For a number of years the precise tolerances within the Aerospace Industry have become more and more demanding, which has caused a constant upgrade of technology and equipment. Using certifications such as AS9100, Manufacturers have also upgraded their management style, which has resulted in some great quality control processes.
However all this high tech precision comes at a considerable price. New CNC, EDM, Laser, and other advancements are very expensive, and the time to recover capital investments is getting longer and longer. In addition both Plastic and Metal raw material costs have gone up, as well as the labor cost for highly trained workers who have to operate the high tech equipment.
It seems that at every level, the profit margins within the Aerospace Industry is getting smaller and smaller, forcing companies to re-examine every process in an attempt to reduce production costs. By using the accepted manufacturing processes, even under an AS9100 set of standards, quality control somehow always gets pushed more and more down the production cycle, leading to significant financial losses as a result of defective parts or wasted raw material.
Recognizing the financial pressure we and our customers face, SPE-Sarasota Precision Engineering Aerospace Division initiated a total review, to see how we can combine new technology with a better intellectual approach, and truly move the Quality Control process to the very front of the entire manufacturing and production cycle.
Leaning on our 30 plus years of Injection Mold experience in the Aerospace Industry, and having access to the absolute latest technology, our team through considerable trial and error developed a new process formula (SPE+4=QC) which has proven to be a financial plus.
Built upon the four key areas of activity within any manufacturing and production job, this new formula is designed to keep pushing the Quality Control awareness and process to the front of any job. The results have significantly reduced product defect, material waste, labor cost, and production time. With profit margins being so tight, and with so little room to gain an advantage, the (SPE+4=QC) formula has proven to be a tremendous financial advantage.
The Quality of any Product has to be part of the Design. Quality Control is not just a product meeting specifications, but a product using the least amount of raw material, lowest possible labor cost, and offering a maximum life expectancy. The Quality Control at the Engineering stage, must take into consideration not only precision, but the potential challenges that engineering can cause for Tooling. Tooling must focus on Quality Control, but at the same time the tooling process and sequence used can have significant impact on labor cost, which is a major cause of decreasing profit margins. Setting up production can make or break the profitability of any job, not only affecting Quality Control through defective parts, but causing any and all financial profits to vanish.
Through the (SPE+4=QC) formula, SPE-Sarasota Precision Engineering and its Aerospace Division have come up with a step by step method, that pushes Quality Control to the front of any job, and keeps it in constant focus throughout the entire job process.
For more information on this and related subjects visit http://www.spe-inc.com
