Improvement ideas

[Bev D]

Good day to you all

I am hoping you can help me please. I am looking for some improvement ideas. I just joined a small sheet metal fabrication company as quality engineer and there is no quality manager or inspector so basically one-man team. We are a sub-contracting company, and we don’t have a product of our own so its low volume high variety of products, we have the following processes laser cut, press brake ,welding ,powder coating and assembly. The issue is we get a LOT of customer complains due to never getting product right the first time. I have asked to put some processes in place such as FMEAS, but I’m told we cant afford the time to be doing these on all orders as it would take a lot of time, we don’t even final inspect products properly which I have highlighted. No processes checks carried out. Any ideas what sort of improvements I can introduce to reduce nonconformities. Any suggestions are most welcome, thank you in advance.

My first piece of advice is to find a new job where you can get a good mentor/coach and some great experience in quality engineering.
My second piece would be to implement some Simple’s nd practical MSA processes and begin final inspections. This won’t reduce nonconformaties bu t when you are bleeding profusely a tourniquet will save your life (until it kills you of course).
Next start a Pareto of the PROBLEMS (not the potential causes) by Problem type, product, feature etc. Don’t worry about being highly precise, if there are as many problems as you say you can’t go wrong starting with any for the top 3-5.
Then begin to diagnose the causes. You will most likely use the multi-vari chart most frequently given your industry. (You can also look through a couple of my resources here that discuss problem solving methods.)
Please become familiar with causal mechanisms, interactions, enable/escape causes and systemic causes. DON’T confuse agendas, biases and opinion with causes. Belief is only useful at Christmas time; Knowledge comes from the data. Stick with the data.
And if this company isn’t interested in making real improvements, see advice number one.