Process Audit questions on Ultrasonic and Resonance testing

[jaykruger]

We got dinged for

Q# 59 - Does the supplier perform "resonance frequency' testing using controled documented parameters.

and

Q# 60 - Does the supplier perform ultrasonic testing using documented control parameters.

We do not do either of these tests at our die casting facility. What should our resonse to these issues be?

[GStough]

Originally Posted by jaykruger

We got dinged for

Q# 59 - Does the supplier perform "resonance frequency' testing using controled documented parameters.

and

Q# 60 - Does the supplier perform ultrasonic testing using documented control parameters.

We do not do either of these tests at our die casting facility. What should our resonse to these issues be?

Hi Jay, and welcome to the Cove!

For those of us who may be having trouble determining what kind of products we're dealing with here, it might be helpful for us if you could provide a few more background details:

- what industry is your company in - medical devices, aerospace, automotive, etc.;

- are these tests done at another facility which is overseen by your company (contractor, sister facility, etc.);

- is there a justification for why this testing is not done at your facility, etc.

Your response to these issues will depend on the specifics which are not visible to us here in the Cove. So, help us to help you. Can you tell us more, please?

Look forward to hearing more from you.

[Jennifer Kirley]

Welcome to the Cove!

I would like to know what standard you were being audited against, and if it was a customer audit or registration audit?

If it was a TS16949 registration audit, the correct element to write up might have been 4.1.1, dealing with your responsibility for outsourced processes. Unless you do not have any plan at all for testing your castings and ultrasonic resonance frequency testing is required by customers, a standard such as AS9100, or perhaps Boeing D9000 (if memory serves) etc.

In other words:

1) If a requirement for testing was specific enough that ultrasonic was called for, where did the requirement come from?

2) Do you have someone else do the testing for you?

3) If the answer to #3 is "yes", how are they qualified to do the testing and how do you keep control over this supplier?

As an auditor this is what I would be looking to understand.

[jaykruger]

Originally Posted by GStough

Hi Jay, and welcome to the Cove!

For those of us who may be having trouble determining what kind of products we're dealing with here, it might be helpful for us if you could provide a few more background details:

- what industry is your company in - medical devices, aerospace, automotive, etc.;

- are these tests done at another facility which is overseen by your company (contractor, sister facility, etc.);

- is there a justification for why this testing is not done at your facility, etc.

Your response to these issues will depend on the specifics which are not visible to us here in the Cove. So, help us to help you. Can you tell us more, please?

Look forward to hearing more from you.

We are an aluminum die casting company and this particular audit was for an automotive customer. These tests are not a requirement of any products that we make and it is rarely if ever done in die casting as an industry. We do not have any contacts with a 3rd party lab that would do these for us, nor do we plan on adding this inspection process to our arsenal.

[jaykruger]

Originally Posted by Jennifer Kirley

Welcome to the Cove!

I would like to know what standard you were being audited against, and if it was a customer audit or registration audit?

If it was a TS16949 registration audit, the correct element to write up might have been 4.1.1, dealing with your responsibility for outsourced processes. Unless you do not have any plan at all for testing your castings and ultrasonic resonance frequency testing is required by customers, a standard such as AS9100, or perhaps Boeing D9000 (if memory serves) etc.

In other words:

1) If a requirement for testing was specific enough that ultrasonic was called for, where did the requirement come from?

2) Do you have someone else do the testing for you?

3) If the answer to #3 is "yes", how are they qualified to do the testing and how do you keep control over this supplier?

As an auditor this is what I would be looking to understand.

Yes, we have no plan to now or ever do this testing, it is not industry practice do do anything other then X-ray on these types of parts.