inspection Archives -

AS9100 7.1.5.2 Measurement Traceability

Airplane, aerospace, AS9100

Question

Can a manufacturer use “reference only” M&M equipment to accomplish in-process checks as long as these items are verified later on by “Inspection” using calibrated and/or verified equipment?

Would all of the measurements have to be verified by properly calibrated equipment?

Answer

The practice of using “reference-only” devices for in-process measures is not noncompliant with the standard. The formal inspections to accept product would require use of calibrated equipment.

In clause 7.1.5.1, the standard clearly states “the organization shall determine and provide the resources needed to ensure valid and reliable results when monitoring or measuring is used to verify the conformity of products and services to requirements.” And in clause 7.1.5.2, “hen measurement traceability is a requirement, or is considered by the organization to be an essential part of providing confidence in the validity of measurement results…”

Users and auditors should look at formal inspections steps and final buy-off to determine if any nonconformities were escapes from in-process measurements being conducted without calibrated devices. Customer complaints can also be analyzed to see if any escapes were a result of failed in-process inspections. If so, then the organization did not properly determine and provide the appropriate resources.

Buddy Cressionnie

For more information on this topic, please visit ASQ’s website.

Z1.4 Inspection Requirements

Automotive inspection, TS 16949, IATF 16949

Question

Our customers require that we follow the ANSI Z1.4 standard for attribute sampling plans; however, it is not feasible to wait until lots are completed to perform inspections. Lots can be large and run for many days and waiting until lot completion to determine the sample size, based on the finished lot size, is too late because we will have missed our chance to correct any production issues that may result in defective parts. Another limitation is a lack of space to stage product while waiting for the final inspection of the completed production lots. Product is made as orders are received, and not typically stored as inventory, so our on-time delivery demands also hinder our ability to hold product for final inspections of completed production lots. Therefore, we are seeking guidance on a practical way to implement a in-process inspection during production that follows the ANSI Z1.4 standard.

Answer

Yes, you can sample as you produce to get to the sample size. It is important that you keep track of your accept/reject items. Since you know how long you are running the product, you can project the approximate lot size to get the sample size. Work with your scheduler before the product starts so you can take samples early and continue on in the process.

In addition, if you have material changes as the product is running, I am sure that you are sampling then to make sure everything is set correctly, you can use those samples also. As an example, let’s say your product is running 4 days and based on the projected lot size, you have a sample of 28 to take, you could take 7 samples each day spaced throughout the day or you take 10 samples the first day, 7 the second day, 6 the third day and 5 the last day of production. You need to figure the right sequence that fits your history of the product.

Jim Bossert

For more on this topic, please visit ASQ’s website.

Z 1.4 Inspection Levels

Pharmaceutical sampling

Question

I am using a reduced switching rule and I don’t understand the meaning of the numbers in the first box. Total noncomforming less than limit number? What’s my limit number?Does production stability mean capability? Would I use 1.33? The table has an arrow to reduced, so would I move to the next box?

Answer

The ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 standard has three inspection levels: normal, reduced and tightened inspection. Initially you start at normal inspection, and can move to either tightened or reduced inspection depending on how lots are dispositioned. Based on Figure 1 of the standard, the determination to move amongst the levels can be ascertained. When you get to the reduced inspection level (Table II-C), you need to read the footnote (†). It states “If the acceptance number has been exceeded, but the rejection number has not been reached, accept the lot, but reinstate normal inspection.”

A stable process or production is less about a capability index, and more about the control chart of the data showing a stable process. In other words, the process is stable over time.

Steven Walfish

For more information about this topic, please visit ASQ’s website.

ANSI Z1.4 Reduced Inspection

Sterile, Lab, Clean Room, Requirements, Standard

Question

If you have Ac=0 and Re=2 what do you do for 1? I have not used the reduced sampling before, so am curious what should be done in this instance.

Answer

If you review the footnotes for Table II-C of ANSI Z1.4, you will see that there is a note (†) that states: If the acceptance number has been exceeded , but the rejection number has not been reached, accept the lot, but reinstate normal inspection (see 10.1.4). So in your case, with a single reject, you would accept and reinstate normal inspection.

Steven Walfish

For more information on this topic, please visit ASQ’s website.

Customer ISO Status In Jeopardy?

Checklist, Conformity, Go/No Go, Inspection, ISO 9001

Question

My customer wants to get ISO 9001:2015 certified. He refuses to create a first-article, in-process, and final-inspection report. He has a router sheet that has a tiny space for final inspection brief information and the operator’s initials; no inspection data is available.
In his quality manual and processes he addresses “Time Studies” and “Statistical Process Control” but he refuses to record his inspection data because this “complicates and delays” his production. I told him this is a weakness in his QMS but he says it’s not. Will this issue jeopardize his ISO certification?

Answer

I would ask how the organization could present objective evidence with the requirements of Clause 8.5.1 including – ‘shall implement production and service provision under controlled conditions.’

Charlies Cianfrani

For more on this topic, please visit ASQ’s website.

Audit Versus Inspection?

Audit, audit by exception

Question

Would you please tell me what the differences between audit and inspection are?

Answer

This is a great question. We can start with the definitions of inspection and audit per the new ISO 9000:2015 standard. Inspection is “Determination of conformity to specified requirements” (3.11.7) and Audit is “systematic, independent and documented process for obtaining objective evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which audit criteria are fulfilled” (3.13.1).

Without parsing the words to much, the difference is one of scale: Inspection is most often associated with inspecting a product or a service to make sure it is right, and an audit is most often associated with a higher-level review of the system that is designed to produce and inspect the product or service.

An audit of a manufacturing process wouldn’t just inspect the product, it would ensure (at a system level) that required inspections had already been performed on the product. I have often made the differentiation in the following way… “An inspection is down in the grass, but to do an audit, you have to climb a tree.” The reflects the difference in purpose and perspective for an audit. Other authors, such as Arter, Sayle, and Russell refer to inspections as ‘backward looking’, that is, what was actually done to provide a product or service, while audits are ‘forward looking’. Audits ensure that proper management controls are in place to ensure product quality into the future. Instead of inspecting quality in (to a product produced in the past), an audit evaluates how well a quality system will predict and prevent quality problems (in the future). My three favourite references are Quality Audits for Improved Performance by Dennis Arter, Management Audits, by Allan Sayle, and the ASQ Auditing Handbook, edited by JP Russell.

Thanks very much,

Denis J. Devos, P.Eng
A Fellow of the American Society for Quality
Devos Associates Inc.
(519) 476-8951
www.DevosAssociates.com

Inspection Sample Size

Analysis, Statistics, Control Charts, Statistical Methods, Audit, Auditing

Question

The customer expects certain levels of inspection: pull 157 bottles for visual testing, but then they also want 20 pulled for dimensional testing. Can’t the 20 additional bottles be a subset of the original testing sample?

When calculating the lot, do you pull the samples before or after your calculations? Do the samples get included in the produced quantity or not? For example: If the customer orders 10,000 bottles and the level 2 inspection pulls 200 bottles that drops the total shipped to the customer to 9,800 pieces. If 10,200 bottles are produced then the inspection level increases so that 315 bottles need to be pulled for testing. What is the correct sample size and production number?

Answer

Here are the responses to your questions:

Yes since the first inspection is visual, you can use a subset for the additional testing.

The lot size is 10,000. You should be putting the samples back into the lot if they are not destroyed by the testing. You send what is contracted for. You are sampling with replacement.

Jim Bossert

SVP Process Design Manger, Process Optimization
Bank of America
ASQ Fellow, CQE, CQA, CMQ/OE, CSSBB, CSSMBB
Fort Worth, TX

For more on this topic, please visit ASQ’s website.

Statistical Methods and Control Charts

Question:
My question is regarding a threading process. There is 100% inspection for go/no go check and about 5% rejection/rework. The batch size is 5,000 nos and is completed in 3 days of production. Two such batches are produced in a month.

What type of control chart should be used to monitor the process? How should the process capability be calculated in this case?

Answer:
The type of control chart first depends on what type of data you are measuring. If you are doing go/no go then you are limited to a “P” chart or a “C” chart. A “P” chart looks at % good (or bad). A “C” chart looks at the number of defects found.

If you are measuring thickness or strength, (something that can be measured), then you can use a X-bar/R chart or an X-bar/S chart depending on many samples are taken.

That is the simple answer; part of this depends on how you are taking samples and how often. If samples are taken at the start and the finish, then I would probably recommend the “P” chart.

If you can measure throughout the manufacturing process, and you look at the type of defects, then I recommend a “C” chart.

Ideally, if you can get measurement data, you are better off with the X-bar/R or the X-bar/S charts. These tend to be better predictors and it is easier to calculate capability.

With the capability for the go/no go data, you can get % defective, (or % good) and multiply that by 1,000,000 to get your capability estimate in defects per million.

Jim Bossert
SVP Process Design Manger, Process Optimization
Bank of America
ASQ Fellow, CQE, CQA, CMQ/OE, CSSBB, CSSMBB
Fort Worth, TX

For more information on this topic, please visit ASQ’s website.

Combating Contamination

Workplace safety, OHSAS 18001, work environments

Q: We want to ensure that we are receiving clean containers to package our products. How can we improve our incoming inspection process?

A: You should encourage your vendor to ship only clean containers. Then, be sure that the shipping and receiving process doesn’t cause contamination. If you can determine the source or sources of the contamination, the best fix is to remove the cause.

If that approach is not possible and you have incoming containers that may have some contamination, then consider the following elements in creating an efficient incoming inspection process.

1) How do you detect the contamination?

Apparently, you are able detect the container contamination prior to filling them, or are able to detect the effect of the contamination on the final product. Given that you are interested in creating an incoming test, let’s assume you have one or more ways to detect faulty units.

As you may already know, there are many ways to detect contamination. Some are faster than others, and some are non-destructive. Ideally, a quick non-destructive test would permit you to inspect every unit and to divert faulty units to a cleaning process. If the testing has to be destructive, then you’ll have to consider lot sampling of some sort.

There are many testing options. One is the optical inspection technique, which may find gross discoloration or large debris effectively. Avoid using human inspectors unless it’s only a short term solution, as we humans are pretty poor visual inspectors.

Another approach is using light to illuminate the contamination, such as a black light (UVA). Depending on the nature and properties of the contamination, you may be able to find a suitable light to quickly spot units with problems.

Another approach, which is more time consuming, is conducting a chemical swab or solution rinse and a chemical analysis to find evidence of contamination. If the contamination is volatile, you might be able to use air to “rinse” the unit and conduct the analysis. This chemical approach may require specialized equipment. Depending on how fast the testing occurs, this approach may or may not be suitable for 100 percent screening.

There may be other approaches for detecting the faulty units, yet without more information about the nature and variety of contamination, it’s difficult to make a recommendation. Ideally, a very fast, effective and non-destructive inspection method is preferred over a slow, error prone, and destructive approach. Cost is also a consideration, since any testing will increase the production costs. Finding the right balance around these considerations is highly dependent on the nature of the issue, cost of failure, and local resources.

2) How many units do you have to inspect?

Ideally, the sample size is zero as you would first find and eliminate the source of the problem. If that is not possible or practical, then 100 percent inspection using a quick, inexpensive, and effective method permits you to avoid uncertainties with sampling.

If the inspection method requires lot sampling, then all of the basic lot sampling guidelines apply. There are many references available that will assist you in the selection of an appropriate sampling plan based on your desired sampling risk tolerance levels.

Another consideration is the percentage of contaminated units per lot. If there is a consistent low failure rate per lot, then lot sampling may require relatively large amounts of tested units. You’ll have to determine the level of bad units permitted to pass through to production. Short of 100 percent sampling, it’s difficult (and expensive) to find very low percentages of “bad” units in a lot using destructive testing.

3) Work to remove original source(s) of contamination to permit you to stop inspections.

I stress this approach because it’s the most cost effective in nearly all cases. In my opinion, incoming inspection should be stopped as soon as possible since the process to create, ship and receive components should not introduce contamination and require incoming inspection to “sort” the good from the bad.

Fred Schenkelberg
Voting member of U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 56 on Reliability
Voting member of U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 69 on Applications of Statistical Methods
Reliability Engineering and Management Consultant
FMS Reliability
www.fmsreliability.com

For more on this topic, please visit ASQ’s website.

Dock to Stock

Suppliers, supplier management

Q: I have been tasked with implementing a dock to stock policy. Does an expert have any advice or information to share towards forming a dock to stock policy?

A: To begin, here is a brief definition of dock to stock (DTS):

Dock to stock is a receiving method whereby materials are delivered directly to point of use (storage or manufacturing), skipping the normal receiving inspection.

For most organizations, parts which are given a DTS status are those which have been “proven” to be compliant. It is common practice to perform a receiving inspection on the parts for a minimum of five deliveries (some companies choose 10).

After a supplier has proven to deliver a compliant product five times, that individual item/part number is given DTS status. It is then general practice for production/assembly departments or line personnel to verify compliance as needed. If a product is found to be noncompliant, it is put on a contingency list and must prove its validity again — usually through five to 10 compliant shipments before it is returned to DTS status.

Keep in mind that the DTS process is rarely used in some industries/companies. For example, a company certified to ISO 13485 (medical devices) would not use DTS due to FDA regulations — here’s an excerpt from 21 CFR 820.80 (b):

“Receiving Acceptance Activities: Incoming product shall be inspected, tested or otherwise verified as conforming to specified requirements.”

In short, determining how many acceptable shipments to qualify a supplier for DTS status is up to the company. Requesting a certificate of compliance with each shipment can tend to encourage a supplier to ensure their own quality, as does a yearly audit of the supplier’s facilities (if appropriate).

I hope using the guidelines above will help lead you toward your goal.

Bud Salsbury
ASQ Senior Member, CQT, CQI

Cost-Effectiveness Based Performance Evaluation for Suppliers and Operations, Quality Management Journal