Listen to Gandalf

October 29, 2025

“Many believe that precision lies in the tools alone; the calipers, the micrometers, the shining instruments of measurement. But I tell you this: no tool, however finely crafted, may serve the realm of quality unless it is understood, trusted, and proven repeatable.

For in the shadows of uncertainty dwell the errors of man; bias, inconsistency, and haste. Without Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility (GR&R), your numbers are but illusions, your data mere whispers in the dark. You may think your process capable, your control charts steady, yet if your gage falters, all crumbles to dust.

So, heed my counsel. Test your gages as you would test your courage. Let each operator, each part, and each measure be known and trusted. Only then shall your data bear truth. For if your gage be unworthy …

…you shall not pass.”

– Gandalf in conversation with Boromir