Inspection – Industrial Approach
(The Article in intended for academic and professionals.)
What is inspection?
Inspection is the process of measuring the quality of a product or service in terms of established standards or in other words inspection is the art of comparing materials, products or performance with established standards.
What is the need of inspection?
Inspection is very crucial task of an industrial establishment. It doesn’t matter which division/department it is. We can consider following points regarding inspection:
#01. Inspection is the process that builds up the reputation of concern as it helps in reducing the number of complaints from the customers.
#02. Inspection enables an organization to detect sources of weakness and trouble in the finished products and thus to check the work of designers.
#03. Inspection ensures that product works and it works without hurting anybody that is its operation is safe.
#04. Inspection prevents further work being done on semi finished products which are already detected as spoiled.
#05. Inspection locates the defect in raw materials and flaws in processes which otherwise cause problems at the final stage.
#06. The final and most important task of inspection is to separate components from non defective ones and thus to ensure the adequate quality of products.
Planning for inspection
Before starting inspection for a product or process, we plan for the inspection and following points should be kept in mind:
#01. Where to inspect? – Place.
#02. When to inspect? – Time.
#03. How to inspect? – Method of inspection.
#04. How much to inspect? – Degree of inspection.
What are principles of inspection?
The two most important principles of inspection are:
#01. Inspection function for maximum efficiency must be independent but co-ordinate with the functions of production, planning and sales department.
#02. Improvement in quality performance is achieved as a result of changes in engineering specifications or manufacturing procedures and not by inspection techniques.
Standards of Inspection
Certain inspection standards are to be performed to meet the requirement of quality control. These inspection standards include inspection standard for raw material, inspection standard for work in progress, working inspection standards, inspection standard for finished products and inspection standards of completed mechanism.
Inspection standard of raw material are based on purchase specification.
Inspection standard for work in progress may be classified into five heads and these are physical condition or properties of material, shape and size, degree of finish, chemical and functional performance of the product.
Working inspection standard: After limits and tolerances have been determined and they are then given on working drawings. Precision in dimension is transferred to working drawings whose blue prints are given to operators and the work is carried out by them on specially designed machines for economical production. The work is simply inspected by use of “GO” and “NO GO” gauges.
Inspection standard for finished products: The standard for finished machine parts, sub assemblies allow for components that will assemble with those which must fit to make a sub assembly, for sub assembly that will group into a final assembly and for final assemblies that will enter a completed mechanism. Complex and elaborate gauges and fixtures are used for the inspection of such finished products.
Inspection standard of complete mechanism: After the components of a mechanism have been assembled, a final test or series are conducted.
What is the qualification of Inspectors?
A good inspector should thoroughly know his job. He should have sufficient technical knowledge, skill and familiarity with blueprints and inspection tools, gauges and measuring instruments. He should know the tolerance to which the quality of work should conform. He should understand the reason for the standards used, through an understanding of the materials or processes them and should be able to dispose of doubtful cases on his own judgments.
Functions of Inspection Department
The functions of inspection departments are:
#01. To inspect raw material: This is done to see that raw materials received are physically and chemically in accordance with specifications. This is done to eliminate the loss of labor and machining time on the defective materials. For some materials, visual inspection may be sufficient while for others inspection may be necessary to test the electrical, mechanical and chemical properties.
#02. Metallurgical and Metallographic Inspection: To be sure to see that the metallic structure, hardness and other properties, after the various processes or operations have been performed are according to specifications.
#03. Purchase Parts Inspection: The aim of such inspection is to see that all the purchase parts that is tools, jigs and fixtures, general supplies etc are according to laid specifications. This is to make sure that there is no loss, inferior quality or shorts or damages in accepted quality.
#04. Work In Process Inspection: This inspection is carried out to see that product is correctly formed and dimensioned in accordance with specifications during the process of their manufacture at various stages.
#05. Tool Inspection: It is carried out to inspect different tools which are purchased or to see that whether they are capable of producing the items in accordance with specifications.
#06. Periodic Gauge and other measuring instruments inspection: This inspection is carried out to make sure that these equipments are capable of giving the desired results, whenever used.
#07. Finished Product Inspection: To inspect finished products before they are marketed to see that that product of poor quality may be either rejected or in certain industries may be sold out as ‘seconds’ at a low price.
#08. Salvaging: This is the function of inspection in which poor quality work is reworked to eliminate the defects or used for some other purpose or converted to scrap material etc.
#09. Complaint Division: It is the function of inspection which receives reports on defective material of workmanship, design and shape etc. from the sales and service decision. This then investigates and makes recommendations to the manufacturing department to prevent future occurrences.
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