Newfield

Here at Newfield, we utilise a process known as ‘air bending’ that uses the minimum amount of force possible. This maximises the capability of the press brake while reducing tooling wear.

Bend Radius (Inside Bend Radius)

With air bending, the inside radius is predominantly determined by the die opening (also referred to as V-width). In order to reduce the required force, a larger V-width must be used. Generally, the minimum inside radius is equivalent to the thickness of the material. Because dies are manufactured in specific sizes, generous tolerances should be allowed – up to ± 30%.

Minimum Flange Length

It is recommended that the minimum flange length should be at least four times the material thickness. The V-width of the press brake determines how small the flanges can be. Smaller flanges than this are only possible with additional work, such as forming a larger flange and then machining it down, adding expense. Our team of design engineers will thoroughly analyse the manufacture of a part, including possible tooling, to ensure costs are minimised and the part meets all requirements.

Bend Relief

If a bend is too close to an adjacent edge, the material is likely to tear. To prevent this, the relief length should be greater than the radius of the bend. The width of the relief should also be the equivalent of the material thickness, at least. There are several advantages to a larger bend relief, including ease of component alignment, prevention of crack propagation and the reduction of setup and running costs.

Forming Near Holes

It is recommended that holes are positioned away from bends to avoid distortion. As the material is bent, the hole will deform from its original size and shape, likely preventing it from performing its intended function. Any holes located close to a bend must be created after bending as part of a secondary machining operation. To avoid the associated expenses, any holes or slot edges should be positioned so that they are clear of the die opening when the bend is formed. Generally, this means holes or slot edges must be offset around 3-4 times the material thickness from the bend line.

Bend Edge Distortion

Distortion can be created at the edge of a bend as material thickness increases and the bend radius decreases, this is part of the bending process. If this is unacceptable, then the component can be relieved.

Dimensions

Our engineering team dimensions parts in a single direction, where possible. Due to the sequential nature of the forming process, and the fact that dimensional variations are introduced by each bend, dimensioning in a single direction helps to control tolerance accumulation.

Our Engineering team not only rely on their personal expertise but also “shop-floor” knowledge, collaborating to determine the best tool selection and critically comparing this with what has been recommended by the software. This ensures that the most appropriate tool is used every time and that the parts meet the dimensional tolerances requested by the customer.

If a blank development is required, it should be marked up as ‘For Information Only’. Developments provided by third parties are often created without consideration for the actual press brake tools used during production. To guarantee the desired quality, it may be necessary to generate a blank development to suit the tooling, ensuring that the formed component matches the requirements.

Autodesk Inventor Info

Autodesk Inventor is a 3D mechanical solid modelling design software developed by Autodesk to create 3D digital prototypes. It is used for 3D mechanical design, design communication, tooling creation and product simulation. This software enables users to produce accurate 3D models to aid in designing, visualizing and simulating products before they are built.

It incorporates integrated motion simulation and assembly stress analysis, whereby users are given options to input driving loads, dynamic components, friction loads and further run the dynamic simulation to test how the product will function in a real-world scenario. These simulation tools enable users designing cars or automotive parts, for example, to optimize the strength and weight of a product, identify high-stress areas, identify and reduce unwanted vibrations, and even size motors to reduce their overall energy consumption.

Autodesk Inventor’s finite element analysis feature allows users to validate the component design through testing part performance under loads. The optimization technology and parametric studies permit users to design parameters within assembly stress areas and compare the design options. Then, the 3D model is updated based on these optimized parameters.

Our Engineering Team also utilises TruTops Boost software for laser nesting as well as programming on our TruBend 230S.

Boost Info

TruTops Boost, the new software solution developed by Trumpf, merges into a single system all the steps needed to generate sheet metal manufacturing programs. This includes everything from part design and data import to nesting and even writing NC programs for cutting, punching and bending. The new operating reasoning makes TruTops Boost easy to understand and, thanks to the Boost Technology, makes it unbeatably fast since the calculations are carried out automatically.

With TruTops Boost, designing and programming for sheet metal processing are made much simpler. The new Trumpf software is based on an entirely new operating philosophy. The program steps the operator through the process and provides support in numerous automatic features. Here, a single system, working on the basis of the job order, handles the design, generates an unfolding, and prepares NC programs for 2D laser cutting, punching and bending. No longer is it necessary to place information in intermediate storage and call it up in various applications.

A jig is a type of tool used to control the location or motion of another tool. A fixture, on the other hand, is a support or work holding device used to fix the object in place. In metal and woodworking, both jigs and fixtures are essential tools. Many often confuse the two but they are two distinct tools with very different functions.

A jig is typically described as a plate, box or open frame used for holding work and guiding machine tools to the work. The main objective of a jig is to provide repeatability, interchangeability and accuracy in the manufacturing process. The most common form of jig is the drill jig, which guides the drill bit to the desired hole location.

A fixture describes the various devices used to hold work in a machine tool. It is a supporting device that is quite large and permanently attached to the work surface. The main objective of a fixture is to ensure that the workpiece is stable and does not move during machining, assembly or welding. A fixture can be unique and built to fit a particular part or shape.

There are also devices that do both the work of a jig and fixture. These are called jigs, which is also why many get confused and find it hard to tell the two apart. There are many types of jigs, some of which includes machining jigs, robot jigs, welders’ jigs, jeweller’s jigs and so on. Some types of jigs are also known as templates or guides.

Just like jigs, there are also various types of fixtures, including general purpose and specialised. Fixtures that are used for general purposes are usually relatively inexpensive and can hold a variety of dimensionally different workpieces. Some examples are vices, chucks and split collets. On the other hand, fixtures can be designed for a special purpose – such as holding specific workpieces for a specific operation on a specific machine or process.

The primary purpose of jigs and fixtures are that they help reduce the cost of production, maintaining consistent quality and maximising efficiency. They enable a variety of parts to be made to correct specifications and reduce operator errors. As they result in increased productivity, easy assembly, reduction in waste and savings in labour cost, jigs and fixtures can substantially reduce the total cost of producing a product.

Poka-Yoke is a Japanese term that translates to “mistake-proofing” or “inadvertent error prevention”. A poka-yoke is a mechanism within a process that helps an equipment operator avoid (yokeru) mistakes (poka). Its purpose is to eliminate product defects by preventing, correcting, or drawing attention to human errors as they occur and preventing the operator from proceeding without rectification.

Correcting defects once they reach the customer is very costly. Every effort must be made to capture defects as early on in the process as possible. It is this early error detection and prevention that makes Poka-Yoke such a powerful tool. The main aim of Poka-Yoke is to ensure that each stage in the chain maintains the expected quality, preventing defects from ever reaching the customer.

Here at Newfield, we utilise the three main methods of Poka-Yoke:

Contact: This method of Poka-Yoke enforces product specification through physical means. For example, if a product has a round shape, the jig holding it would be circular and any other shape would stop the process. Other product qualities such the size, colour and type of material are useful for this kind of mistake-proofing. Sensors on the workbench can detect whether a piece is placed correctly and will stop the process if not.

Constant Value: As the name suggests, this type of Poka-Yoke is triggered when a set quantity is not attained in the process. Here, a process must achieve a predetermined number of steps for it to be considered to be within specifications. Sensors that check if the count meets specifications and reports accordingly.

Sequential: The manufacturing of a product involves a sequence of steps that must be followed in the correct order. This type of mistake-proofing detects whether the preceding step has been done correctly.

In terms of Jigs/Fixtures, this means that we consider any variations that could occur during the assembly process and address these in the design of the tooling to prevent operators making mistakes when assembling the products.

In terms of machinery this means that wherever possible, we add numerical/sequential counters to the machine to verify the number of parts produced.

We also utilise checking fixtures throughout the factory as gauges to ensure the parts conform to their dimensional requirements.

What is Powder Coating?

Powder coating is a dry finishing process that has become extremely popular since its introduction in the 1960s, with the global powder coating market expected to reach £9.66bn by 2020. Powder Coating represents over 15% of the total industrial finishing market and is used on a wide array of products.

It is growing popularity thanks to its high-quality, corrosion-resistant finish and aesthetic appearance.

The main difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension.

Intricate fabricated metal shapes can be powder coated evenly and without sagging, allowing for much thicker coats when compared to paint finishes. Powder Coating can be used for both functional and decorative finishes, with an almost limitless number of colours and textures available.

How powder coating works

Powder coatings are based on polymer resin systems, combined with curatives, pigments, levelling agents, flow modifiers, and other additives. These ingredients are melted, cooled, and ground into a uniform powder similar to baking flour. A process called Electrostatic Spray Deposition (ESD) is typically used to achieve the application of the powder coating to a metal substrate. This application method uses a spray gun to apply an electrostatic charge to the powder particles, each of which is then attracted to the grounded part.

After application of the powder coating, the parts enter a curing oven where, with the addition of heat, the coating chemically reacts to produce long molecular chains, resulting in high cross-link density. These molecular chains are very resistant to breakdown and give powder coating its mechanical properties. This type of application is the most common method of applying powders.

Powder coating is based on the principle that objects with opposite electric charges (positive and negative) attract one another. The powder particles are negatively charged after passing through the special spray gun, making them attracted to the earthed part achieving high levels of adhesion and consistency.

Most conducting or thermally stable materials are suitable for powder coating, metals are particularly good due to their high electrical and thermal conductivity. Even complex metal components can be powder coated evenly, with excellent adhesion.

The durability of powder coating

Powder coating is a high-quality finish found on thousands of products you come in contact with each day. It protects the roughest, toughest machinery as well as the household items you depend on daily. It provides a more durable finish than liquid paints can offer, while still providing an attractive finish. It is a tough coating that can resist impact, moisture, chemicals, ultraviolet light, and other extreme weather conditions, reducing the likelihood of scratches, chipping, abrasions, corrosion, fading, and other wear issues.

Pre-treatment process for powder coating

Unlike Iron-Phosphate treatments, Zinc-Phosphate is unable to clean and coat simultaneously and so our 8-stage Zinc-Phosphate process includes cleaning, rinsing and conditioning stages. The reason that we use Zinc-Phosphating over Iron is that Zinc-Phosphate coatings are extremely adherent, they provide a uniform coating with improved coating adhesion properties, better coating in recessed areas and better corrosion resistance and have been widely used in the automotive sector for many years.

Prior to parts undergoing the Powder Coating process, they must first be pre-treated and at Newfield, we operate a Zinc Phosphate pre-treatment process which is comprised of 8 quality-controlled stages:

Computer numerical control machining, or CNC machining, is the automated removal of material from a block, such as plastic or metal, resulting in a finished part.

A computer converts the design produced by Computer-Aided Design software (CAD), into numbers – or, more correctly, coordinates. The computer uses these coordinates to control the movement of the various tools to remove material and shape the part. The process is also known as subtractive manufacturing and can use a range of complex machinery, from grinders and lathes to mills and routers.

Thanks to its high level of automation, precisoin CNC machining is price-competitive for both one-off custom parts and medium-volume productions. The parts it produces are very accurate with excellent physical properties.

Almost every material can be CNC machined. The most common examples include metals (Aluminium and Steel alloys, brass etc) and plastics (ABS, Delrin, Nylon etc). Foam, composites and wood can also be machined.

The basic CNC process can be broken down into 3 steps.

• The engineer first designs the CAD model of the part
• The machinist then turns the CAD file into a CNC program (G-code) and sets up the machine
• Finally, the CNC system executes all machining operations with little supervision, removing material and creating the part

About the milling process

Milling is the machining process in which rotary cutters are used to remove material by advancing a cutter into a workpiece. This may be done while varying direction on one or several axes, cutter head speed, and pressure. Milling covers a wide variety of different operations and machines, on scales from small individual parts to large, heavy-duty gang milling operations. It is one of the most commonly used processes for machining custom parts to precise tolerances.

Our CNC milling process uses 3-axis milling and 5-axis indexed milling to rapidly cut a choice of more than 30 engineering-grade thermoplastics and metals into complex shapes and precision components.

About the turning process

Turning is a form of machining, a material removal process, which is used to create rotational parts by cutting away unwanted material. The turning process requires a turning machine or lathe, workpiece, fixture, and cutting tool. The workpiece is a piece of pre-shaped material that is secured to the fixture, which itself is attached to the turning machine, and rotated at high speeds. The cutter is typically a single-point cutting tool that is also secured in the machine, although some operations make use of multi-point tools. The cutting tool feeds into the rotating workpiece and cuts away material in the form of small chips to create the desired shape.

Turning is used to produce rotational, typically axis-symmetric, parts that have many features, such as holes, grooves, threads, tapers, various diameter steps, and even contoured surfaces. Parts that are fabricated completely through turning often include components that are used in limited quantities, perhaps for prototypes, such as custom-designed shafts and fasteners. Turning is also commonly used as a secondary process to add or refine features on parts that were manufactured using a different process. Due to the high tolerances and surface finishes that turning can offer, it is ideal for adding precision rotational features to a part whose basic shape has already been formed.

Our CNC turning process uses a rod stock, in a choice of metal materials, which is rotated against live tooling to create final parts with axial and radial holes, flats, grooves and slots.

MIG Welding

MIG welding is an abbreviation for Metal Inert Gas welding, also known as Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW). It is a process developed in the 1940s and is considered semi-automated.

MIG welding requires three things; electricity to produce heat, an electrode to fill the joint, and shielding gas to protect the weld from the air. MIG welding is done using a very small electrode that is fed continuously, while the operator controls the amount of weld being produced.

The equipment used automatically regulates the electrical characteristics of the arc. The only manual controls required of the welder in semi-automatic operation are travel speed, travel direction and gun (torch) positioning.

Given proper equipment settings, the power supply will provide the necessary amperage to melt the electrode at the rate required to maintain the pre-selected arc length (voltage). As the welder squeezes the trigger of the MIG gun, the electricity charges the electrode while the feeder starts feeding the filler wire, creating the weld material. The shielding gas is also fed through the MIG gun nozzle, isolating the weld from the surrounding air and preventing contamination.

Filler metal selection is closely matched to the base material. The filler metal not only conducts electrical current to the arc zone, melting the base metal and electrode, it also adds reinforcement to the completed weld joint.

MIG Welding can be used with a wide variety of metals and base metal thicknesses. Its successful application depends on the appropriate selection of:

• Electrode – composition, diameter and packaging
• Shielding Gas – type (composition), purity and flow rate
• Process Variables – current, voltage, mode of metal transfer and travel speed
• Equipment – power source, welding gun and wire feeder

TIG Welding

Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG), also known as gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), was originally created by the aircraft industry to weld magnesium in the 1930s and 1940s. It uses the heat generated by an electric arc struck between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the workpiece. This heat fuses the metal in the joint area and produces a molten weld pool. The arc area is shrouded in an inert gas shield to protect the weld pool and the electrode from oxygen contamination.

The process may be operated autogenously, that is, without filler, or filler may be added by feeding a consumable wire or rod into the established weld pool. TIG produces very high-quality welds across a wide range of materials with thicknesses up to about 8 or 10mm. It is particularly well suited to the welding of sheet material.

One of the greatest advantages of TIG welding is the amount of control it allows. A welder can control heat and amperage with precision using a foot or thumb remote control switch. The TIG gun is thin, which adds to the control a welder can have over the process.

The success of TIG welding hinges on various factors such as the choice of shielding gas, welding wire, tungsten electrode and the user’s technique. The finished product is a sound, slag-free weld that shares the same corrosion resistance properties as the parent metal.

The Differences Between MIG and TIG Welding

MIG and TIG welding both use an electric arc to fuse metal components together. The major difference between MIG and TIG welding is that one process uses a continuously feeding wire (MIG) and the other uses long welding rods that are slowly fed into the weld pool (TIG). TIG is by far the more difficult to learn but both are hard to master.

A MIG welder works by using a continuously feeding spool of welding wire that burns, melts and fuses both the base and parent metals together. You can weld a variety of materials such as mild steel, stainless steel and Aluminium. A range of material thicknesses can be welded from thin gauge sheet metal right up to heavier structural plates. Because it uses filler material, MIG welding often performs better for welding thicker objects, since it doesn’t have to heat the material all the way through to form a bond. Also, the use of filler material makes it slightly easier to control than TIG welding.

TIG welding, on the other hand, can join objects without filler by heating the surfaces to the point where they bond, creating neater welds. It does, however, require a great degree of precision to avoid over-heating the metal, which can cause stress cracks and other issues. TIG welding is more commonly used for thinner gauge materials and is used for things like kitchen sinks and toolboxes. The biggest benefit is that you can use relatively low power and avoid blowing through the metal. It is a much finer and delicate technique that results in a more aesthetic weld.

The Eight Disciplines of Problem Solving (8D) is a problem-solving methodology designed to find the root cause of a problem, devise a short-term fix and implement a long-term solution to prevent recurring problems. When it’s clear that your product is defective or isn’t satisfying your customers, an 8D is an excellent first step to improving Quality and Reliability.

Ford Motor Company developed this problem-solving methodology, then known as Team Oriented Problem Solving (TOPS), in the 1980s. The 8D problem-solving process is a detailed, team-oriented approach to solving critical problems in the production process. The goals of this method are to find the root cause of a problem, develop containment actions to protect customers and take corrective action to prevent similar problems in the future.

The strength of the 8D process lies in its structure, discipline and methodology. 8D uses a composite methodology, utilising best practices from various existing approaches. It is a problem-solving method that drives systemic change, improving an entire process in order to avoid not only the problem at hand but also other issues that may stem from systemic failure.

Training

All of our production Team-Leaders have received external training on Problem Solving techniques based around the Global 8D concept. This ensures that when a problem occurs, they are able to offer invaluable insight into potential causes as well as solutions and are actively involved in problem-solving.

How do we apply it?

As stated previously, all our Team-Leaders have received training on problem-solving and Global 8D, but how do we utilise this? Here at Newfield, we accept that as humans, we can make mistakes. And when this happens, we need to act quickly to identify what the cause was and implement corrective actions to prevent a recurrence. In order to do this, we have a bespoke system in place that tracks all quality concerns reported both internally and externally.

Our 8D methodology:

Stage 1 – Define the problem
Before you can fix any problem, you must define what this problem is (who, what, where, when); this is part of the “Plan” process within the PDCA methodology.

Stage 2 – Select your team
Because of the training received, our Team-Leaders and their operators are involved very early on. Typically, our problem-solving teams consist of the Team-Leader of the process, the operators involved, a member of our Engineering team, at least one member of the Quality Team and a member of the Continuous Improvement Team. This team is typically the same team as those involved in the PFMEA and Control Plan reviews mentioned earlier.

Stage 3 – Contain
This stage must be completed within 24 hours of the problem being reported and involves checking all inventory on-site for the issue as well as any WIP (Work in Progress). This stage also involves putting a system in place temporarily to prevent any escapes to the customer whilst the root cause is determined and actioned.

Stages 4 & 5 – Root Cause
At Newfield, we focus on two elements of Root Cause Analysis; how did it happen and how did it escape? This ensures that wherever possible, we implement actions to prevent recurrence of the fault, but we also address why the fault was not detected at the time it occurred. This is done using various problem-solving techniques such as 5Why’s, Fishbone diagrams and process flows to identify any variation in the process that can be eliminated.

Stage 6 – Implementation of Corrective Action
Now that the Root Cause has been determined, the team must plan the required corrective action and then implement.

Stage 7 – Verification
This stage involves a member of the Quality team ensuring that any corrective action is effective and efficient and that the Root Causes have been addressed.

Stage 8 – Read-Across
At this stage, we look at how the problem occurred and how it was solved and see if it can be applied to similar parts and/or processes to prevent problems before they occur. This is part of our Continuous Improvement ideology here at Newfield.

All 8Ds raised are documented along with any evidence such as photos and are trended within our problem-solving system to identify any common areas which require improvement. This also involves conducting Pareto analysis on a regular basis and providing feedback to the production team.

Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) is an invaluable quality tool used in order to provide customers with a detailed understanding of the processes to be used to manufacture their product(s). In today’s competitive manufacturing environment, we understand that controlling cost and maintaining a high level of quality have become vital to success. Therefore, it has become imperative to provide quality parts that meet the customer’s requirements the first time and every time.

Elements of PPAP

Below is the list of all 18 elements accompanied by a brief description for each element:

1. Design Documentation
Design documentation shall include both a copy of the customer and our drawings as well as a copy of the Purchase Order (PO). The PO is used to confirm that the correct part is being ordered and that it is at the correct revision level. The design engineer is responsible for verifying that the two drawings match and all critical or key characteristics have been identified.

Material composition information is required to supply evidence that the material used to manufacture the parts meets the customer’s specific requirements.

2. Engineering Change Documentation
If the PPAP is being required due to a request for a change to a part or product, the documentation requesting and approving the change must be included in the PPAP package. This documentation usually consists of a copy of the Engineering Change Notice (ECN), which must be approved by the customer engineering department.

3. Customer Engineering Approval
When required as part of the PPAP, we will provide evidence of approval by the customer engineering department. If required, pre-PPAP samples are ordered by the customer for onsite testing. The samples must be production intent and ship with a waiver so that testing can be done. When testing is complete, the test engineers will provide an approval form for inclusion in the PPAP submission.

4. Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) is a cross-functional activity that examines design risk by exploring the possible failure modes and their effects on the product or customer and their probability to occur. These failure modes can include:

• Product malfunctions;
• Reduced performance or product life;
• Safety and Regulatory issues.

5. Process Flow Diagram
The Process Flow Diagram outlines the entire process for assembling the component or final assembly in a graphical manner. The process flow includes incoming material, assembly, test, rework and shipping.

6. Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) reviews all of the steps in the production process to identify any potential process quality risk and then document the applied controls. The PFMEA is also a living document and should be updated even after the product is in normal production.

7. Control Plan
The Control Plan is an output from the PFMEA. The Control Plan lists all product Special Characteristics and inspection methods required to deliver products that continually meet the customer quality requirements.

8. Measurement System Analysis Studies
Measurement System Analysis (MSA) studies will include Gage Repeatability & Reproducibility (GR&R) studies on measurement equipment used during assembly or quality control checks. Calibration records for all gages and measurement equipment must be included.

9. Dimensional Results
The dimensional layout of sample parts is required to validate the product meets the print specifications. The samples should be randomly selected from a significant production run usually at least 30 pieces. Each dimension on the drawing is measured on the final assembly to make sure that it falls within specification. The results are recorded in a spreadsheet and included within the PPAP submission.

10. Records of Material / Performance Tests
This element should contain a copy of the Design Verification Plan and Report (DVP&R). The DVP&R is a summary of every validation test performed on the part. It should list each and every test performed, a description of how the test was performed, and the results of each test.

This section typically includes copies of all the certification documents for all materials listed on the prints. The material certification shall show compliance to the specific call on the print.

11. Initial Process Studies
Initial process studies will be done on all the production processes and will include Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts on the critical characteristics of the product. These studies demonstrate that the critical processes are stable, demonstrate normal variation and are running near the intended nominal value.

12. Qualified Laboratory Documentation
Qualified laboratory documentation consists of the industry certifications for any lab that was involved in completing validation testing. This could be for an in-house test lab or any offsite contracted test facilities that were used for validation or material certification testing.

13. Appearance Approval Report
The Appearance Approval Inspection (AAI) is applicable for components affecting appearance only. This report verifies that the customer has inspected the final product and it meets all the required appearance specifications for the design. The appearance requirements could include information regarding colour, textures, etc.

14. Sample Production Parts
Sample production parts are sent to the customer for approval and are typically stored at either the customer or supplier’s site after the product development is complete. A picture of the production parts is usually included in the PPAP documentation along with documentation regarding the location that the parts are being stored.

15. Master Sample
A master sample is a final sample of the product that is inspected and signed off by the customer. The master sample part is used to train operators and serves as a benchmark for comparison to standard production parts if any part quality questions arise.

16. Checking Aids
This is a detailed list of checking aids used by production. It should include all tools used to inspect, test or measure parts during the assembly process. The list should describe the tool and have the calibration schedule for the tool. Checking aids may include check fixtures, contour, variable and attribute gages, models or templates.

MSA may be required for all checking aids based on customer requirements.

17. Customer Specific Requirements
This element of the submission package is where any special customer requirements are contained. For bulk materials, the customer-specific requirements shall be recorded on the “Bulk Material Requirements Checklist”.

18. Part Submission Warrant
The Part Submission Warrant (PSW) form is a summary of the entire PPAP submission. A PSW is required for each of part number unless otherwise stated by the customer. The PSW includes:

• The reason for submission (design change, annual re-validation, etc.);
• Supplier authorized person signature along with contact information;
• A section provided for any required explanation or comments;
• An area for the customer to indicate the disposition of the PPAP;
• Declaration of part conformity to customer requirements;
• The level of documents submitted to the customer.

The PPAP process is a detailed and lengthy process. The PPAP package includes documentation of various multiple cross-functional tools and documents our ability to meet all customer requirements. The PPAP provides customers adequate information to validate that all areas of the design and production processes have been reviewed thoroughly to ensure that only high-quality products will be allowed to ship to the end customer

The Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) methodology is one of the original quality tools and is the foundation for ISO 9001:2015. Put simply, it means that any time a process is being reviewed or developed, you must consider all factors that could cause risk and act accordingly to mitigate the risk as far as reasonably practicable. This applies to Quality as well as Safety and that is why here at Newfield, we consider ourselves to be ever-learning and ever-developing because we understand that everything can always be improved, and we continually seek to do so.

Official PDCA

The PDCA Cycle can help differentiate a company from its competition, especially in today’s corporate world, where anything that can help them streamline their processes to reduce costs, increase profits and improve customer satisfaction can give them an advantage. Whether they know it or not, many managers use the PDCA Cycle to help direct their organizations, as it encompasses the very basic tenants of strategic planning. The four components can be summarised like the following:

Plan: A well-defined project plan provides the framework from which to operate. Importantly, it should reflect the organisation’s mission and values. It should also map the project’s goals and clearly indicate the best way to meet them.

Do: This the step where the plan is set in motion. The plan was made for a reason, so it is important for players to execute it as outlined. This stage can be broken down into three sub-segments, including training of all personnel involved in the project, the actual process of doing the work and recording insights, or data, for future evaluation.

Check: Typically, there should be two checks throughout the project. First, checks should be done alongside the implementation to make sure that the project’s objectives are being met. Second, a more comprehensive review of the project should be done upon completion to allow for successes and failures to be addressed, and for future adjustments to be made.

Act: Corrective actions are made in the final step. Once past mistakes have been identified and accounted for, the PDCA Cycle can be redefined and repeated anew in the future, perhaps to better results under new guidelines.

PDCA and Continuous Improvement

Companies looking to enhance their internal and external processes often deploy PDCA methodology to minimize errors and maximize outcomes. Once put into effect, companies can repeat the PDCA cycle and make it a constant in their organization as something of a standard operating procedure. That one of the four stages is to deploy corrective actions makes the methodology ideal to strive for continuous improvement.

Statistical Process Control

Statistical Process Control (SPC) is an industry-standard methodology for measuring and controlling quality during the manufacturing process. Quality data in the form of Product or Process measurements are obtained in real-time during manufacturing. This data is then plotted on a graph with pre-determined control limits. Control limits are determined by the capability of the process, whereas specification limits are determined by the customer specifications.

Data that falls within the control limits indicate that everything is operating as expected. Any variation within the control limits is likely due to a common cause—the natural variation that is expected as part of the process. If data falls outside of the control limits, this indicates that an assignable cause is likely the source of the product variation, and something within the process should be changed to fix the issue before defects occur.

Statistical Process Control enables you to:

• Dramatically reduce variability and scrap
• Scientifically improve productivity
• Reduce costs
• Uncover hidden process personalities
• Instantly react to process changes
• Make evidence-based decisions on the shop floor

Measurement System Analysis (MSA)

MSA is defined as an experimental and mathematical method of determining the amount of variation that exists within a measurement process. Variation in the measurement process can directly contribute to our overall process variability. MSA is used to certify the measurement system for use by evaluating the system’s accuracy, precision and stability.

MSA is a collection of experiments and analysis performed to evaluate a measurement system’s capability, performance and amount of uncertainty regarding the values measured. We should review the collected measurement data as well as the methods and tools used to collect and record it. Our goal is to quantify the effectiveness of the measurement system, analyse the variation in the data and determine its likely source.

Put simply, we continuously verify that all of our processes are as effective and efficient as possible, and this also includes our inspection/checking processes. We review the variation to determine how accurate our measurement systems are which ensures we are always performing to customer expectations.

Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP)

Complex products and supply chains present plenty of possibilities for failure, especially when new products are being launched. Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) is a structured process aimed at ensuring customer satisfaction with new products or processes. APQP has existed for decades in many forms and practices and is used by progressive companies to assure quality and performance through diligent planning to ensure any new process has had all potential issues considered and addressed prior to going “live”.

APQP is a structured approach to product and process design. This framework is a standardized set of quality requirements that enable suppliers to design a product that satisfies the customer. The primary goal of product quality planning is to facilitate communication and collaboration between engineering activities. A Cross Functional Team (CFT), involving marketing, product design, procurement, manufacturing and distribution, is used in the APQP process. APQP ensures the Voice of the Customer (VOC) is clearly understood, translated into requirements, technical specifications and special characteristics. The product or process benefits are designed in through prevention.

Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA)

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is a structured approach to discovering potential failures that may exist within the design of a product or process. Failure modes are the ways in which a process can fail. Effects are the ways that these failures can lead to waste, defects or harmful outcomes for the customer. Failure Mode and Effects Analysis is designed to identify, prioritize and limit these failure modes. FMEA is not a substitute for good engineering. Rather, it enhances good engineering by applying the knowledge and experience of a Cross Functional Team (CFT) to review the design progress of a product or process by assessing its risk of failure.

Control Plans

A Control Plan is a method for documenting the functional elements of quality control that are to be implemented, ensuring quality standards are met for a particular product or service. The intent of the control plan is to formalize and document the system of control that will be utilised.

Put simply, a control plan is a live document that details all potential failures within a process as well as the controls that we have put in place to reduce their likelihood as far as reasonably practicable.

Layered

In order to ensure that our processes are performing as expected, we operate a layered-audit system which means that regular audits are conducted by 3 distinct levels of our team; Team-Leaders, Senior Management and Directors. This ensures that we are not only constantly monitoring processes but also that we are doing it in a varied way, providing us with as much information as possible. All individuals who conduct audits are trained (either internally or externally) to do so and all audit findings are reported weekly along with corrective action taken. At Newfield, we believe in a Just culture which in turn promotes individuals to raise any concerns that they have without fear of repercussion, as stated previously we believe everything can always be improved and the best way to do this is to have an open line of communication throughout the workforce.

System (QMS)

In line with IATF 16949:2016 and ISO9001:2015 requirements, we conduct regular system audits against the requirements of our Quality Management System. These audits are conducted by employees who have been externally trained against the standards and this ensures we are constantly monitoring how we perform as a business.

Manufacturing Review

Manufacturing reviews are a crucial element of how we operate at Newfield as these enable the senior management to meet regularly and review our objectives in line with the companies Quality Policy. This is also where we review all KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) of the business including Quality, Production and Engineering to ensure that we are continuing to meet our targets.