The increasing importance of the quality culture is encouraging more and more companies to invest in additional inspection equipment. For many of the new buyers, choosing the most appropriate equipment is the dominant consideration, with relatively little thought given to the software they will use. However, as with choosing a new machine tool and the related CAM system, it is essential that both elements are considered in order to gain the maximum benefit from the investment. In particular, buyers need to be aware of the movement away from inspecting against drawings towards inspection against a CAD model. Even if the majority of customers still supply drawings, companies need to prepare now for the near future when the majority of information will be supplied to sub-contractors as CAD models.
Ultrasound and Hall Effect (magnetic) are two important nondestructive methods for precisely measuring material thicknesses. The factors involved in choosing a method are generally dependent on the product to be tested.
Maintaining inspection equipment – any type of equipment for that matter – is generally viewed as a nuisance and manufacturers rarely think about the potential benefits, only the costs involved. Machine maintenance is not only necessary to keep the system in optimal condition, it also offers several benefits that positively affect the bottom-line, enhance product quality, and protect your investment.
Part inspection on a machine tool is difficult because of environmental and climatic issues, but a new plug-and-inspect video measurement system can be used on a machine tool to magnify a part’s geometry for visual inspection.
Recalls are costing businesses billions of dollars annually, and manufacturers simply cannot afford to gamble with quality control. When manufacturers rely so heavily on the supply chain to deliver quality materials, measuring and controlling these products in real-time, before they are purchased and shipped becomes imperative.
The ultimate goal of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is to eliminate the actual cause of the problem. If a corrective action, or a series of actions, is implemented and eliminates the cause – thereby eliminating the possibility of recurrence – then that would satisfy the criteria for effective root cause analysis and corrective action.
The uniaxial tensile test is one of the most common material tests performed. It is employed most often to measure one or more of the following properties of a material: modulus, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, Poisson’s ratio, elongation to failure and reduction of area. Several ASTM standards are available to provide guidance on performing tensile tests. Three of the most common standards are ASTM E8 for metallic materials, ASTM D3039 for polymer matrix composite materials and ASTM D638 for unreinforced and reinforced plastics.
Do you need to manage risk, achieve compliance, and drive business improvement within your organization? Who doesn’t need to cut costs or learn how to meet supplier specifications better? Do you need to address regulatory requirements, or achieve certification to international quality standards?
The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second in a vacuum. Fortunately, we don’t live in a vacuum. However, temperature and air pressure (atmospheric pressure) have a direct effect on the density of air and consequently the speed of light. Change in the speed of light, or “index of refraction,” is a value that must be considered for precision measurements with a laser tracker system.
I recently wrote about calibration reports and outlined some of the basics involved with them. This month, I thought it would be worthwhile to deal with documents that are often provided in lieu of calibration reports: certificates of compliance.
The original intent of certificates of compliance was to make sure that process steps were not overlooked if they could not be verified later. An example of this might be a product that has to be dipped in a specified solution at a specified temperature for a specified period of time before painting or plating. Usually, there is no way to verify that these steps were taken once the product has been coated. Testing after-the-fact can reveal that the correct thickness of paint or plating has been applied but not that all specified process steps were followed.
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