Quality
& Inspection
We operate a number of procedures to ensure total quality at all levels,
as detailed below.
ISO
9001 : 2000
We hold a certificate for ISO 9001:2000 accreditation awarded by QMS. This means
that our documented quality control procedures have been vetted and are in good
order. But more importantly, the quality management system means that we can
ensure the highest standards in our finished product with rapid response times
to changing customer requirements and accurate production lead times and on time
deliveries.
Verification
Of Raw Material Specification
One of the most important aspects of quality control is the verification
of raw materials. We used approved suppliers who can offer certificates of conformity
where required. With over 30 years experience in developing our supply
chain,
we have developed an excellent range of quality suppliers.
Inspection
Department
Our inspection dapartment is equipped with regularly calibrated
UKAS accredited measuring equipment including height gauges,
verniers,
granite
surface tables and magnifying
screens
to ensure that the components we manufacture are within
tolerances. We aim for zero defect and guaranteed repeatability and have all
of our quality procedures written out for reference.
Results
from
the
inspection
department
are
used
with
the
quality
control procedures as detailed below.
Traceability
Our integrated production management system allows for full batch traceability
for every stage of the operation from material procurement through to finishing
and shipping with options for release documentation where required.
SPC
We carry out both SPC (Statistical Process
Control) on most high volume production runs. SPC is an optimisation philosophy
concerned with continuous process improvements, using a collection of statistical
tools for:
- data and process analysis
- making inferences about process behaviour
- decision
making
SPC is the
corner stone of all our Total Quality Initiatives and facilitates
the following:
- improved
product quality
- improved
productivity
- streamlined
processes
- reduced
wastage
- reduced
emissions
- improved
customer service
FMEA
We carry out FMEA (Failure Mode Effect Analysis) on all high volume production
runs. The techniques help identify failure potential in a design or process
ie
to foresee failure before
it actually happens. This is done by following a procedure which helps to identify
design features or process operations that could fail. The procedure requires
the identification of:
- All potential
failures
- The causes
of those failures (there may be several)
- The effects
of those failures (there may be several)
Using
knowledge of the design or the process, estimates of the probability
of these failures due to each cause can be identified, together
with the severity
of the
effects of the failure and the probability of detecting the failure before
it becomes critical. This allows us to then carry out
preventitive maintenance and plan our quality plans accordingly.
Training
Our staff recieve regular training in disciplines such as power press settings,
quality control and general engineering in order that we can ensure the best
machine operating practices and product quality. As a growing company we
recognise the importance of keeping our staff both motivated and up to date
with working practices. We work closely with Business Link and M.A.S.
|
