Can I report my employer for incorrect quality practices?

[michaelf1988]

What exactly is ISO 9001:2015 certification? Is this supposed to be a guarantee to customers that a company is following correct quality practices? I started doing quality inspection at a new company several months ago and my boss wants me to measure parts that require a +/- 0.001 tolerance using a caliper. However I know this is an incorrect and unreliable means of measurement to provide a quality product to the customer we are selling the parts to. Is there some official agency, ISO for example, I can report my company to for practicing these inaccurate methods and then passing these parts off to the customer as "quality" products?

Thank you

 

[CarbideBob]

I understand what you are saying but the answer is no.
Do not think you are alone in this frustration.
The best is to ask for the internal gauge R and R to prove your point.
Likely it is either not real or does not exist.
Now you become a problem child.

Many of my people who have gone to other shops come back and ask the very same question.
I tell them to not argue with the way it is done even though you see bad things.
Advice like is there a better way questions are okay but the system in place is shipping and selling parts.
Bob

 

[Milland]

Perhaps safer to use a high-quality caliper (Mitutoyo or better), and have on hand a gage block pair for the low and high limits of the critical dimensions (setting rings ditto) that you can comp the caliper against.

Now you're following orders AND have a half-decent chance of doing the job correctly.

 

[CalG]

The ISO Cert just means that you will do whatever it is you made a procedure to do.

If the Written procedure was that you would use a survey chain to measure that part, AND YOU DID , The part is measured per the procedure, and ISO 9001 is fulfilled.

Thank you EU!

 

[Mark Rand]

ISO9001 is mostly a system to show that a company has a procedure that it works to. If the procedure says that .001" tolerances will be measured with a yard stick and that is accepted, then that's valid!

It may well be worth pointing out that no one can normally measure within better than a thou with any sort of caliper and that micrometers or dial gauges in jigs would be more appropriate if the tolerances are in that range.

Good luck, you might end up in charge or metrology.



Oops:- Cal got there first.

 

[plastikdreams]

What exactly is ISO 9001:2015 certification? Is this supposed to be a guarantee to customers that a company is following correct quality practices? I started doing quality inspection at a new company several months ago and my boss wants me to measure parts that require a +/- 0.001 tolerance using a caliper. However I know this is an incorrect and unreliable means of measurement to provide a quality product to the customer we are selling the parts to. Is there some official agency, ISO for example, I can report my company to for practicing these inaccurate methods and then passing these parts off to the customer as "quality" products?

Thank you

Look at the quality procedure, see if a specific tool is called out. A good pair of calipers can be trusted to .001.

Oh, don't forget...snitches get stitches.

 

[eKretz]

In addition to the above replies, consider what you are measuring. Is it consequential if this is not perfect? If it's a mold for a shampoo bottle for instance, who gives a shit. If it's a pivot for an artificial knee then there's a big problem.

 

[gbent]

Are you required to put your signature on a document stating the parts are in conformance? If not, you have some time to look for a new job. Be aware the next job may require you to do things you find even more objectionable.

 

[quadzilla87]

To the OP, what industry are you in? Have you read "the standard" for that industry? Do you understand what the quality standard is? Do you understand that it makes more sense to sell parts that are perfectly fine despite being microns " out of tolerance", instead of scrapping them? A drawing is only as good as the engineer who drew it. And usually thats not very good.

 

[gregormarwick]

ISO9001 is mostly a system to show that a company has a procedure that it works to. If the procedure says that .001" tolerances will be measured with a yard stick and that is accepted, then that's valid!

It may well be worth pointing out that no one can normally measure within better than a thou with any sort of caliper and that micrometers or dial gauges in jigs would be more appropriate if the tolerances are in that range.

Good luck, you might end up in charge or metrology.



Oops:- Cal got there first.

To extend upon this, ISO 9001 is a guarantee to your clients that you follow your procedures. It is up to them to audit you and determine if your procedures are satisfactory for them.

 

[rons]

Perhaps safer to use a high-quality caliper (Mitutoyo or better), and have on hand a gage block pair for the low and high limits of the critical dimensions (setting rings ditto) that you can comp the caliper against.

I don't think so you silly Milly.

I've seen two identical Starrets compared to a Millennium Series Limited Edition Mitutoyo.

Even though one Starret has been used a lot and the other one almost never used, they read very close.
The brand new Mitutoyo is about .0005 less on a standard.

Now you're following orders AND have a half-decent chance of doing the job correctly.

More bad advice bozo,

This might turn out to be a cash drawer test.

The grocery store owner puts a $20 bill in the cash drawer to see if the new employee is going to swipe it when
the money is counted out at night. If the drawer comes out even then the owner fires the new employee.

Just for you Milly because I understand that you need more time for comprehension:
The employer might be testing the OP. Even in your standards this might appear to be a dirty trick...

 

[4GSR]

If your company has a procedure in place that says any dimensions less than +/-.005" in tolerance have to be measured with a certified micrometer or gage blocks, there's no violation of procedures or policy. If there is such a procedure in place, then it would be up to auditors to find the violation and write up it as a finding and a corrective action taken to fix the problem. Where the problem will eventually be caught is with the customer. Provided the customer does articles of receiving inspection. Then the customer will send corrective action to and send all of the rejected parts back to you for repair or scrap. Unless the customer has always accepted then as "use as is continue" in the past. If so, the customer needs to fix their drawing with a looser tolerance like +/-1/64"!!! Ken

 

[Larry Dickman]

Ditch the calipers and just run around checking shit with a tape measure.

 

[mc3608]

How does the Machinist check the parts?

 

[michiganbuck]

Shoot yourself in the foot, mostly the employee does the drill the boss/foreman puts forth. If it is a safety problem one might report it to the next higher.
*likely the boss knows how the customer checks/wants the parts.

 

[Milland]

Just for you Milly because I understand that you need more time for comprehension:
The employer might be testing the OP. Even in your standards this might appear to be a dirty trick...

I've no idea how a human winds up so dead inside.

But it does suit you.

 

[CITIZEN F16]

In addition to the above replies, consider what you are measuring. Is it consequential if this is not perfect? If it's a mold for a shampoo bottle for instance, who gives a shit. If it's a pivot for an artificial knee then there's a big problem.

If the shampoo bottle mold was a medical part they would dimension it to +/-.001 and fail it, if it was out. You would be surprised at some of the tolerances on medical items in non functional areas. I have seen +/-.001 on radii on hand grips.

 

[plastikdreams]

I still say check the standard...that will be the be all end all to the conversation.

 

[plastikdreams]

If the OP had a pair of Godron Calipers, then no probs as they're more accurate than mics....

And from China lol

Really though, +/-.001 with calipers is about where I'd draw the line...a good set, I check mine with gage blocks periodically on the flats and tips of the jaws. The tips are the easiest to get worn or bent. I also check for light through the closed jaws...if they fail they get for reference only written on them and I go to gage services for a new set. Someday they'll get me carbide like I ask for

 

[CITIZEN F16]

I would not trust calipers to +/-.001, for the record I don't have the hands of a brain surgeon or piano player.