Articles tagged with "inspection"

Weathering an inspection by OSHA is a matter of knowing your operation from top to bottom and being prepared for a visit at all times.

The automotive industry is under extreme pressure to improve the productivity and quality of its operations. Tier 1 suppliers especially are being squeezed by a combination of very competitive upfront bidding for contracts and yearly price reductions. One area ripe for savings in most automotive companies is the total cost associated with welding quality.

Looking for maintenance guidelines for coil feed lines? Find them here, in checklist terms, for coil cars, reels,straighteners, threading tables, and feeds.

The system Sanmina-SCI uses to produce rails for Sun Microsystems' large servers is a key factor in Sanmina-SCI's competitiveness when it comes to processing a large, heavy-gauge, complet part, delivered in large volume on an as-needed basis for computer server systems and other similar applications.

In-process sampling and between-process checks can prevent problems at the production stage. Although using an inspection jig can be costly, some testing approaches that are not as rigorous as using an inspection jig are: stacking and blocking a sheared batch in order to scan the batch for variations; weighing castings; touring a customer's facility; and doing small batch inspections.

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Eddy current testing does more than detect product defects. When used with a proper monitoring system on a mill staffed by highly trained operators, it can help to optimize the mill's efficiency. The first part of this two-part article covers eddy current system principles.

Many manufacturers are familiar with using eddy current systems to inspect their sheet and tubular products. Eddy current testing (ECT) is a nondestructive electromagnetic test that offers a rapid examination to detect surface-breaking flaws or cracks. It can be applied easily to straight sections of both seamless and welded tubing. Tests can be performed online as part of the manufacturing process or offline as part of a supplier or customer quality assurance check.

Weld inspection, weld logging, and weld recordkeeping always have been a part of quality assurance (QA) procedures for certain industries, particularly aerospace, nuclear power, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical.

Glen Stapleton relies on his experience in troubleshooting for more than 30 years to discuss the most pressing pilger mill maintenance issues—causes, cures, and tips to prevent breakdowns and get the machines up and running again when they do fail.

New developments in laser-based inspection systems offer tube and pipe mills real-time inspection of laser-welded seams. These systems can help to shorten setup time, improve weld quality, and reduce scrap.

Many aspects of welded component design and fabrication are governed by documents known as codes and standards.

Leaders who oversee weld designs, materials, methods, personnel training, and manufacturing teams should promote welding performance by addressing quality and testing issues in contracts for any work. Total quality systems and weld acceptance criteria must be specific--specified for each contract--and adherence must be enforced without wavering. Acceptance criteria for welding should be agreed to in a face-to-face meeting before fabrication begins. Before a project begins, all parties should agree on the retention time for inspection and test records—including X-rays, personnel qualifications and other project data--and the contract should state the location and description of the records storage facility.

This article outlines the differences in radiographic and ultrasonic weld inspection, the two most common methods if nondestructive testing. It gives an overview of both methods, including how they are used.