SeymourDumore
Diamond
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2005
- Location
- CT
Guys, just want to ask a question about your First Piece Inspection procedure.
First off, this question refers to First Piece and not First article inspection, meaning that this inspection is done at each and every step ( operation ) of the manufacturing process of a part, starting from receiving of material and ending at final deburr/cleaning.
It cares not about the final fit, form or function of the component, rather it cares about the actual operation at hand.
So. My question is this: How do you handle this step and how is it submitted?
Here is my take on this. The 1st piece inspection is in place to verify all the manufacturing steps up-to and including the current operation.
That is to verify the process engineer, programmer, setup person, machinetool, cutting tool and in-process ( shopfloor) inspection equipment at this exact state of the component.
Up to now, all of my major customers have handled 1st piece insp. in a way that as soon as the first part comes off the machine ( assuming no disaster has occurred ) the part is first inspected by the setup person ( or operator as it may be ), measurements recorded and the results are submitted along with the part to a dedicated first piece inspector. Here is the key: There are no adjustments made by the setup person/operator to the part, program or any other equipment, no second part machined to verify the changes. Nothing. The first part is in fact exactly that: First piece.
The first piece inspector now completely inspect the part up-to this stage and does so independently. His results are then compared to the results from the setup/operator person, discrepancies are determined and evaluated, necessary corrective actions are taken and then part operation is either released for production OR a new first piece inspection requirement is determined.
Well, just got into a discussion with another jobshop guy from here ( not customer, just a fellow machineshop owner ) who insists that all of his customers require a dimensionally correct part as first piece at each and every single step!
To me this makes absolutely no sense, here is why.
We all know that there are a great deal of possibilities where mistakes can be made. Process engineer can make mistake in interpreting drawing, creating wrong opsheet. Programmer can make mistake and create dimensionally correct part program but neglecting the leftover stock for a future operation. Setup/operator can make a mistake and incorrectly interpret a feature, incorrectly inspect the feature or use inspection equipment that is ( for whatever reason ) out of tolerance or inadequate for the measurement.
Anyhow, the bottom line is whatever the mistake is, it will likely be repeated again and again, thereby producing wasted material and wasted time, all without any chance of improving the process.
What say you? What is the procedure you guys use either internally or with your outside customers? Again, this IS NOT a FIRST ARTICLE!!! question.
First off, this question refers to First Piece and not First article inspection, meaning that this inspection is done at each and every step ( operation ) of the manufacturing process of a part, starting from receiving of material and ending at final deburr/cleaning.
It cares not about the final fit, form or function of the component, rather it cares about the actual operation at hand.
So. My question is this: How do you handle this step and how is it submitted?
Here is my take on this. The 1st piece inspection is in place to verify all the manufacturing steps up-to and including the current operation.
That is to verify the process engineer, programmer, setup person, machinetool, cutting tool and in-process ( shopfloor) inspection equipment at this exact state of the component.
Up to now, all of my major customers have handled 1st piece insp. in a way that as soon as the first part comes off the machine ( assuming no disaster has occurred ) the part is first inspected by the setup person ( or operator as it may be ), measurements recorded and the results are submitted along with the part to a dedicated first piece inspector. Here is the key: There are no adjustments made by the setup person/operator to the part, program or any other equipment, no second part machined to verify the changes. Nothing. The first part is in fact exactly that: First piece.
The first piece inspector now completely inspect the part up-to this stage and does so independently. His results are then compared to the results from the setup/operator person, discrepancies are determined and evaluated, necessary corrective actions are taken and then part operation is either released for production OR a new first piece inspection requirement is determined.
Well, just got into a discussion with another jobshop guy from here ( not customer, just a fellow machineshop owner ) who insists that all of his customers require a dimensionally correct part as first piece at each and every single step!
To me this makes absolutely no sense, here is why.
We all know that there are a great deal of possibilities where mistakes can be made. Process engineer can make mistake in interpreting drawing, creating wrong opsheet. Programmer can make mistake and create dimensionally correct part program but neglecting the leftover stock for a future operation. Setup/operator can make a mistake and incorrectly interpret a feature, incorrectly inspect the feature or use inspection equipment that is ( for whatever reason ) out of tolerance or inadequate for the measurement.
Anyhow, the bottom line is whatever the mistake is, it will likely be repeated again and again, thereby producing wasted material and wasted time, all without any chance of improving the process.
What say you? What is the procedure you guys use either internally or with your outside customers? Again, this IS NOT a FIRST ARTICLE!!! question.