I agree with the others, it sounds like there is no problem except your Cpk looks suspicious. It might be easier to temporarily adopt a one-time approach than to get the auditor to change his mind, now that he has dug his heels in. If you could measure samples to thousandths of an inch, you would see variation in the data. You told us you don't have the equipment, but maybe a business associate or a supplier has an optical device. Have him measure a few dozen parts as a favor to you.
Another idea of mine to interject variation into the data, instead of measuring your parts with a 10-foot tape measure, measure with a single 12-inch ruler. By downgrading to a less-capable measure device and introducing reproducability variation, you will see more variation in measurements. As long as your die-cutter is plenty capable, a compromised measurement does not reduce your process capability in reality, it only makes a stellar result look less suspicious. This is simply a suggestion to make the ignorant auditor happy, so he goes away without a fight.
Another idea of mine to interject variation into the data, instead of measuring your parts with a 10-foot tape measure, measure with a single 12-inch ruler. By downgrading to a less-capable measure device and introducing reproducability variation, you will see more variation in measurements. As long as your die-cutter is plenty capable, a compromised measurement does not reduce your process capability in reality, it only makes a stellar result look less suspicious. This is simply a suggestion to make the ignorant auditor happy, so he goes away without a fight.
not a dig at you John, just a general commentary on the state of the quality profession as it is practiced by far too many people. When did we become the enablers of ignorance? When did we decide that it was easier to waste time and effort on placating ignorant bullies than to fight for real quality engineering? That auditor won't 'go away'. They will not only come back with an emboldened state of ignorance to bully this company even more, they will continue to spread their ignorance and waste at other companies. Science and math matter. That's what all of these standards purport to be about...Without the courage to stand up to ignorance we are on the return path to the dark ages. (and yes I know that some operations are so lacking in their understanding and commitment to quality that they see placating the auditor as the best way to keep a useless certification in place, that they will demand that their engineers and quality managers placate the auditor...but shouldn't our first response be to help the OP fight the good fight and only when they have no choice suggest unscientifically sound and statistically silly approaches to 'get out of it'?
