Quality Assurance

• Overview
• ISO 9001:2000
• Ford Q1 Rating
• Chrysler Recognition
• R & M Program
• Concept Phase
• Design and Development Phase
• Build and Install Phase
• Operation and Support Phase
• Conversion and/or De-commissioning Phase

 

DMW's approach to managing for quality has evolved into a singular focus and is reflected in our quality policy and mission, "to provide our Customers with people, business practices, and conveyor systems of the highest integrity." Integrity assures that DMW is united and honest in its commitment to consistently fulfill and exceed Customers' expectations.

We achieve this by:

• regulating and directing all resources and activities necessary to bring about the successful completion of a Project;
• operating within the structure that is built upon a Customer Focused framework; and
• being driven by clearly defined goals, measured results, and mechanisms for assuring continuous improvement.
  

Our quality objectives are to provide our Customers with:

1. Guaranteed on time system startup, achieving first time throughput capability.
2. Continuous improvement of our components' and systems' reliability and maintainability.
3. No nonconformances in our systems due to our direct design or workmanship, under intended operating conditions, until the system has run at least 24,000 hours.
4. Continuous reduction in annual warranty costs.
5. Continuous training and education of our people in all areas of the organization.
6. Continuous improvement of our safety performance.
7. To provide evidence of financial stability and performance against objectives.
8. To promote Minority supplier participation among our vendors.

Metrics have been assigned to each one of these objectives, which allows our management team to directly assess the processes and events that impact these expectations. It is DMW's intent, and the fundamental goal of our quality management system, to eliminate any non-value added work, time delays, and errors that can interfere with the integrity of Project Deliverables.

DMW was certified to the ISO 9001 International Management System Standard in September of 1997, and is currently registered to ISO 9001:2000.

DMW has been a recipient of Ford Motor Company's Q1 rating since the summer of 1998. This rating requires us to continually track key business metrics, have our performance assessed and be endorsed by our customer. As a Q1 company, DMW holds itself accountable to successfully maintaining this award as a Standard of Excellence.

Since the 1980s, Chrysler has selected DMW as being their top conveyor system supplier.  As a result of our superior performance and support, DMW has been recognized as an elite supplied to Chrysler.

DMW has a comprehensive Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) Program in place. This program addresses the reliability and maintainability of our products and systems during the following phases of a project.

Project Specific R&M Plan: When required by the Customer, DMW generates a plan to address qualitative and quantitative R&M requirements. This plan is submitted to the Customer upon award of the contract.

Documented set of design guidelines for use on new designs: These guidelines include current standard engineering practices such as design margins, and analysis of electrical, mechanical, and thermal stresses.

Documented set of best practices based upon sound engineering fundamentals and feedback of "things gone right / things gone wrong" in the plants: This is accomplished through post-project reviews and the corrective action system. This ensures that our new equipment designs will eliminate all of the failure modes identified during the usage of previous equipment.

Design simplicity, modularity, commonality: This is part of our standard engineering practice and the design procedure (e.g., modular fabrication, modular wiring, etc.).

Standardization: Most of DMW's product line has been standardized. These standard products have been proven for manufacturability (standard fixtures have been developed for consistent build), installation, performance, and maintainability.

Safety and Ergonomics: Safety and ergonomic considerations are key to the design of our equipment. This includes consideration of the operator interfaces (e.g., O-line), safety warnings (tags, labels, safety lights), guarding, lockout systems (safety mats, light screens), structural analysis of critical members (including header steel, and carriers), safety devices (anti backups, anti-runaways, torque overload sensors, etc.).

Use of design Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA): Equipment design FMEAs are constructed for critical job specific designs (e.g., carriers), and standard designs as required.

Use of FEAs: Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is used to determine load capacities of critical job specific designs (e.g., carriers), and standard designs (e.g., trolleys, track sections).

Accessibility: Accessibility to our equipment is provided in the form of ladders, platforms, catwalks, etc.

Diagnostics: Built-in diagnostics are provided through control systems. This helps to identify the location of faults.

Visual Management: Visual management techniques used include:

• Identification of normal operating ranges and levels (e.g., take-up cylinder pressure).
• Direction of rotation (e.g., drives).
• Function / Identification Labels (assemblies, switches, valves, buttons, lights, etc.)
• Belt and chain drives with guarding that permits quick visual inspection and access.
• Equipment layout with all electrical control panel safety lockout points (affixed to the main electrical control panel).
• Identification of drawing numbers on main electrical control panel.
• Signals and alarms.

Quick attach / detach components: These include electrical disconnects, modular wiring, quick release handles (on guarding), quick release pins (on inspection gates), and quick release of air piping.

Maintenance manuals: Maintenance manuals are one of the outputs of the design phase and are constructed to accommodate the skill levels of personnel performing maintenance activities. Maintenance manuals also include a drawing index, sequence of operations, electrical schematics and layouts, and general layouts and details.

Use of plant-specified standard components: DMW uses plant specified components (cylinders, solenoid valves, limit switches, proximity switches, motors, reducers, etc.). This supports maintenance activities using typically stocked items / brands.

Spare parts lists: DMW forwards a list of recommended spare parts to the Customer and provides the spare parts that the Customer wishes to procure.

Reliability predictions and accelerated life tests: Where appropriate, accelerated life cycle tests are conducted on new designs / changes to existing standard designs, under intended operating conditions or worst case scenarios. This is to ensure that the minimum requirement of no failure for 24,000 hours (or equivalent in cycles) is exceeded. Through these accelerated tests, projections are made on equipment reliability. Also, equipment reliability projections are made based on data collected from Customer plants.

Design Reviews: At appropriate stages in the design, planned reviews are conducted. The results of these reviews are documented. Action items and responsibility for implementation are detailed. Personnel from appropriate functions (including the Customer / Customer Representative and subcontractors) are involved in the reviews.

Process FMEAs: DMW has established process FMEAs for all key manufacturing processes. These FMEAs are living documents and are updated whenever there are process changes or product failures which can be attributed to a problem with the process.

Manufacturing control plans: Manufacturing process variables that affect product quality and reliability are controlled through manufacturing control plans. Generic control plans have been established for product families, and where required, a control plan specific to a new design is developed.

Procured components: DMW collects R&M and test data from component suppliers on a regular basis. This information is used as an aid in predicting the reliability of our equipment, and to procure components that optimize overall reliability. During manufacturing and installation, procured components are used in compliance with supplier recommendations.

Pre-startup inspections and tests: After installation, inspections, de-bug, and 20-hour runs are conducted to reduce the effect of compounding failures on startup and ensure that DMW's quality objective of first time throughput capability is achieved. Problems that occur during the tests are documented and corrective action is implemented. This resolves most infant mortality issues prior to the Customer's usage of the equipment, thus increasing product reliability.

Data Collection: During pre-startup inspections, starting points are established for data collection (e.g., track wear measurements). These points are re-visited during subsequent inspections for further data collection and analysis.

Data Collection: We have instituted a policy to visit our installation sites at defined intervals after project launch and conduct an inspection of our equipment. The results of these inspections are used to establish predictions of Mean Time Between Failure and Mean Time to Repair. During the inspections, observations and recommendations are made to plant personnel, on preventive and predictive maintenance activities. When problems are noted, appropriate corrective and preventive actions are initiated. Through these inspections continuous improvement in the reliability and maintainability of our equipment is achieved.

Failure Analysis and Corrective / Preventive Action System: A corrective action system in place for the analysis and resolution of problems arising from our equipment. This includes verification of the effectiveness of the corrective action. Also, potential problems in similar areas are identified and preventive action measures are taken.

Data collection: During conversion and decommissioning, product performance data (e.g., the state of trolley wheel bearings after extensive usage) is collected and used for R&M growth and continuous improvement.

Modularity: Modularity of DMW assemblies increases the ease of disassembly and re-assembly during the conversion process. Modularity and standardization also allows the replacement of only specific components to accommodate changes in production needs, as opposed to replacing the entire conveyor system.