Our company, Galbiati and Colombo, is based in Molteno, in the province of Lecco and has always been involved in all types of metal turning for third parties in Lecco, Turin and also the Milan area. Over the years we have managed to blend experience, tradition and innovation, equipping our production plant with the best equipment in the sector and therefore satisfying our customer requests more quickly. Metal turning is a very complicated operation, which involves processing components which have holes or grooves, by removing the swarf.
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“Our operations run using the following procedure: the first check takes place at the time of accepting the goods, then the first pieces are made, which are checked both by the machine operator and by one of the quality department managers. Following this, approval is given to the start the actual production. At that point, we proceed with the SPC (Statistical Process Control), a method of controlling quality on a sample piece, during the manufacturing process. The control measurements, which it is possible to collect “continuous control statistics” from, is decided on before the industrialisation phase, depending on the type of piece. Normally, for our type of production, it is not necessary to carry out 100% check of the pieces with cameras or other instruments. In general, all that is needed is to set a control frequency that allows us to guarantee a defective level according to an AQL/LQA previously agreed with the customer even if we are able to supply even “zero defects” certificates, unless we are specifically asked to do otherwise. The control data is reported and processed directly in our system or recorded on specific sheets in order to archive all the information and “record” any non-compliance in order to obtain a history to be analysed that allows us to avoid the same errors in the future. Furthermore, we have set up a sort of “supervisor” on behalf of the quality control managers so that the finished sample pieces can be checked to avoid the risk of “oversights” or errors by the operator “in process”. This “supervisor”, at least once a month, will also inspect the condition of the machine tools for additional safety measures. For the most important pieces we also carry out an additional final check, and we can also enter the measurement data in a central software system for a more elaborate analysis if the customer should request it”.
Do you consider “measurement in process” a vital procedure?
“Absolutely yes, at least in our company. It is a necessary “system” to understand if what you are doing is correct or not. We make small parts, in an hour we can produce, depending on the type, even several hundred pieces. In case of problems, if we did not carry out “in process” measurements, we would risk throwing away thousands of pieces at the end of the day, and the damage would be double: time and material. The frequency control, on the other hand, helps us to monitor what is happening, gives us security, and eventually allows us to proceed with corrective actions in a timely manner “.
What instruments do you use to take the measurements?
“We have precision gauges of up to 0.01 mm, external and internal micrometres, comparator altimeters, roughness gauges, durometers, and profile projectors. These devices allow you to measure the pieces by “projecting” the image of their profiles”. Giussani concludes with a general consideration: “I believe that the “measurement in process” is quite widespread among Italian engineering companies. Depending on the degree of technology used, more or less automated, this type of control also has the advantage of empowering operators who learn to act as a “filter” to any production defects.