Quality Control
Plastic injection molding is a critical manufacturing process due to its high speed, adherence to design parameters, repeatability, and cost-effectiveness. But not all injection molding jobs are the same.
For instance, a pet toy or small consumer product intended for short-term use may not need to meet stringent quality control (QC) from batch to batch, while other jobs, like those intended for aerospace applications, consider QC the defining factor in the success of a production run. Appearances are hardly the main concern in these spaces. Instead, it all comes down to fit and function. Accuracy in production can make the difference between a functional part and a failed design.
Defects in important components are more than an inconvenience; they represent potential danger. At Reliant Worldwide Plastics, we take our commitment to quality seriously and rely on industry best practices, such as sigma-level sampling and adherence to zero defect requirements. Ahead, see how these practices generate better outcomes for our customers.
What Is Quality Control Using Sigma Level Sampling?
Sigma level sampling is a quality control approach based on including a minimum acceptable number of defects in any given lot of manufactured items. Each level of acceptable quality is a sigma level, with six sigma representing the most demanding QC; such a run can allow for only 3.4 defective parts per million produced.
Sampling refers to randomly drawing items from a production lot and testing them for defects. Engineers draw inferences from these samples to estimate the overall error rate in a batch. Sigma level sampling remains one of the primary tools a QC analyst uses to define success in a manufacturing project. In defense and aerospace applications, part failure could lead to hazardous outcomes.
Reliant Plastics harmonizes the six sigma approach with the support necessary to meet evolving industry demands. With years of experience supporting aerospace plastics development for major multinational clients, we can tackle high-level projects with the most exacting demands.
How We Adapt to Satisfy Zero Defect Requirements
Our partners require extreme reliability and quality consistency levels. The aerospace sector especially demands a high level of consistency in manufacturing and strict conformity to tolerances inside a tight range. To better support these needs, we’ve adapted to incorporate the zero defects philosophy into our planning process, implementing controls from the design stage onward to ensure dependable outcomes. This strategy includes:
- Matching customer requirements. We understand a project’s goals and implement plans to achieve those goals.
- Defect prevention. The ultimate responsibility for good outcomes should not rest solely on a QC inspector. Rather, we use QC manufacturing systems and strategies at each stage.
- Teamwork. From mold designers, to equipment operators, to QC technicians, mistakes are more avoidable when everyone commits to good outcomes.
What We Do to Implement Rigorous Injection Molding Quality Control
We use thorough processes for identifying and removing defective parts from all production runs before delivery. These efforts include both dimensional analysis and visual inspection. In some cases, we may even create custom Go/No-Go tolerance gauges to simplify manual verification of lot quality.
We can also customize our QC procedures to inspect specific features and dimensions as our clients demand, tailoring our services to match the requirements of any production run. This capability makes us well suited to working in aerospace applications where components may end up in flight-critical hardware. With an ISO-certified process (conforming to the ISO9001:2015 + AS9100D standard), we achieve excellent results.
As an added benefit, our detail-oriented inspections save time and effort. Regular inspections reveal when mold tooling begins to degrade. Unchecked, this can increase defects and rejection rates. Our attention to detail leads to quick repairs, faster replacements, and little production interruption.
Avoid costs associated with unchecked tool wear and mitigate the risks of poor quality control on critical components with a manufacturer that understands today’s best practices. With expertise assisting the aerospace industry, Reliant fully understands fine tolerances and demanding requirements, and we’re excited to meet any challenge. Contact us today for your next molding project.