Basics of Materials Review Board (MRB) - When and Why it is required?

E

E Terry

Hello everyone,

As part of my Aeronautical Engineering studies I have an assignment asking us to create a plan for a New Technology (at this stage undetermined) to achieve zero MRB. I wonder if someone on the forum could please explain the basics of an MRB: when and why it is required, who is part of it and what it seeks to achieve. My patchy understanding is that it aims to reduce material waste by evaluating inefficiencies in a production process.

Many thanks,

Edward
 

John Broomfield

Leader
Super Moderator
Re: Basics of MRB

Hello everyone,

As part of my Aeronautical Engineering studies I have an assignment asking us to create a plan for a New Technology (at this stage undetermined) to achieve zero MRB. I wonder if someone on the forum could please explain the basics of an MRB: when and why it is required, who is part of it and what it seeks to achieve. My patchy understanding is that it aims to reduce material waste by evaluating inefficiencies in a production process.

Many thanks,

Edward

Edward,

Welcome :bigwave:

The Materials Review Board usually comprises a cross section of functions that would have been involved in design reviews had design and engineering been well planned and well managed.

The MRB usually finds itself dealing with product nonconformity caused by all sorts of evidence of poor design management:

  1. Over specification (for example, tolerances tighter than required)
  2. Lack of manufacturability (for example, designs that cannot be ramped-up to mass production)
  3. Customers complaining about a lack of maintainability (for example, designs that resulted in products that are difficult or expensive to maintain)
  4. Lack of customer focus (for example, user needs ignored as a design input)

The MRB may also have to deal with the consequences of inadequate supplier selection criteria or poor application of said criteria.

The MRB will make decisions on what to do with nonconforming material or nonconforming product, such as:

  1. Use-as-is (a design change)
  2. Rework
  3. Repair (a design change)
  4. Regrade for alternative use
  5. Reject or scrap
  6. Redesign the product

As you can see, the MRB habit is very expensive and should result in corrective action to remove the root causes of the product nonconformity. In a well-designed system, that is also well-used for several years, the need for the MRB would disappear.

Summary, "zero MRB" could be another way of saying "zero product nonconformity" (caused by design) or "design for six sigma" (a key search term). Do not forget the other causes of MRB meetings: product nonconformity caused by poor management of production and purchasing.

You can find the widely accepted criteria for design control in clauses 4.1 and 7.3 of ISO 9001:2008. Refer to clauses 4.1 and 7.4 for purchasing controls and to clauses 4.1 and the rest of clause 7 for production. In fact, refer to the whole standard being that it specifies criteria for a management system to remove the need for MRB (even if you are not interested in certification).

Good luck in your studies,

John
 

bobdoering

Stop X-bar/R Madness!!
Trusted Information Resource
To add to John's post - MRB is also important to minimize wasted space and materials caused by collection of suspect product and subsequent degradation. MRB should have a goal for prompt disposition of suspect material.
 
B

Boscoeee

Hello everyone,

As part of my Aeronautical Engineering studies I have an assignment asking us to create a plan for a New Technology (at this stage undetermined) to achieve zero MRB. I wonder if someone on the forum could please explain the basics of an MRB: when and why it is required, who is part of it and what it seeks to achieve. My patchy understanding is that it aims to reduce material waste by evaluating inefficiencies in a production process.

Many thanks,

Edward

The MRB Process is primarily a process for the disposition of Non Conforming Product what has already been discussed by fellow Covers. In my experience, the MRB process is used to attempt to save a non conforming parts from scrap by either rework or concession.

Preventive Actions and Root Cause determinations are the primary tools for reducing nonconformity in the manufacturing process.

Preventive Actions are those actions taken prior to and during the manufacturing process to eliminate nonconformity from the process.

Root Cause is a systematic method of determining what exactly caused the non conformity and eliminating that from the manufacturing process using a corrective action that prohibits the nonconformity to occurring again.

IMHO, it is believed that if one is to move toward Zero defect, the cost of preventive action has to escalate to achieved success in this area. In the end, while I do not have case study data to prove my position, I believe that if you only have to handle parts one time, you will safe more than if you depend on an MRB process to reduce nonconformity and waste.
 
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