Noteworthy Six Sigma news this week…

Even Six Sigma couldn’t save Sony or Dell from the recent battery recall. A handful of exploding batteries out of more than 4 million manufactured is better than Six Sigma…but some products just require perfection. Flights, medical procedures, and now laptop batteries…

The Six Sigma methodology is credited with helping DuPont triple its automotive coatings revenue in Brazil.

Minitab is at it again, helping the Six Sigma community analyze their data more efficiently. The launch of the Quality Companion 2 will surely make using Minitab even more fun than it already is.

Six Sigma continues to mow through the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Apparently, city-owned grounds were caught in violation of their own mowing ordinance. No fear, Six Sigma will trim down the overgrown process…. The Property Management department is now participating in a Lean Six Sigma project to improve the lawn mowing process for city owned grounds.

And finally, more pharma companies are coming on board with Six Sigma. The Farmingdale State University of New York’s Center for Innovation in Lean and Six Sigma is teaching pharmaceutical execs the Lean and Mean of Six Sigma. Executives from pharmaceuticals firm Altana Inc. are currently in study. Senior managers from Forest Laboratories previously went through the training program, and employees from Brookhaven National Laboratory will begin training this fall.