Pressured to release drawings not yet ready 1

[cedarbluffranch]

I'm getting some pressure from my lead to release drawings that I don't consider ready for manufacturing to build. Basically, the new group I'm with is used to dimensioning everything in coordinate tolerances. I'm skilled at GD&T, and knowing what I know about GD&T, the drawings I've been asked to sign may not mate properly with the mating parts.

What's the best way to handle this? I talked with my lead, and he basically told me that he's concerned I'm over-engineering the design and it's not that big of a deal anyway. I feel that I don't want to put my name on a bad design because it's me (not my lead) that's signing off on the drawing.

Any thoughts?

 

[graybeach]

How about a big bold note on the drawing stating that mating parts shall be verified prior to fabrication?

 

[nickelkid]

I had a very similar situation within my first 2 weeks of employment several years ago. After checking and marking up some manufacturing drawings I was told by the "Senior Designer" that I needed to sign off the drawings even though my comments/concerns were not addressed. In short I refused, within a month all the parts were manufactured and could not be assembled. The engineering manager and others in the group decided to take heed to constructive checking from that point forward. The "Senior Designer" was let go within a year when the work load dropped.

If you must release something be sure it has been qualified as graybeach has suggested.

 

[EddyC]

cedar,

And what's going to happen when you sign off and the parts don't go together? Your supervisor will say that you signed off, it's therefore your responsibility and you lose your job. Let him/her do the signoff if they think the drawings are OK as is.

 

[monkeydog]

Cedar,

You need to keep your argument technical.

Show your boss the analysis that shows interference, a pictorial of the interference would probably help.

Explain what needs to be done to make the parts fit. Be proactive in the solution as well as identifying the problem.

 

[kelowna]

If you are not happy with the drawing do not release it, mark it as 'preliminary' or 'issued for comments'. No matter how much pressure there is, if that means walking out, that means walking out. If your lead says that the drawing is OK, he can sign it and take the responsibility.

I know that you can feel very difficult to resist the pressure. I have been there, ages ago on a previous life, my boss asked me first and then ordered me to change a drawing to something obviously wrong to ensure he met the schedule. I s**t my pants but refused! You still have to be able to sleep at night and live with yourself.

 

[cedarbluffranch]

Thanks guys. I will continue to push to fix the drawings and make them correct rather than signing off on bad drawings.

I have time and schedule to be able to correct them and make them right. The lead's problem comes down to he has to be in charge and micromanage everyt task that we work once. Once he has grown tired of a project, he doesn't like seeing anyone else working on it (even if it's not done by the time he is tired of it.)

Appreciate your feedback!

 

[plasgears]

In the latest microsoft office version there is a routine for overprinting a bold half-tone violation over the text. I would do the same for unfinished drawings right over the title block: 'Preliminary - not approved for production.' And no signatures in the title block.

 

[Comcokid]

My past and current employers have work environments where they're always impatient for the engineers to finish. In fact, at my past employer the development Gnatt chart would be created at the sales and management level with no technical input - that's why I don't work there anymore.

Remember the following when being pressured to release work before it's ready, checked, and tested:

Proverbs 14:17 The impatient man shall work folly, and a crafty man is hateful.
Proverbs 14:29 A patient man has great understanding, but an impatient man displays folly.

And, if you're thinking you will do it just this one time to bail him out and shut the guy up, consider the following:

Proverbs 19:19 He that is impatient shall suffer damage; if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.

Note - some translations use quick-tempered instead of impatient for the previous verses. Apparently the original word translates either way.

Or, if you don't go for verses, then consider a quote from Benjamin Franklin - "Haste makes waste."

 

[plasgears]

Comco,
I worked for a rank organization where sales was dominant. They had premium health insurance, and the rest had HMO, which frequently didn't pay benefits. I used a lawyer three times to get satisfaction.

Left at the first opportunity, and when they got into trouble, they begged me to return at any cost. At the time I was six hours away and two states removed. What a relief. That's why they say to interview the company. Ask questions, examine the org chart, find out who's boss, find out about peers and their backgrounds.

 

[ewh]

Many of the engineers here are too impatient to route drawings through me for checking, so they take it upon themselves to check and release them. That's OK with me, as it gives me the time to be thorough in what I do check. If it's my signature on the CHECKED BY box, I want to be confident that it is correct.

The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over. - [small]Hunter S. Thompson[/small]