The Cost of Defective Parts

The costs associated with defective parts include: 

• Brand/reputation damage

• Recalls

• Air freight costs for rush replacement parts

• Loss of business

• Production downtime

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Once you add up these costs, the value of sorting and inspection quickly becomes evident. Sorting and inspection processes significantly lower the number of defective parts per million (PPM). The costs associated with sorting and inspection equipment, personnel, training, or outsourcing may seem intimidating, but they are ultimately negligible in comparison to the risks of delivering shipments containing a high rate of defective PPM to a customer. 
 

Benefits and Applications for Sorting and Inspection

 

Sorting and inspection services provide tangible benefits that have a positive impact on a manufacturer’s bottom line, including:   
 

• More accurate reporting of defects 

• Higher quality shipments

• Reduced returns

• Improved customer relations 

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These benefits are a cost-effective means of reducing costs associated with low quality control, which outweigh the costs related to decreased PPM. 

Applications for inspection services include:

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• Sorting of incoming parts for forming

• Inspecting for molding or casting defects

• Ensuring correct assembly

• Reviewing parts for insufficient or excessive plating

• Checking for paint defects

 

Lot numbers or date codes from the defective parts can be recorded and problem parts can be quarantined for return to the vendor. Acceptable parts can be packed into the original containers, then corrected for count with makeup parts or specially packaged according to customer needs.

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Inspection Methods

Our sorting and inspection services incorporate a variety of methods. Each process offers advantages for specific applications. 

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Visual Inspection

Visual inspection locates surface defects and is among the most common inspection methods used by manufacturers. This method identifies and separates parts that show surface cracks, corrosion, contamination, discontinuities, and finishes which may lead to the structural or mechanical failure of the part. Visual inspection includes both naked eye and magnified inspection processes. 

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Gauging - Go/No Go Gauges

Gauges measure whether an object conforms to specified dimensional standards. While measuring checks the actual dimensions of the object, gauging evaluates the dimensional variation of an object from an established standard. When used for quality control processes, gauging identifies and separates parts that fall outside the allowable tolerances specified by the application. 

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Check Fixtures

Inspection of parts with complex geometries often requires a custom designed tool known as a check fixture to verify that the part is within appropriate tolerance limits. Pins attached to a base stabilize a manufactured product over a pattern that fits the desired shape of the part. 

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Parts Rework

Some separated parts may have correctable defects like surface finish, cracks, marring, or slight tolerance variations. These parts can often be reworked to appropriate specifications using processes such as: 

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• Grinding

• Machining

• Adhesive bonding

• Heat staking

• Ultrasonic welding

• Soldering

  

If economically feasible, problem parts can be reworked in-house. We can work with customers to have parts sent directly from their vendor to our facility for incoming inspection.
 

Quality Control in Manufacturing

Quality control is essential to cost-effective manufacturing. Best practices for quality control include adherence to the following principles: 

Six Sigma

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Six Sigma is a quality control methodology that uses the acronym DMAIC: 

     • Define 

     • Measure

     • Analyze

     • Improve

     • Control 
 

Six Sigma practices focus not only on identifying defects, but on analyzing processes to remove the root causes of those defects.

 

Lean Manufacturing

Lean principles take a minimalist approach to manufacturing. In Lean production, processes are optimized to ensure they produce minimal waste. By implementing Lean methodology, we can help customers to minimize waste by lowering their overall defect rates. 

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Industry Standards

Industry standard compliance is a key function of inspection and sorting services. Our part sorting and inspection services are ISO 9001:2015 and UL compliant.