Keeping track of expired chemicals/paints

Hope this isn't too off topic. I inherited the gage calibration position a few years ago at my job. We are an aerospace job shop and I am in charge of keeping track of the paints/chemicals (file certs,expiration dates). Is this something others in my job description take care of? We have gagetrak and I make a file for each chemical but I feel it's not a very efficient way to do it. It's a constant battle to keep the expired stuff off the shop floor, especially when the AS 9100 auditors are snooping around. Just trying to figure out if there is a better way. Thanks

If the supplies in question are simply stored in a generally accessible location for production use as needed, then you really need a point-of-use control element, IMO. Having a printed label or some sort of marking on the container that shouts "EXPIRATION DATE XX/XX/XXXX" and a personnel/mfg policy that states "No expired chemicals will be used in any product application" may be a start. I would think that a check of the status of the chemical would be a requirement before using it, if your operation is that sensitive to "that sort of thing".

Unless you have work orders tied into both your paint/chemical inventory system and also into your Gagetrak database for comparison, and the release of inventory is under YOUR control, there's no way you can have an automatic flagging system for when something expired might get pulled out and used. A list of stuff about to expire could be generated periodically, maybe, and then that small group of stuff is segregated for disposition on the date(?)

specfab said:

If the supplies in question are simply stored in a generally accessible location for production use as needed, then you really need a point-of-use control element, IMO. Having a printed label or some sort of marking on the container that shouts "EXPIRATION DATE XX/XX/XXXX" and a personnel/mfg policy that states "No expired chemicals will be used in any product application" may be a start. I would think that a check of the status of the chemical would be a requirement before using it, if your operation is that sensitive to "that sort of thing".

Unless you have work orders tied into both your paint/chemical inventory system and also into your Gagetrak database for comparison, and the release of inventory is under YOUR control, there's no way you can have an automatic flagging system for when something expired might get pulled out and used. A list of stuff about to expire could be generated periodically, maybe, and then that small group of stuff is segregated for disposition on the date(?)

Click to expand...

Also, since you're AS9100, doesn't your traveler have a space to enter the lot# and expiration date of any chemical used?

Look at bar codes as scanners are cheap and labels easy to print.

Spreadsheet can be used but creating a database in access would make things real easy.

You can buy serialized labels that you just per and stick to everything but they are not real cheap or you can make them.

You can tag each container and record data specific to it.

There are built in wizards that are close enough or someone can build one.

Proper build of the database will take some time and effort then getting a scanner where it will be used another problem but we assume you already may have inventory tools to it could be possible to leverage what may already be there.

Once in place then simple report is generated that shows everything you need.


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Currently, I print up a calibration label matching the dates on the cert. We also have to label any mixing cups to identify what is being mixed per our last AS9100 audit. One problem is a "chemical" can be used up before it expires and the replacement "chemical" overlaps the date of the old one. I'll figure out a way. These auditors seem to get tougher each audit, just trying to stay one step ahead of them.

Traditional inventory/cal programs are not designed to track consumables.

I would use a simple calendar program.
Make an entry for each item on the day before it expires.
Check the calendar daily and collect the items that will expire the next day.

If an item is used up before it expires, simply delete its entry.

My main concern would be losing track of something because it grew legs and migrated to a different office or to the trunk of somebody's car.

- Leigh

The real Leigh said:

Traditional inventory/cal programs are not designed to track consumables.

I would use a simple calendar program.
Make an entry for each item on the day before it expires.
Check the calendar daily and collect the items that will expire the next day.

If an item is used up before it expires, simply delete its entry.

- Leigh

Click to expand...

That is a good idea. I'll look into that.

If your company uses any sort of 'job tracker' program you should be able to write a program that logs the chemicals with the expiration dates. Then when someone logs into a job you can have the chemicals under 'materials' and have it set to not allow them to move if they are expired.

That's always a challenge for any plant. We relied on a lot of training to keep awareness up, and we tried to buy in small quantities to minimize expired materials that were still in stock. Some materials were stored in freezers as well. In some cases, and with special products or customers, the work sheets had logging spaces to jot down the chemicals used and their expiration dates.

rich p said:

Hope this isn't too off topic. I inherited the gage calibration position a few years ago at my job. We are an aerospace job shop and I am in charge of keeping track of the paints/chemicals (file certs,expiration dates). Is this something others in my job description take care of? We have gagetrak and I make a file for each chemical but I feel it's not a very efficient way to do it. It's a constant battle to keep the expired stuff off the shop floor, especially when the AS 9100 auditors are snooping around. Just trying to figure out if there is a better way. Thanks

Click to expand...

You get any non-aircraft work in through the shop?

We kept expired paint and sealants, esp. PRC, for doing boat repairs, sealing up the odd jobs and rabbits that made their way through, as well as for training use. Pretty much anything that wasn't 'good' aircraft work, requiring certs, and accountability. Lots of partial cans of epoxies of various types, as well as epoxy and PU paints as well. Wasn't very often there wasn't someone looking for something to fix one thing or another with.

Material, batch number, and expiry dates were put on the paperwork for the good stuff. If you can't trust the guys to not lie about those, they ain't much worth working around.

Could be as simple as a swatch of red or purple spray paint across the labels of the expired stuff so as to make it recognizable/visible if someone carts it out onto the shop floor while certified work is going on.

<sigh> The argument we got when we asked to have Robertson (square) screwdrivers added to our tool boards, was that they are "Not Used On Aircraft!", despite the crates used to move the parts around being laced together with them. Those are the kinds of minds that tend to gravitate towards being Quality Management System Auditors, for some reason.

Trying to find the balance between too much on hand (waste, unused $$$) and not enough (waste, unused manpower) is a pretty touchy feely art. Sorta gotta figure out if the expired goods are overpurchases, from the last job, or simply stock that was bought because the shelves would hold it all, going to waste first.

Cheers
Trev