Thursday, September 22, 2022

Inspection Activities - Operation Analysis - Process Improvement


Lesson 126 of  Industrial Engineering ONLINE Course

Inspection Operations Improvement  Sub-Module of IE ONLINE Course -  Lessons
126127 - 128 - 129 - 130 - 131 - 132


Focus on Quality Essential for Industrial Engineers

F.W. Taylor: It is to be ensured that no quality deterioration takes place due to increasing productivity by increasing speed of machines or that of operators. Inspection system has to be put in place first to prove that there is no quality deterioration due to productivity improvement interventions or attempts and redesign of processes.

Hence, industrial engineers have to document the quality level of each and every element of the process (step of the process) in the process chart. After implementing the process also, they have to record the quality data on the new process chart and thus should not give any chance for any person to say that quality has deteriorated due to productivity improvement.

Juran: “Just as the twentieth century was the century of productivity, the twenty-first century will be the quality century.”

Reimann (1992a), Director for Quality Programs, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce, in testimony to the U.S. Congress: “There is now far clearer perception that quality is central to company competitiveness and to national competitiveness.”

Inspection during processing and after processing are done to ensure that the parts or products are as per the specification. Customer also inspects before using. Inspection is an important operation in production and service activities.

Inspection is included as one of the five operations included in the ASME process chart for evaluating and improving it to increase productivity. Inspection operation has to be improved and its work station has to be improved. The handling the component is to be improved.

While the inspection procedure employed in this operation is analyzed for improvement, it is necessary to evaluate the self inspection done by the operator. The inspection done by the operator is at the input side as well at the output side. It is related to the material and it extends to tools, gauges and set up also.

In the case of transport operation, we always think of layout improvement at the plant level. Similarly, in case of inspection, we need to think of the quality management system and practices of the company. Improvement at the company level quality management practices, can be have a big effect on the productivity of inspection operations.

Read for more details on Taylor's focus on quality:

Illustrations of Success of Scientific Management - Bicycle Balls Inspection Example - Taylor


Engineering/Technology - Process/Operation Interface Industrial Engineering


Industrial engineers have to regularly get news regarding engineering and technology developments and assess their utility for productivity/performance improvement of processes in their organization.

Where utility is there, they have to do detailed investigation and incorporate the new technology element in their process and increase the performance. This is continuous engineering improvement of the process and is the responsibility of the industrial engineer. When the engineering change is carried out the design group will get acquainted with the new technology elements and will take steps to use it appropriately in their new design and major redesign projects.  Engineering - Industrial Engineering is a cumulative process. Each contributing their share in the design of products and processes and the knowledge is cumulated.

Inspection operation improvement related News

(Collection of current news - News, Information for Inspection Operation Analysis )

Modular gauging and holding fixtures with 3D-printed locators make the Coordinate Measuring Machine  sequence faster and more reliable.


AUG 13, 2020
The patented products are being supplied by Rapidfit. Gage fixtures are for inspecting automotive components after manufacturing. Holding fixtures support components as they are built into a vehicle and measured using CMMs or other metrology equipment. 



Analysis of Tolerances and Inspection Standards

The specification of tolerances or the standards of quality, accuracy, finish, and so on, that the operation must satisfy play an important part in the methods used to produce the part. In fact, in many cases, the requirements fix the method. The accuracy with which the diameter of a small shaft must be machined and the finish which the machined surface must possess will determine the machines that must be used, the number of cuts taken, and the feeds and speeds.

Hence, at the outset of any process/operation/methods study, it is important, first, that the tolerance requirements of the operation be known and, second, that these requirements be reviewed for correctness.  The assumptions are made that the operator is doing a job which will pass inspection and that the requirements as specified by the designer or the chief inspector are correct. Undoubtedly these assumptions are true in the majority of industrial operations, but enough important exceptions are encountered to make an analysis of tolerance and inspection requirements a point of primary importance.

Questions.

The following questions should be raised and, as always, answered only after careful consideration:

1. What are the inspection requirements of this operation?

2. What are the requirements of the preceding operation?

3. What are the requirements of the following operation?

4. Will changing the requirements of a previous operation make this operation easier to perform?

5. Will changing the requirement of this operation make a subsequent operation easier to perform?

6. Are tolerance, allowance, finish, and other requirements necessary?

7. Are they suitable for the purpose the part has to play in the finished product ?

8. Can the requirements be raised to improve quality without increasing cost?

9. Will lowering the requirements materially reduce costs?

10. Can the quality of the finished product be improved in any way even beyond present requirements?

Relation of Methods Efficiency Study to Quality.


Methods efficiency studies are made primarily for the purpose of eliminating waste and reducing costs. In so doing, however, it goes without saying that nothing should be done to impair the quality of the finished product or its salability. Because the methods efficiency engineer is interested in enhancing the competitive position of his company's products, he quite naturally must take a keen interest in the factor of quality. Products of superior quality outsell products of inferior quality, other things being equal; hence, an improvement in quality is always desirable, provided, of course, that it is necessary and useful quality. Any improvement that betters the functioning, appearance, or salability of the product should be constantly sought. Unnecessary quality, however, refinements that add to the cost of the product without in any way improving it, should be eliminated.

Sometimes it is difficult to decide whether a certain requirement is an unnecessary refinement or a desirable improver of quality. Such questions can be answered only after a thorough discussion of all of the factors involved. In general, however, because of the competitive condition existing in industry, any suggested improvement in quality that can be made without taking the product out of its price class should be adopted.

The methods efficiency engineer is in a good position to make suggestions that will improve quality. Because he studies a product in detail and considers thoroughly every factor connected with it, he is quite likely to discover ways of making the product better. In addition, because he eventually sets up working methods that are easy, efficient methods, and because he trains all operators to follow those methods, a higher and more uniform quality of workmanship results than where each operator is left to develop methods for himself. As a result, therefore, methods study tends to raise the quality of the finished product.

Results of Analyzing Inspection Requirements.


For machine work, the limits of accuracy within which the part must be machined are customarily specified on the drawing of the part. These allowances are worked out by the design engineers and are based upon the function the part is to play in the finished product and the relation of the dimensions of the part to the dimensions of the other parts with which it is used. Theoretically, the allowances established by the design engineers should be correct; but because the human element enters in here as elsewhere, they should be carefully checked by the analyst.

Close tolerances raise the cost of a machining operation by making it necessary for the operator to work accurately, checking his work frequently. More cuts are necessary if dimensions must be held accurately, and perhaps even additional operations on other machines. There is a tendency for designers to specify increasingly close tolerances, a tendency that many shopmen deplore. However, the performance requirements of many products are becoming daily more exacting, and as a result accuracy requirements are likely to become increasingly severe. Machine shops, therefore, must face this problem and learn how to work more and more accurately. That this objective can be attained is evidenced by the remarkable advances being made almost daily in the automotive and aviation industries.

When tolerances are carefully reviewed, some may be found that appear to be unnecessarily close for the function of the part hi the finished apparatus. Such cases should be presented to the engineers with a statement of the amount that may be saved by allowing greater leeway. If the tolerance really is too close and a worth-while saving will be made by increasing it, the change will in all probability be made.

It will aid materially in getting such changes made if charts showing tolerance and related cost are available for different classes of operations. Such charts serve to emphasize clearly how much costs are increased as tolerances are decreased. They can also be of value to design engineers, for reference purposes.

Occasionally, tolerances are not close enough. Sometimes, by tightening the requirements on a machining operation, the assembly is made easier, and the amount spent on the extra machine work is offset or more than offset by the saving made on the assembly floor. In standardized manufacture, fitting during assembly has been practically eliminated. Parts are machined so that they go together without filing, bending, or adjusting. The same condition is desirable in small-quantity production where much fitting is commonly done, and it can often be approached by tightening the accuracy requirements on the principal parts.

When a product is made to sell for a price, as, for example, a certain grade of shoe, the matter of allowed quality becomes extremely important. It is possible to add operations almost indefinitely that will improve quality, but the added cost will take the finished shoe out of its price range. Hence, it becomes necessary to determine what can be done for the amount of money available. In a situation of this kind, labor effectiveness is of paramount importance. The more effectively operations are performed, the more operations can be done. The more operations, the better the quality, and, hence, the better the competitive position of the shoe.


Questions - Maynard

1. If accurate work is necessary, are proper gages or other measuring instruments provided?

2. Are gages or other measuring instruments checked for accuracy from time to time?

Source: Operation Analysis, Maynard

6 Factors to Consider Before Moving to Automated Inspection
A properly programmed automatic-visual-inspection system can significantly reduce the risk of bad inspections, and lead to reduced costs over time.
Dr. Helmut Hamfeld
JUL 05, 2016
https://www.machinedesign.com/markets/manufacturing-equipment/article/21832077/6-factors-to-consider-before-moving-to-automated-inspection

https://www.automation.com/en-us/articles/2009-2/automated-inspection-gaging-systems-improve-qualit

September 15, 2019
https://metrology.news/15056-2/



LS-C-5.8 laser scanning solution for non-contact surface inspection on the machine tool.  It is  an easy-to-use, contactless solution for capturing surface measurement data quickly and directly on the production line.

New ultrasonic touch probe for fully automated thickness measurement, the RWP20.50-G-UTP, which integrates directly with a machine tool.

Measuring thickness often requires an elaborate manual setup, which includes the installation of external, manual ultrasonic measuring instruments. Hexagon’s RWP20.50-G-UTP ultrasonic touch probe automates and simplifies the procedure, as part of the machine tool installation, just like a regular touch probe.

Preventive Inspection

Shigeo Shingo highlights the concept of preventive inspection. The manufacturing process must have preventive inspection operations to prevent defects from occurring in the process of manufacturing.

The inspection occurring at the end of completion of the process may prevent the defective part from getting despatched or sent to the customer. But eliminating defects during the process has to be the first aim and it can be achieved only by inserting process defect preventing inspection operations in the process as part of process design and redesign.



Inspection Operations Industrial Engineering


Inspection operations and processes are studied and redesigned to improve productivity or reduce costs under the focus of industrial engineering: Process Industrial Engineering


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Quality - Inspection System Industrial Engineering 


Quality system industrial engineering is the study of resource use in various quality, inspection engineering and management activities with a view to increasing the efficiency or eliminating the waste wherever possible. While the quality activities are carried out to ensure that product designs and process designs produce products and services that meet the needs of the targeted customers and delight them by giving more, there is possibility of excessive use of organization's resources. Industrial engineering is concerned with the management of resource use and in this function, the quality system design is carefully investigated by the industrial engineering to identify and remove waste. Industrial engineering succeeded in reducing the cost of many processes designed in the first iteration by the managers up to 50% and hence it is a very important activity in systems design or systems engineering.

Famous example of industrial engineering, is Henry Ford's production system redesign, that reduced the price of the automobile by half. Frederick Taylor, the founder of IE discipline has improved the productivity of some of the inspection processes.

System Industrial Engineering - System Efficiency Engineering 

Machine Effort Industrial Engineering -   Human Effort Industrial Engineering


Quality related activities are undertaken by marketing professions, product design professionals, process design professions, production persons, inspection persons in the case of products or services marketing by an organization. Apart from the various activities done by the company also need to have quality and hence all the persons in the organization are connected to quality. Statisticians contributed to quality field. Statistical quality control helped in increasing the efficiency of quality system by reducing inspection effort. Industrial engineers promoted SQC as a part of quality system industrial engineering.

To do industrial engineering of inspection methods to reduce the cost of inspection operation or cost, a redesign of the operation or process has to be done. To redesign the engineering elements, industrial engineers have to know the engineering alternatives in  terms of different inspection methods, equipment and tools like gauges etc.

In the evolving Industry 4.0 environment, inspection systems industrial engineering has to follow the applied industrial engineering steps framework created by Narayana Rao (2018).


Quality - Inspection System and Operations Industrial Engineering

Applied Industrial Engineering - Process Steps


Monitor - Explore - Analyze - Develop - Optimize - Participate - Install - Improve


Brief explanation of the Applied Industrial Engineering - Process Steps


Monitor - Technology Monitoring - Applied Industrial Engineering

Explore - Technology Exploration - Applied Industrial Engineering

Analysis - Productivity Analysis of New Technology - Applied Industrial Engineering

Develop - Develop Productivity Knowledge of New Technology - Applied Industrial Engineering

Optimize - Optimize Productivity Engineering Ideas - Applied Industrial Engineering

Participate - Participate in New Technology Implementation Projects - Applied Industrial Engineering

Install - Be An Active Member of the Project Execution and Management Team - Applied Industrial Engineering

Improve - Continuous and Periodic Improvement of Productivity - Applied Industrial Engineering



The first IE analysis of any new technology is engineering economic analysis. The investment outlay, operating cost and operating revenues are to be estimated for the new technology by industrial engineers.  Based on the estimates of these cash flows, return on investment can be calculated. If ROI is positive, industrial engineers can immediately inform management as well as their colleagues about the opportunity to adopt the new technology as early as possible to derive the benefit (ROI) from it.


Smart Inspection - Inspection Developments in Industry 4.0 Engineering/Production Environment



Smart Inspection prevents Downtime
Inspection across a production line also plays a key role in effective quality control. Our systems combine sensors like vision systems with smart data to ensure any issues have minimal impact on the line.
http://blog.omron.eu/smart-inspection-prevents-downtime/


Smart inspection solution for printed coding and marking
07 June 2019
A collaboration between SICK and AutoCoding Systems has resulted in the launch of what is believed to be the first fully-automatic smart vision inspection system for printed coding and marking on food and beverage packaging.
https://www.fponthenet.net/article/171330/Smart-inspection-solution-for-printed-coding-and-marking.aspx


2018

Inspection in the age of smart manufacturing
Written by: Tom Austin-Morgan | Published: 05 November 2018
Metrology is often an overlooked process in manufacturing, when it actually plays an essential role. In particular, inspection helps ensure that component parts fit together accurately and ensures that final products work and operate safely. Even for relatively simple manufactured products, there is more to inspection than meets the eye.
http://www.eurekamagazine.co.uk/design-engineering-features/technology/inspection-in-the-age-of-smart-manufacturing/192747/

LEAN
Applying Smart Manufacturing Technology to Conduct Smart Inspections
How a company used visual inspection software to improve its manufacturing and inspection process
PUBLISHED: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2018
https://www.qualitydigest.com/inside/lean-article/applying-smart-manufacturing-technology-conduct-smart-inspections-101118.html

Epicor Smart Inspection 2.0 Shop Workflow Solution To Be Integrated With New CarMD PRO SCAN Diagnostic Tool
Austin, Texas
October 30, 2018
Integrated solution to help automotive service businesses grow through faster, more complete vehicle inspections, diagnostics, and repairs
https://www.epicor.com/en-us/newsroom/news-releases/epicor-smart-inspection-20-shop-workflow-solution-to-be-integrated-with-new-carmd-pro-scan-diagnostic-tool/

NOVEMBER 2, 2017
Epicor Introduces ‘Smart Inspection’ Tool
Innovative mobile “Smart Inspection” tool that guides automotive service professionals through detailed vehicle inspections and generates custom-branded inspection reports that can be delivered to the customer.
https://www.tirereview.com/epicor-introduces-smart-inspection-tool/


CLEANING INSPECTIONS SIMPLIFIED
https://mysmartinspect.com/

Smart Inspection Systems
Techniques and Applications of Intelligent Vision
Book • 2003
D.T. Pham and R.J. Alcock
https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780125541572/smart-inspection-systems





Ultrasonic Bearing Inspection
http://www.uesystems.eu/applications/ultrasonic-bearing-mechanical-inspection/

2019
An Analysis of Modern Bridge Inspection Technologies
by SARAH MCGUIRE, ALICIA HEARNS April 29, 2019
https://www.giatecscientific.com/education/bridge-inspection-technologies/

In-Line Inspection using Combined Technologies – Magnetic ...
https://www.pipeline-conference.com/sites/default/files/papers/PTC%202009%202.2%20Beuker.pdf


 2018
What’s the optimal assembly verification method for tough inspection tasks?
Comparing traditional machine vision, human inspection, photometric, and machine learning approaches for solving the hardest inspection challenges.
Oct 1st, 2018
https://www.vision-systems.com/factory/manufacturing/article/16739326/whats-the-optimal-assembly-verification-method-for-tough-inspection-tasks


2015
Cost-effective approach to pier inspection and maintenance
Authors: G. B. Bakun,  2015
A Maintenance Management Methodology for Dealing with Marine Pier Deterioration
Preliminary Inspection - Detailed Inspection
Structural Analysis - Repair/Preventive Maintenance
Two Examples of Savings Achieved Through Analysis
https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/maosm.02739.0027

G. R. Tang and M. Jiang, "Analysis and Research on Inspection Methods of Drilling Holes in Power Transmission Line Foundation", Applied Mechanics and Materials, Vols. 799-800, pp. 1268-1271, 2015
https://www.scientific.net/AMM.799-800.1268

2013
Why New Inspection Methods Can Cost Less? - Medical device inspection
http://www.mdtmag.com/articles/2013/04/why-new-inspection-methods-can-cost-less#.UqiI-dKBni4

Method improves ultrasonic inspection of complex parts
http://www.theengineer.co.uk/channels/design-engineering/news/method-improves-ultrasonic-inspection-of-complex-parts/1016789.article

Method for optical inspection of nanoscale objects based upon analysis of their defocused images and features of its practical implementation
M.V. Ryabko, S.N. Koptyaev, A.V. Shcherbakov, A.D. Lantsov, and S.Y. Oh
Optics Express Vol. 21, Issue 21, pp. 24483-24489 (2013)
https://www.osapublishing.org/oe/abstract.cfm?uri=oe-21-21-24483

2011
The Technology of Inspection
https://www.zurich.com/NR/rdonlyres/57697FBF-094A-482B-82DC-95503C500047/0/thetechnologyofinspection.pdf

2007


APPLICATION OF EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN FOR EFFICIENT WIND TUNNEL TESTING:  THE TANDEM WING MAV CAS
By  TERESA G. ENGLISH
MS Thesis submitted to the Department of Industrial Engineering
2007
http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/theses_1/available/etd-04092007-182020/unrestricted/Manuscript_Teresa_G_English.pdf

2003
Five Steps to Cutting Inspection Costs
http://www.qualitymag.com/articles/84037


2002
Modern Methods for Quality Control and Improvement
Harrison M. Wadsworth, Kenneth S. Stephens, A. Blanton Godfrey
John Wiley & Sons, 2002 - Quality control - 683 pages

This is a revision of a classic! This text provides a single source for information on both the structure and management of quality systems and the use of statistics to control and improve quality. It incorporates an international flavor and a good balance of services and manufacturing coverage. The goal of the second edition remains the same as the first edition - to promote learning by means of practical, effective applications intended to develop, control, and improve quality systems and processes
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=PjdUqegFUewC





Poka-Yoke is a term being used to describe the devices installed in the process or operation to highlight the likely defect and prevent it.




For Zero defects, Shigeo Shingo came up with an industrial engineering solution. Industrial engineering needs efficiency sense and focus. They have to use engineering knowledge to improve the efficiency of engineering systems and reduce costs. The solution proposed by Shingo for zero defect production is Poka-Yoke. The features built into the machine and associated devices that prevent defects from happening.  The features inform the operator that a mistake has happened and provide him an opportunity to correct the mistake.

Familiar examples of Poka Yoke

1) Warning about missing attachment file you get while composing email using Gmail.

2) Websites showing password strength indicator to show password strength. So weak passwords are avoided.

3) Google search engine feature to auto-suggest spelling corrections for user search query. This helps uses to avoid making inadvertent mistakes during search.




Bibliography


‘POKA YOKE’ OR QUALITY BY MISTAKE PROOFING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SYSTEMS

Iris D. Tommelein
Director, Project Production Systems Laboratory, http://p2sl.berkeley.edu/, and Professor,
Engineering and Project Management Program, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department,
215-A McLaughlin Hall, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-1712,

http://p2sl.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Tommelein-2008-Poka-Yoke-or-Quality-by-Mistake-Proofing-Design-and-Construction-Systems.pdf

2008 Paper on Shingo System
http://www.cba.uri.edu/research/workingpapers/documents/2008/animplementationoftheshingosystem.pdf


Mistake-Proofing for Operators: The ZQC System

Shigeo Shingo, Productivity Press Development Team
Productivity Press, 01-Jan-1997 - Business & Economics - 80 pages


The Zero Quality Control System (ZQC) is a mistake-proofing approach that prevents defects by monitoring processing conditions at the source and correcting errors that cause defects. Since it is human nature to make mistakes, ZQC does not blame people for errors, but instead finds ways to keep errors from becoming defects. In this breakthrough approach, mistake-proofing devices called poka-yoke are used to check and give feedback about each product or operation in the process, not just a sample. This book introduces operators and assembly workers to the basic methodology of ZQC in an easy-to-read format that covers all aspects of this important manufacturing improvement strategy.

Mistake-Proofing for Operators includes the instructional features that are the signature of the Shopfloor Series. In this series Productivity Press has taken the lead in adult education by teaming with instructional designers to develop complete programs for frontline learning. The goal: to place powerful and proven improvement tools such as ZQC and mistake-proofing in the hands of your company's entire workforce.

Winner of the 1990 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing, Mistake-Proofing for Operators is based on Zero Quality Control: Source Inspection and the Poka-Yoke System by Shigeo Shingo
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=KVQCKuhdWxgC


Poka-Yoke: Improving Product Quality by Preventing Defects
Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Factory Magazine
Productivity Press, 1988 - Business & Economics - 282 pages


If your goal is 100% zero defects, here is the book for you — a completely illustrated guide to poka-yoke (mistake-proofing) for supervisors and shop-floor workers. Many poka-yoke ideas come from line workers and are implemented with the help of engineering staff or tooling or machine specialists. The result is better product quality and greater participation by workers in efforts to improve your processes, your products, and your company as a whole.

The first section of the book uses a simple, illustrated format to summarize many of the concepts and main features of poka-yoke. The second section shows 240 examples of poka-yoke improvements implemented in Japanese plants.

The book:

Organizes examples according to the broad issue or problem they address.
Pinpoints how poka-yoke applies to specific devices, parts and products, categories of improvement methods, and processes.
Provides sample improvement forms for you to sketch out your own ideas.
Use Poka-yoke in study groups as a model for your improvement efforts. It may be your single most important step toward eliminating defects completely. (For an industrial engineering perspective on how source inspection and poka-yoke can work together to reduce defects to zero, see Shigeo Shingo's Zero Quality Control.)
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=hR_8Ulz6d_oC


Case Studies - Examples

Mistake Proofing, Poka-Yoke Style.
- 11/05/2018
mobile cart with poka-yoke

Five parts are to be picked on put  on the cart. The design  makes sure the associate puts the correct part on the car. This cart is wireless and speaks directly if the incorrect part is picked, or if the part is missed completely and the cart is moved.
https://www.bmwusfactory.com/team10_articles/mistake-proofing-poka-yoke-style/

https://leanfactories.com/poka-yoke-examples-error-proofing-in-manufacturing-daily-life/

https://www.rnaautomation.com/blog/poka-yoke-in-manufacturing/

https://tulip.co/blog/lean-manufacturing/poka-yoke-examples-everyday-life/

Training Programs

India
Shingo Institute of Japanese Management, Bangalore and Hyderabad
http://www.shingoinstitute.ac.in/poka-yoke.php


UK
http://www.poka-yoke.org.uk/


Incorrect statements by Quality Persons.


Juran's Quality Handbook

A few planners, managers, or engineers are planning all the steps of every process, defining carefully worded job descriptions, and enforcing the unthinking following of instructions. (P.14.7)


Ud  22.9.2022, 22.9.2021, 28 May 2021
Pub 5 Dec 2020


1 comment:

  1. Industrial engineers have to document the quality level of each and every element of the process (step of the process) in the process chart. Are you doing it?
    Inspection Activities - Operation Analysis - Process Improvement.
    Lesson 126 of Industrial Engineering ONLINE Course
    #IndustrialEngineering #Productivity #CostReduction #Inspection #Quality
    https://nraoiekc.blogspot.com/2020/12/inspection-activities-operation.html

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