Quality Alchemist (品質煉金術師): 2月 2011

2011年2月28日星期一

Visit South China Normal University, Guangzhou

During family activities in this weekend, I had a chance to visit South China Normal University in Guangzhou. Some photos were taken in the campus for sharing below.

The front door

The title of university with several dragons

The core building

The logo of university

The Red Brick House with long history

Some research schools were visited.

The sculpture of Ye Jianying (葉劍英) who is marshal of The People's Republic of China (PRC).

The sculpture of Confucius (孔子) - the Model Teacher of a Myriad Ages (萬世師表)

A hotel in campus

Reference:

South China Normal University: http://former.scnu.edu.cn/eweb/

2011年2月26日星期六

Coming Event: Testing and Certification Industry Summit (檢測及認證高峰會)

Hong Kong Society for Quality (HKSQ) is one of the supporting organizations of the “Testing & Certification Industry Summit” to be held in March at The Open University of Hong Kong (OUHK).

In order to explore the significance of Testing & Certification for the economic development in Hong Kong, and to promote the roles of government, universities and industries in facilitating the development of this booming industry, the OUHK is initiating the “Testing and Certification Industry Summit” as detailed below:

Event: Testing & Certification Industry Summit

Date: 2 Mar 2011 (Wed)

Time: 3:00– 5:00pm

Venue: The Open University of Hong Kong (Ho Man Tin campus)

Fee: Free of charge

Some existing course information for reference.

1) Introduction of Quality Management for Laboratory organized by Hong Kong Society for Quality (HKSQ): http://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2009/12/certificate-course-on-quality.html

2) Industrial Visit to HKSTP Laboratories: http://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2010/03/industrial-visit-to-hkstp-laboratories.html

3) Industrial Visit to Standards and Calibration Laboratory (SCL): http://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2010/03/industrial-visit-to-standards-and.html

4) Laboratory Workshop in HKSQ certification course “QM for Lab”: http://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2010/04/laboratory-workshop-in-hksq.html

5) HKSQ membership drive to BEng (Hon) in Total Quality Engineering, CityU: http://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2009/11/hksq-membership-drive-to-beng-hon-in.html

(P.S. HKSQ Certification Scheme “Certified Laboratory Quality Specialist (CLabQS)” is at http://www.hksq.org/cert_hksq_clabqs.htm .)

2011年2月20日星期日

Seminar of Tandem Mass Spectrometry Techniques

The seminar entitled "Applications of Tandem Mass Spectrometry Techniques in Food/Drug and Environmental Industry" was held on 18 February 2011 (Friday). Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP) was the organizer and two co-organizers were Hong Kong Society of Mass Spectrometry (HKSMS) and Hong Kong Chemical Society (HKCS). The event was summarized below for sharing.

Mr. Richard Lam (Manager, Biotechnology Cluster of HKSTP) gave the welcome remarks.

The first speaker was Prof. Zongwei Cai (Chair Professor, Head of Dept. of Chemistry, Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU); HKSMS) and his topic named "Application of LC-MS for Drug Testing and Food Analysis".

Firstly, Prof. Cai introduced the problem we faced such as food safety and drug analysis. And some local pharmaceutical cases were shared.

Then Prof. Cai briefed the common techniques in High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

Fundamental principles of Mass Spectrometry (MS) were mentioned.

Tandem MS (or MS/MS) was introduced for drug analysis.

Using LC-MS (or LC-MS/MS) for drug and food analysis was discussed and LC-MS/MS could solve the matrix problem.

This technique could be employed for DNA analysis.

Dioxin was analysed for environmental issue.

The level of Dioxine in Human Mike was 14pg/g fat in Hong Kong in 2001-02.

Finally, Prof. Cai introduced Dioxine Laboratory in HKBU which was accredited by HOKLAS.

The second speaker was Dr. Kim-hung Lam (Instructor, Dept. of Applied Biology & Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU); HKCS) and his presentation entitled "Analysis of environmental PAHs using GC-MS".

Dr. Lam introduced different types of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) which were a large group of organic compounds with 2 or more fused aromatic rings. Most of them were carcinogenic.

US-EPA identified 16 PAHs pollution for control in higher priority.

Then Dr. Lam briefed the history of PAHs.

Microwave extraction technique was introduced and other extraction techniques were reviewed.

PAHs analysis by GC/MS/SIM were showed.

The last speaker was Mr. Leo Chou (Chemical Analysis Product Manager, Bruker Taiwan) and his topic was "The advantage and application of GC-MS/MS".

Diagram explanation of MS/MS process was showed.

The GC/MS/MS could reduce the noise without false positive result was explained.

The benefit of MS/MS were summarized as Great Selectivity, Better Detection Limits, Quality Spectra, Less Sample Cleanup, Additional Structural Information, and Additional Confirmation.

GC/MS/MS for environmental test and food test were mentioned.

The more efficiency of the GC/MS/MS was found compared with HPLC and GC/ECD for PAHs and PCB analysis at the same time.

Mr. Chou concluded GC/MS/MS had many advantages.

Q&A Session:

One question related the MS/MS standard library. It was found difficult to build MS/MS library for unknown sample.

Reference:

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks (HKSTP): www.hkstp.org (HKSTP Lab: www.lab.hkstp.org)

Hong Kong Society of Mass Spectrometry (HKSMS): www.hksms.org

Hong Kong Chemical Society (HKCS): http://www.facs-as.org/index.php?page=hongkong-chemical-society & http://www.hkexporter.net/associations/hongkong-chemical-society.html

2011年2月17日星期四

SUCCESS 2011/12 SME Mentorship Programme

Hong Kong Society for Quality (HKSQ) has supported the SME Mentorship Programme launched by The Support and Consultation Centre for SMEs (SUCCESS) of the Trade and Industry Department (TID) since 2000.

It was my honor to be invited by SUCCESS to attend the 2011/12 SME Mentorship Programme: Briefing Session for Co-organizers and Publicity Matters, on 17 February 2011.

In the beginning, Ms. Belinda Kwan (Assistant Director - General, Industries Support, TID) gave an opening speech and she thanked all co-organizers to support the mentorship programme.

Then Mr. Simon C.C. Chan (Senior Manager, SUCCESS) briefed the programme to us. The programme aims to provide an opportunity for SME entrepreneurs who are at their early stage of business to learn from and be guided by accomplished entrepreneurs, senior executives, and professionals through one-on-one free counselling.

Mentees should be fulfilled the following requirements:

- They are registered in Hong Kong under the Business Registration Ordinance, Cap 310.
- They have been established for less than 5yr.
- Their employees are less than 20 in Hong Kong.

Mr. Chan pointed out four benefits for joining the programme.
- Learning entrepreneurship
- Enhancement of competitiveness
- Expansion of business network
- Widen exposure

The programme model was described and the mentorship period would last for 12 months.

The role of SUCCESS was affirmed that they would organize various activities such as seminars, workshops and visit, etc.

After the seminar, representatives from supporting organizations shared experience actively. Before the end, we had taken a photo for memory.

(Left: Mr. Timothy PW Lam (Chairman of IFPSM), Dr. Stephen WK Ng (Adjunct Professor, ISE Dept of PolyU), Mr. David HY Lee (Vice Chairman of IFPSM), Mr. Simon CC Chan (Sr. Manager of SUCCESS) and Dr. Lotto Lai (Chairman of HKSQ))

Reference:
SUCCESS - SME Mentorship Programme: http://www.success.tid.gov.hk/english/con_ser/sme_men_pro/sme_men_pro.html Hong Kong Society for Quality (HKSQ): www.hksq.org
The Institute of Purchasing & Supply of Hong Kong (IPSHK ): www.ipshk.org

2011年2月11日星期五

Quality Guru changed the world

It is a very good summary for quality gurus in ASQ journal - Quality Progress entitled ''Guru Gide" in Nov 2010. I would like to introduce the six quality leaders as follows.

Walter A. Shewhart (1891-1967)

He was known as the father of statistical quality control. Quality control chart and Shewhart cycle (Plan-do-check-act) are famous.

W. Edwards Deming (1900-1993)

Deming's important trip to Tokyo, Japan was in June 1950. He taught statistical methods to 45 managers whose invited by the president of the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE). His famous work included Deming cycle (Plan-do-study-act) and the book entitled "Out of the Crisis".

Joseph M. Juran (1904-2008)

He wanted to encompass the human side of quality. His famous philosophy included Juran trilogy - Planning, Control and Improvement, and Quality Control Handbook.

Kaoru Ishikawa (1915-1989)

His most famous quality tool called Ishikawa diagram (also known as the fishbone / cause and effect diagram). Moreover, one of his major accomplishments was starting the Japanese quality circle movement in 1962 (so call Quality Control Circle - QCC).

Philip B. Crosby (1926-2001)

Crosby famous concepts included "Doing it right the first time" and "Zero Defects". His famous books are "Quality Is Free" and "Quality Without Tears".

Armand V. Feigenbaum (1922- )

He coined the term total quality control which is a foundation of modern management. His best selling book also called "Total Quality Control" and first published in 1961.

Reference:

ASQ Guru Guide: http://asq.org/qic/display-item/index.html?item=32822

ASQ QP Staff (2010) "Guru Guide" Quality Progress, Vol. November 2010, p.14-21.

Three Quality Gurus have long life: http://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2008/03/three-quality-gurus-have-long-life.html

2011年2月2日星期三

Innovation in Lunar New Year Fair (年宵市場)

Today, My wife and I went to Victoria Park (維多利亞公園) to join Lunar New Year Fair. I would like to share some innovation products in the fair (Some items should use Chinese terms to explain their meaning). Most items are Copy and Change.

We arrived about 5:30pm. It was many people but not too crowded.