Craftsman Cribsheet No. 101: Audit Certifications
Quality documentation can aid in problem-solving, but only if it is complete.
Just because a document claims to be a ‘certification’ doesn’t mean it actually contains the information that you need to have confidence in the material that you buy and then further warrant to your customer.
A situation arose where a PMPA member had secured four different releases of a steel item from a steel service center. The steel from three of the releases performed fine in process. One did not. Material certifications lacked several key facts that could have helped provide an explanation:
- No ASTM specification. Without such a specification, the document isn’t certifying to an agency specification or standard. The document did caption a purchase order, but did the P.O. actually capture all the requirements? The “certification” was actually stating that the results are true and correct copy of records — including chemistry as reported by original (but unknown) supplier.
- Full chemistry reporting only carbon, manganese, phosphorus, sulfur, silicon and lead may seem to cover all chemical elements of interest, as long as the material runs well in process. However, when trying to investigate differences between different heats, the full chemistry could have indicated different origin of the material prior to the processing and purchase by the service center. A difference in copper content or other residual elements (nickel, chrome, molybdenum) could have shown a difference between supplier processes ahead of the service center. This could have also implied other elements that might be different as a result of different process — such as nitrogen — which may have had an effect on the shop’s process.
- No reduction ratios reported. The reduction ratio might have shown us obvious differences between lots indicating process differences/mill supplier differences which could indicate a need to adjust the process. No reduction ratio, no insight as to the possible similarities or differences in the amount of work in process between the different batches of steel provided.
- Unexplained tensile test results. The material for all four releases was ordered to a single specific decimal size, but the tensile properties that were reported under the heading of “Physical” included the following: Release #1, 17/32-78,170 (no mention of units); Release #2, 17/32-71,800; Release #3, ½-70,347; and Release #4, ½-80,000. However, under another field labeled “Other,” the documents reported “Drawn Tensile, PSIs” for release #1 of 1A-99,770, 1B- 99,770; Release #2, 1A- 93,445; Release #3, 81,987; Release #4, 89,300. Difference of tensile properties between the different values from the two reported on each cert ranged from over 30.1% for release #2 tensile to 11.6% in tensile strength for the release in question. That amount of variation generates questions.
- No identification of actual mill source. Traceability is crucial, and often mandated by various Buy American rules from the federal government. No assurance that the material was of domestic origin. The differences in heat number formats did suggest different suppliers — 10 numeric digits with the same first digit for two releases; one nine-digit heat number with first two digits being alpha, remainder numeric for the third; and the final release having a heat number of only nine numeric digits. Likely to have been two — perhaps three — different original hot roll sources.
Have you audited the information that your suppliers are providing to you on their “certifications/test reports?” Just because a document claims to be a ‘certification’ doesn’t mean it actually contains the information that you need to have confidence in the material that you buy and then further warrant to your customer. Audit your “certifications!”
Related Content
Precision Ground Barstock: How It Is Manufactured, Benefits to Your Shop
Understanding the benefits provided by precision centerless ground barstock can help you avoid false economy and optimize the work you quote by maximizing benefits to your manufacturing process and customer.
Read MoreCraftsman Cribsheet No. 128: Why Do Machinists Say Tenths Instead of Ten Thousandths?
In machinist parlance, a tenth is a tenth of a thousandth, not a tenth of an inch.
Read MoreCraftsman Cribsheet No. 126: AISI System of Identification
Source: PMPA Prior to the Society of Automotive Engineers taking responsibility for Steel Grade nomenclature in the United States (1995), the American Iron and Steel Institute determined U.S. standard steel grades in collaboration with SAE.
Read More‘Can You Hold This Tolerance?’ Is Not An Engineering Question
The implications of tolerances go far beyond mere technical compliance.
Read MoreRead Next
Predicting the ROI of Robotic Automation
Various methodologies paired with online tools can help small to mid-sized manufacturers determine how to predict and calculate the potential economic benefits of robotic equipment for their specific needs.
Read MoreThe Value of Swiss-Types Milling Rectangular Medical Parts
High-speed spindle technology was key to effective milling of small cardiac monitoring components complete on a CNC sliding-headstock machine platform instead of running them across two mills.
Read MoreAvoid the 7 Deadly Sins of Manufacturing
Identifying and preventing these manufacturing sins will reduce or eliminate unnecessary waste, improve efficiency and productivity as well as protect profitability and cash flow.
Read More