excellence in efficiency and continual quality improvement. Among the 402nd EMXG’s accomplishments, it trimmed 25 steps—from 127 to 102—in the process of manufacturing circuit cards, thereby eliminating 10 production hours per job. It also reduced its safety violations by almost 60 percent. Public and private organizations worldwide vie for the annual Shingo Prize. The Robin’s group and an Army logistics unit were the only military organizations to receive the award this year. The Air Force unit will receive its award May 5 at the Shingo Prize Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn. (Robins report by Wayne Crenshaw)
RTX, parent of Raytheon, Collins and Pratt & Whitney, is getting out of the space prime business and focusing on its "strengths" as a maker of space sensors, buses, and components, company COO Chris Calio said during an earnings call.