You cannot inspect quality "into" a product. The manufacturing process has to be strong enough to deliver a finished product that is manufactured to blueprint specifications. Work instructions, assembly instructions, production tooling, worker training, set-up instructions. first piece inspections, in-process inspections, checks and process audits are all part of the process to deliver a customer a quality product.

CNC machining centers deliver fantastic accuracy on machined parts if the programming and tooling are correct. If the operation has not been inspected, checked, gauged or verified; non-conforming parts are produced.

The manufacturing process produces exactly what management wants. Years ago I stopped a lot of team meetings about "rush parts" and nonconforming (out of print spec parts) with a simple question, "If you don't have time to repair the tooling and build good parts, when will you have time to rework the defective parts?" Then I quietly added, "You will rework these parts on your next production shift because you built them. My shift is not your rework shift!" More than once the Production Manager reluctantly said, "He is correct."

Apparently production numbers are more important than quality at S&W. This attitude is not unique.

__________________
S&WHF 366