B
bettsaj
The reason I’m posting this is to hopefully pick your brains regarding a work related issue. I’ve been in quality assurance for years (about 25 at last count) and have pretty much always worked in automotive related industry whether it be 3rd or 2nd tier supply work. I’ve recently relocated my family and therefore have had to move my job too. I’ve now found myself working for a company who supply sheet metal products. They supply to companies like JCB, Bosch, Mutlipulse, Bombardier (that’s a laugh!!). Anyway, the reason I’m contacting you is this.
I’ve hit upon a problem which I’m unsure how to address. The company has an old attitude of “check the stuff at the end of the manufacturing process before it gets dispatched”. Obviously this is totally wrong, and needs to be addressed. The issue is, they won’t budge with their thoughts and attitudes on this. I was on holiday the other week and whilst I was away they sent some parts into a customer that turned out to be wrong. The DXF had been programmed with the wrong hole size, we’re now on the verge of possibly losing that account which is worth about £250,000 purely because of that issue. At present I feel like I’m hitting my head against a brick wall. I know what needs to be done but talking sense into some of the management is like pulling teeth. A severe case of old dogs and new tricks I think.
Our products are mostly small volume, at most 100 off so running SPC isn’t really an option when our average production batch is only about 40 or 50 parts. The other issue is the quality department is just me…. There is no other quality staff apart from a guy that works for me part time when he’s not doing other things. All the setters are expected to conduct and qualify their own first offs, which I don’t agree with. I’ve tried to open discussion regarding me doing the first offs, but that wasn’t agreed. The reason being that “it’ll cost too much money in machine downtime waiting for them to be passed off”….. bad attitude, and a bit short sighted I think.
I’ve been expected to own the quality system here, but feel too much resistance from some management who possibly fear change. Their attitude is detection… not prevention, which as we all know is totally wrong. My question to you is how would you go about changing attitudes, have you ever come across this before (I suspect you have).
The general mind set of the people that work here are "them and us". The shop floor blames the engineering department, and vice versa, the engineering department haven't got a good thing to say about producion.
Our processes are pretty much the same for all the work we do:
The company are in the dark ages where quality is concerned, the bending department just use a vernier and a height stand with a scribing attachment, the punching isn't inspected at all, as they put all faith in the DXF programming. I've started to target certain jobs and conduct adhock inspections on the shop floor but as i'm the only one in the department I can't be everywhere.
Please give me your wisdom, and suggestions
I’ve hit upon a problem which I’m unsure how to address. The company has an old attitude of “check the stuff at the end of the manufacturing process before it gets dispatched”. Obviously this is totally wrong, and needs to be addressed. The issue is, they won’t budge with their thoughts and attitudes on this. I was on holiday the other week and whilst I was away they sent some parts into a customer that turned out to be wrong. The DXF had been programmed with the wrong hole size, we’re now on the verge of possibly losing that account which is worth about £250,000 purely because of that issue. At present I feel like I’m hitting my head against a brick wall. I know what needs to be done but talking sense into some of the management is like pulling teeth. A severe case of old dogs and new tricks I think.
Our products are mostly small volume, at most 100 off so running SPC isn’t really an option when our average production batch is only about 40 or 50 parts. The other issue is the quality department is just me…. There is no other quality staff apart from a guy that works for me part time when he’s not doing other things. All the setters are expected to conduct and qualify their own first offs, which I don’t agree with. I’ve tried to open discussion regarding me doing the first offs, but that wasn’t agreed. The reason being that “it’ll cost too much money in machine downtime waiting for them to be passed off”….. bad attitude, and a bit short sighted I think.
I’ve been expected to own the quality system here, but feel too much resistance from some management who possibly fear change. Their attitude is detection… not prevention, which as we all know is totally wrong. My question to you is how would you go about changing attitudes, have you ever come across this before (I suspect you have).
The general mind set of the people that work here are "them and us". The shop floor blames the engineering department, and vice versa, the engineering department haven't got a good thing to say about producion.
Our processes are pretty much the same for all the work we do:
- Punch/Laser
- Deburr
- Bend
- Paint or Plate
- Pack
- Despatch
The company are in the dark ages where quality is concerned, the bending department just use a vernier and a height stand with a scribing attachment, the punching isn't inspected at all, as they put all faith in the DXF programming. I've started to target certain jobs and conduct adhock inspections on the shop floor but as i'm the only one in the department I can't be everywhere.
Please give me your wisdom, and suggestions
. Hang in there things will get better.
