INSPECTION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
ON CLOSER INSPECTION We hear from two expanding QA labs – Owlett-Jaton’s in the UK and a bolt maker in Spain…
Part of Owlett-Jaton’s revamped QA facilities
OWLETT-JATON INVESTS IN NEW QA FACILITY Significant investment in a new laboratory at Owlett‐Jaton’s Head Office in Staffordshire will provide a new base for its Quality Assurance Team. Moving locations has presented an opportunity for Group Quality Manager Steve Phillips to improve the existing facilities into a single dedicated fit‐for‐ purpose department located within the Stone operation. “The move has allowed us to expand and has provided us with two dedicated rooms, one for sample preparation and limited re‐working of products, whilst the other room provides a clean environment for performing inspection and conducting investigations. “Our optical inspection equipment includes both a Keyence IM‐7000 Image Dimension Measuring System together with a more traditional Mitutoyo shadowgraph, allowing us to inspect parts to a high level of accuracy. We also carry out on‐ site hardness determination to Rockwell B&C scales, and a significant range of the traditional ring, plug and caliper gauges are still invaluable and enable us to inspect a large sample of incoming products.”
// The move has allowed us to expand and has provided us with two dedicated rooms. //
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Owlett‐Jaton’s goods inwards inspection process is rigorous, spot‐checking ~50% of inbound fasteners ensuring they conform to the relevant national and international manufac‐ turing standards. A bespoke fastener orientated inspection system is employed, the system provides the dedicated goods inwards inspector with all the information he needs to effec‐ tively assess the products without having to reference the applicable manufacturing standard. The inspection system is integrated with the purchasing supplier approval system, providing the inspector with insight as to which manufacturers or products he should focus on if required. The majority of critical fasteners are sourced from reputable approved manufacturers and are supplied with certification, typically a 3.1 to DIN‐EN‐10204. The quality department are also equipped and have access to NAMAS (The National Measurement Accreditation Service) approved test facilities which allow more advanced product verification documents to be produced, such as an ISIR (Initial Sample Inspection Report). Customers at the enquiry stage can also request a PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) submission from the manufacturer, an essential requirement for the supply of auto‐ motive components. Regarding changes in customer requests and market trends, Phillips explains: “There is an increasing focus on environmen‐ tal issues and we are being asked more and more often for prod‐ uct conformance to REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) and RoHS (Restric‐ tion of Hazardous Substances). This isn’t a trend which is going to go away, it will only grow in momentum and our purchasing practices are changing to reflect this. We are also keeping a close eye on developments such as the EU SCIP database (substances of concern in articles, as such or in complex objects/products)”. www.owlett-jaton.com
Ring gauges
