ISO/TS 16949: 2002 made its debut in 2002 with a roll out meeting by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF). It was clear from its inception that ISO/TS 16949: 2002 was different than its predecessor, QS-9000, for many reasons. For instance the performance requirements for the supply chain-8.2.1.1 and 7.4.3.2-were different, and there were many changes in the accreditation and certification body scheme.
A custom eddy current testing (ECT) inspection system engineered by Zetec (Snoqualmie, WA) for automotive hub and spindle manufacturer Delphi Chassis (Troy, MI) has provided a fast and 100% reliable test method for thread inspection so cost-effective that it paid for itself in less than a year.
The difficulty with processing ring-shaped parts for aerospace applications is a risk of deformation, or burning or arcing of the part when clamped between contact plates. Correct part processing requires the part to be clamped twice, thus doubling the risk. The part must be turned 90 degrees between the two shots in order to inspect the area that comes in contact with the clamps because an indication may not develop in this area.
Ultrasonic testing uses beams of high-frequency sound waves to detect flaws, measure thickness and evaluate material properties. When used to inspect aerospace structures, ultrasonic testing plays an important role in safety, quality assurance and cost. Its flaw-resolving capabilities can be the difference between life and death.
With a fleet of more than 500 aircraft that need to be kept airworthy, Delta Air Lines’ technical operations center is a key part of the airline’s activities, providing a comprehensive maintenance service to Delta, as well as to other airlines. To ensure spare parts are available when needed, it uses ICEM Surf software from ICEM (Southampton, United Kingdom) in the reverse engineering of parts for in-house manufacture.
The Pocket UT from NDT Automation (Princeton Junction, NJ) is a battery-operated, handheld, stand-alone, full C-Scan data acquisition system. With its portability and ease of use, coupled with its full A, B and C-Scan capability, the Pocket UT system-along with its available companion scanners or other compatible devices-is suitable for on-site inspection applications.
Dear Editor,
I enjoyed your editorial in the October 2005 issue ("China's Workers are Critical," Quality Magazine, October 2005, p. 6). In an environment where corporate profits determine where products are manufactured, your timely article highlights some basic moral issues that need to be addressed.
With so many manufacturers today implementing direct part mark (DPM) identification programs for part traceability, the need to control the part marking process is becoming increasingly important. The original quality of a 2-D code, which serves as a part's permanent identity, can greatly affect the readability of a part as it travels through the manufacturing process, through the supply chain and ultimately through to the end use of the part.
It's a good time to be in the quality business. Besides longtime quality professionals having bigger budgets and new projects, others in manufacturing industries are taking an interest in quality. Many manufacturing engineers, corporate managers and production line people have quality responsibilities.
I'm currently designing a line of product for my business and I'm facing some fundamental quality questions. Do I develop a high-quality product or a cheaper low-quality product? This isn't an easy question.
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