QUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL

Qual. Reliab. Engng. Int. 2008; 24:871–872

Published online inWiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/qre.993

Editorial SixthInternationalConferenceonQualityReliabilityandMaintenance

INTRODUCTION

The Quality Reliability and Maintenance (QRM) Conference Series has developed and flourished since theinaugural meeting in 1995 at Clare College, Cambridge, into well-established biennial meetings held at St.Edmund Hall, University of Oxford. Subsequent conferences have resulted in 369 papers from 21 nations.The aim of QRM is to provide a forum of excellence so that the latest research findings can be open to scrutinyfrom both their peers and specialized international referees. Successful acceptance of the participants’ workis published in the book of proceedings. The proceedings were originally published by the Institution ofMechanical Engineers (IMechE). In an effort to widen participation, other professional institutions such asThe Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), formerly IEE, are not only encouraged to participatebut also to support this event.QRM encourages many aspects of condition monitoring particularly with reference to innovation in main-

tenance, mathematical modeling and reliability and new condition monitoring techniques and technologies.Examples of research areas include:

• Quantitative Infrared Thermography,• Digital Vibration Analysis,• Integrated approaches to Condition Monitoring,• Computation analysis in Condition Monitoring,• Non-Destructive Testing and evaluation,• Education, Training, Standards and Competences.

QRM2007

The interdisciplinary nature of QRM is exemplified by the 41 papers published in the current proceedingsof the Sixth International QRM conference held at St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, March 2007. Keyresearch areas in 2007 include, Quality Management, Reliability Analysis, Medical Thermography, Pre-dictive Condition Monitoring Techniques, Research Applications and Computer Modeling. The materialgathered in these proceedings rates some of the best of current practice and research in QRM, which ispublished in the hardback volume by Coxmoor Ltd, Oxford and has the seal of approval of the co-sponsorsThe Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and Thermology International. The following notesprovide brief summaries of themes and essentials, as space does not permit a detailed discussion of specificpaper contributions. The 260 pages of refereed proceedings are prolific with cutting edge research findings.

THERMOGRAPHY AND CONDITION MONITORING

A broad range of interests was dealt with in this section, dealing with medical and industrial applications ofthermography. Current standards, protocols and repeatability were the recurring themes within thermology.

Copyright q 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

872 EDITORIAL

Thermography was applied to automotive windscreen defects. A unique vibration condition monitoringtechnique was described. Neural networks applied to domestic products suggested a solution to optimizingthe design of cooking appliances. A recurring theme was the importance of infrared training particularly withreference to the wider European community and the need for a unified approach with better communication.

QUALITY, RELIABILITY AND MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT

Were dealt with in papers that embraced environmental sustainability, automated managing of a company’sdata, Reliability applications in spare parts management, novel techniques in the assessment wear in theTennis industry, chain optimization applied in the aerospace industry, a novel approach to Cellular Manu-facturing System design and a total quality management of seaports.

EDUCATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND RESEARCH

This section covered a disparate and widespread set of papers. The acoustics of snoring was shown to bea current medical problem, linking engineering and clinical expertise in order to solve the unravelling of aserious and widespread human condition. Identification of the challenges facing Swansea Bay Developmentwas formulated into a QRM methodology. Patent applications were considered pertaining to the WelshDevelopment Agency, comparing these with experiences in U.S.A. Recent developments in cross-frontieraccreditation and the implementation problems of the United KingdomAccreditation Service were described.It was suggested that in future this conference series could be the vehicle to promote and enhance Internationalcooperation and participation of new requirements.

SUMMARY

The standard of papers in this volume of QRM2007 is in keeping with the high standards and technicalcontent, which is a tradition of the QRM conferences. They reflect the rapid changes in technology togetherwith the demands for quality standards from governments and international bodies. The wide spectrum ofinterests reflect the all embracing and unique message inherent in the QRM philosophy.

RODERICK THOMAS

QRM Conference Organizer and Editor of Conference ProceedingsE-mail: rod@qrmconference.co.uk

www.qrmconference.co.uk

Copyright q 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Qual. Reliab. Engng. Int. 2008; 24:871–872DOI: 10.1002/qre