The Quality Department also plays an essential role in prototyping: before series production starts, a pre-series batch is produced (the PPAP – Production Part Approval Process – batch), to verify all drawing specified dimensions before production is signed off. Not only must the part conform to the drawing, but it must be made with planned and controlled processes at every step, so that at the end of production the finished product satisfies the functional specifications of applicable standards.
This approach is used not only for the automotive sector, but for all sectors in which STA 2000 specialises.
Part controls employ a variety of measurement instruments, from the simplest – like gauges – to 3D control machines, including the Exagon and DEA, which works with the “point to point” method, and the Zeiss, which runs a continuous scan of the entire surface.
Other instruments include:
– roughness meters, to measure the roughness of the surface;
– durometers to measure hardness, since during the STAMPING process and subsequent processing stages, this parameter can be compromised;
– thickness meter, to measure the thickness of surface treatments.
Many types of components are handled by the Quality Department:
laser cutting makes flat, 2D parts while pressing, on the other hand, makes more complicated and harder to measure parts, for which specific control gauges are required.
If the product does not satisfy all drawing specifications, the Quality Department launches a non-conformity protocol. A technical team decides how to proceed: the part is submitted to the technical office by the project leader, and the die or downline machining programme is modified to ensure that the drawing specifications are satisfied.
The Quality Department also interfaces with the clients’ Quality Managers.