I think almost everyone agrees that scheduled and regular maintenance of a tool machine is necessary. A stop due to a sudden failure could result in a slowdown in production with all of the related consequences (and the repercussions can also often be heavy).
But what about calibration and maintenance of machines for quality control? Should these operations also be performed on them? If so, how frequently?
Let’s go back a moment. In one post quite some time ago I wrote:
“when we put a product on the market, we are responsible for any damage that we could cause in the case of non-compliance. […] I also believe it is appropriate to emphasise that the damage in question must never be considered proportionate to the value of the asset sold. The rule in fact is not valid, as unfortunately some of my colleagues argue, that in the face of damage caused by a defective product sold for a few euro, it is not possible to claim compensation running into the millions. That is, in my view, a completely erroneous concept”.
I repeat this concept because
it is also quite common to have to deal with companies that have latest-generation quality control machines but which neglect routine maintenance.
What many companies do – I am not only referring to small firms but also to structured enterprises – is to measure the piece in question and then simply to take at face value the result that the measuring machine produces. But what if such machinery weren’t calibrated correctly? Or if some functions had been compromised due to accidental knocks or misalignment?
Quite simply the result would no longer be reliable.
It is true and proven that measuring machines belong to a very particular type of instrument and that therefore they are treated with great care and attention; it is also true that, by their very nature, they are not so subject to wear as tool machines. It goes without saying that therefore it is quite common to believe that initial malfunctions only occur after several years.
The fact remains however that quality control instrumentation is the last chance we have to be sure that the product that we are delivering is 100% compliant and that, in case of disputes, the more documentation we have confirming the fact that we executed our work well and consciously the better. And with “documentation” I also include certifications attesting to the fact that periodic maintenance has been performed on the machines in question by specialist technicians.
Is it a cost? Yes, but I think it’s important to put it in the budget because well executed and documented quality controls are not only a guarantee for our customers but also a lifeline for us as manufacturers in case of disputes.
