WHATARETHETASKS OFTHEQUALITYDEPARTMENT? THOMAS:Thetasksinourdepartment aredividedintothreesectors:quality assurance,qualityplanningandquality control. GünterheadsQualityAssuranceforMe- chanicsandUsmanforElectronics;the HOWDOYOUDETERMINE ringprojector,measuringmicroscope, principaltasksaretocheckcorrections THEQUALITYOFAPRODUCT? hardnessandroughnesstester,tensile andtocarryoutpreventivemeasures THOMAS:Fornewproductdevelop- compressionandtorsiontestingma- onallproducts.Anothertaskduring ments,wesupportAPQP(Advanced chines(upto20kilonewtonsand200 thisstageistoorganiseandmaintain ProductQualityPlanning)forsample, Newton)andprecisionmeasuringtools alltestingandmeasuringequipment. prototypeandO-seriestestsupto fortestingequipmentmonitoring. seriesrelease. Inthequalityplanningsector,the Ontheotherhand,themonitoringand departmentwillcontroltheQuality USMAN:Weworktogetherwithdeve- calibrationprocessincludespreparati- Managementsystemfortheproduct, lopmentandproductionusingquality on(temperingandcleaning),calibra- selectingandevaluatingthesupplier, toolssuchasFMEAmethods. tion,evaluation,recordingtheresults, andimplementan8Dreportassess- identification,quality,reliability,opera- ment. GÜNTER:Furthermore,productqua- tionalcapabilityanddevicereadiness. Inthequalitycontrolsector,thetasks lityisensuredbycontinuoustesting aretosupportthedevelopmentof proceduresusingour3Dmeasuring WHATISTHEROLEOFISOCERTIFICA- masterplanprojects(newdevelop- machines. TIONINDOMPRODUCTS? mentsornewproductportfolios), GEORG:ISOcertificationgivesus advancedqualityplanninginthedeve- GEORG:Ourqualitymanagement frameworkandstructure.Wefulfilthe lopmentphase,aswellassupporting systemcontrolseverything;everything requirementsoftheISOstandardac- thesubsidiariesinallquality-related isdocumentedandtransparent. cordingtoourspecifications,processes andgoals;whichisrightandessential matters. WHATKINDOFQUALITYDEMANDS forDOMandourcustomers.Withthat Allofthesesectorshaveonegoalin DOWEMAKEANDWHATMEASURES beingsaid,wedon’tfollowthestan- mind:Tocontroltheproduct,analyse DOWETAKETOACHIEVETHIS? dardblindly. processimprovementsandimplement USMAN:Allrelevantprocessesinthe However,werespectthecertification aneffectiveassessmentregimeusing entirevaluechain(frompurchasing, andhavingISO-approvedaccreditation differentvariables(P-D-C-Aprinciple: HR,customerservice/sales,pre-pro- isalsoagoodsellingpointforexternal Plan,Do,Check,Act). ductiondevelopment,production,all presentation. thewaytoshipping)aredocumented andmeasuredagainsttargetvalues. THOMAS:InadditiontoISOcertificati- on,wealsopayattentiontocustomer WHATKINDOFQUALITYDEMANDS specificationsandsatisfaction,legal DOWEMAKEANDWHATMEASURES andofficialrequirements,costoptimi- DOWETAKETOACHIEVETHIS? sationandserviceprovision. GÜNTER:Ourair-conditioned measuringroomisfilledwiththelatest equipmentsuchasafullyautomated 3Dmeasuringmachine,digitalmeasu- BestofDOM|59