Advice for New Quality Control Manager at U-Stamped Shop

[shamino]

Hello,

As of tomorrow I will be the Quality Control Manager at a U-stamped vessel shop in Alberta. My background: I am a welding/mechanical engineering technologist. I have had 2 months working in the engineering department, one month in purchasing, and about 3 months working in quality control as an inspector. In other words, I am not experience and I need all the help and advice I can get.

What I am doing now is to do my best to familiarize myself with all applicable codes (ASME Section VIII, B31.3) as well as company Quality Control Manual. Learn all appropriate QC checks. Keep up with paperwork. Educate welders on our Quality Control Manual. I am also trying to learn as much as I can from our ABSA inspector who is great and very helpful.

I am the only person here in the Quality Control department. I am also the engineering liaison at this shop (since our engineering is done in a different city). This is a difficult job and stressful and I am wondering if anyone on this site has experience and can give me some tips on how to be efficient and reliable at what I do.

Anything at all, please.

Best regards

Shamino

 

[rmw]

What pray tell went on before you were awarded this prestigeous position? Was there a previous QC manager that you can tap for information or at least review his records and procedures?

Are there any experienced "old hands" in the shop that can help guide you? How did you get product out the door to the satisfaction of your AI or ABSA prior to you coming into this position?

On its face, this sounds downright scary to me.

rmw

 

[austsa]

The level of challenge depends on what you have inherited - how good are the current systems, and what is the culture of the workforce towards QA. IMO get these two right, and you're half way there. If you've the appropriate skills and knowledge and able to manage your time, then you're well on your way.

 

[shamino]

rmw: There was a QC manager + staff earlier but for certain reasons no longer are employed here. The other shop has a great QC manager and staff and I am learning from them. I am also learning a lot from the welders and fitters themselves, although I know this is risky (i.e. what if they teach me something that is actually wrong...)

Our ABSA inspector is fairly relaxed so we don't get too much grief from him, however in terms of quality we have had some seriou

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=330748s

issues that we failed to catch early on and hence they costed us quite dearly in the later stages of production. So yes it is scary and something that I am not taking lightly at all.

austsa: our systems in terms of QC was terrible until very recently. there was no checks being done on spooling for example, and none of the proper paperwork was being filed. we have stacks and stacks of documents that need sorting out to be put into quality manuals from over a year ago. there was no stamping being done on pressure pipping, etc. that is what I intend to fix. basically i am simply determined to make sure we follow our quality control manual.

The workforce on the floor is great, but they just never had the right direction. they all have a great attitude and want to do a good job.

Here are some questions my instructors from college suggested I consider:

+ what is our motivation for having a quality program?
+ what was the state of the quality program up till now? Was it successful?
+ what are the standards?
+ what is the current state of things? (Especially on the process side.)
+ what are our targets? Are they better than the standards or our competitors?
+ how supportive is management? Are they willing to spend analysis &set-up money, and are they willing to back the QCM if he/she needs to decrease profit temporarily for some important reason?
+ is the average employee ready and motivated to aim at the targets? Will they be behind the QCM?

 

[rmw]

The other shop has a great QC manager and staff and I am learning from them.

Now that is the best thing that you have said in this thread. If your company has any interest in getting this thing turned around, they will arrange to have the QC Manager from the other shop come out and spend some time with you showing you some ropes, getting you started on catching up where the other team failed, etc. You can only go so long on the patience and good will of the ABSA inspector, and emphasizing with the workforce that keeping him/her happy is paramont. You may even need to travel back to the other shop and look over their system to see how a well run system is doing.

Sounds like there is some hope for you with the other shop's people in mind.

rmw

 

[austsa]

Undoubtedly, things would seem to be one big mess to you at the moment. If you don't have one already, I suggest preparing a checklist for all current fabrication jobs on hand. In these times, only checklists will suffice (as trying to remember what has or hasn't been done is risky). IMO finishing off current jobs properly is a priority.
(I know it's easy to say but)... If you let documentation slip, they'll run away from you, and will be incredibly difficult to catch up. As for your one year's worth of docs, suggest that you review them and determine the gaps. Then try to get others (even admin staff, under your guidance) to help fix these up. It'll be unlikely that these docs will come up to best practice standard, so your target should be an 'acceptable' standard.
Regarding things that your floor personnel teach you, most important thing right now is to listen and absorb the info. When you have more time on your hands, you can investigate and decide whether it is right for you.

 

[shamino]

Thanks for your tips guys. Appreciate it.