THE APPLIED INSPECTION
NEWSLETTER

Issue No. 82 - June 2001

FROM THE EDITOR

Applied Inspection is going from strength to strength. We now employ 65 full time staff and everyone is working at or near full capacity. The directors appreciate the effort that everyone is putting in to meet the needs and expectation of our customers.

With the workload continuing to increase, we are looking for additional suitably qualified staff. We expect staff to be professional, loyal and hard working. In return, we offer a commitment to the training and development of staff and the opportunity of progressing for those who desire, in an ever-expanding environment. If any existing staff know, or know of, suitable applicants, please contact a director.

PERSONNEL

Welcome
To Bill Wibberley, Hayley Brown and David Slater who all started at Burton during April and May.

Honest Pat's Car Sales
There will be several cars coming up for sale over the next two months. Any one who may have a requirement should contact Pat Slater at Holmewood to register an interest.

The National Lottery
Dawn Andrews at Holmewood and Keith Dashper at Cleckheaton run the Applied Inspection lottery syndicate. There are currently 33 members who each pay £1.00 per week (stopped at source) which is put on the Saturday lottery. Anyone who is not a member, and who would like to join, should contact Dawn or Keith.

Our winnings to date are as follows:
1995 - £160.00 (40 weeks)
1996 - £297.00 (52 weeks)
1997 - £220.00 (52 weeks)
1998 - £251.00 (52 weeks)
1999 - £290.00 (52 weeks)
January, 2000 - £50.00 (5 weeks)
February, 2000 - £30.00 (4 Weeks)
March, 2000 - £50.00 (4 weeks)
April, 2000 - £10.00 (5 weeks)
May, 2000 - £20.00 (4 weeks)
June, 2000 - £0.00 (4 weeks)
July, 2000 - £10.00 (5 weeks)
August, 2000 - £10.00 (4 weeks)
September, 2000 - £30.00 (5 weeks)
October, 2000 - £30.00 (4 weeks)
November, 2000 - £0.00 (4 weeks)
December, 2000 - £30.00 (5 weeks)
January, 2001 - £50.00 (4 weeks)
February, 2001 - £30.00 (4 weeks)
March 2001 - £10.00 (5 weeks)
7 April 2001 - £10.00
14 April 2001 - £0.00
21 April 2001 - £0.00
28 April 2001 - £10.00
5 May 2001 - £20.00
12 May 2001 - £0.00
19 May 2001 - £10.00
Any errors in the above list will be corrected as soon as possible.

QUALITY & TRAINING

Standards and Specifications
There have been no changes this month notified by the BSI PLUS update system to the company's list of controlled documents. However, the following standards have been purchased from BSI and have been added to the company's Master List:

BS EN 583-2:2001 - Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic examination - Part 2: Sensitivity and range setting.
BS EN 583-5:2001 - Non-destructive testing - Ultrasonic examination - Part 5: Characterization and sizing of discontinuities.
BS EN 12543-2:1999 - Non-destructive testing - Characteristic of focal spots in industrial X-ray systems for use in non-destructive testing - Part 2: Pinhole camera radiographic method.
BS EN 13018:2001 - Non-destructive testing - Visual testing - General principles.
BS 5892:Part 1:1992 - Railway rolling stock materials - Part 1: Specification for axles for traction and trailing stock.
BS EN 288-1:1992 - Specification and approval of welding procedures for metallic materials - Part 1: General rules for fusion welding.
BS EN 288-2:1992 - Specification and approval of welding procedures for metallic materials - Part 2: Welding procedure specification for arc welding.

For anyone wishing to check the latest edition or download MoD standards, e.g. NES, go to www.dstan.mod.uk.

Quotation
"When I'm having a bad day and it seems that people are trying to wind me up, I try to remember that it takes 42 muscles to frown, 28 to smile and only 4 to extend my arm and smack someone in the mouth."

ANON

BS EN ISO 9001: 2000
The new standard places emphasis on 'top management', it uses the term nine times. It is not now possible for a director to appoint a quality manager and leave him or her to it. For example, clause 5 states:

· Top management shall provide evidence of its commitment to the development and implementation of the Quality Management System (QMS).
· Top management shall ensure that customer requirements are determined and fulfilled.
· Top management shall ensure that the quality policy includes a commitment to meeting requirements and continual improvement for all levels of the organisation.

Quality policy in the new standard now places an emphasis on measurable quality objectives, with top management responsibility. The increased scope of the standard means that top management must be involved in all aspects of the QMS if the organisation wants to hold the approval.

NDT Training
The answers to the questions on Penetrant Testing in last month's NEWSLETTER are as follows:

1) C     2) D      3) A     4) B     

Here are some more questions, this time on Magnetic Testing:

1. Factors which must be considered when interpreting an indication are:

     A. the direction of the magnetic field.
     B. the strength of the leakage field at the indication.
     C. the orientation and shape of the indication.
     D. all of the above.

2. When thorough demagnetization is to be accomplished by placing the part in a coil energized with AC of decreasing amperage, the following orientation of the long axis of the part is most advantageous:

     A. East-West
     B. North-South
     C. Irrelevant (no difference)
     D. South-West

3. The best method for testing ball bearings is:

     A. along one axis using a coil.
     B. two shots using a coil at the X and Y axis.
     C. two head shots along the X and Y axis.
     D. induced current shots along X, Y, and Z axis, rotating 360 degrees during each shot.

4. If an indication is formed when using the residual method as well as the continuous method, it is most likely:

     A. very deep and tight
     B. very shallow and open to the surface.
     C. a relevant indication.
     D. a nonrelevant indication.

Quality at Applied Inspection
Applied Inspection has a number of statements relating to its position on that subject. They are Vision, Mission, Quality, Training, Health & Safety, Environmental, Equal Opportunities and Alcohol & Drugs.

These statements are contained in the Company Rules booklet, available at each site on the Notice Board, and the Health & Safety booklet, issued to all employees. In addition, from time to time we also publish the statements in the NEWSLETTER. Here is our Environmental Policy statement. We welcome comments and/or suggestions from staff in relation to any company policy statement. Please contact any Director or Email us through the company Website.

Vision Statement
Applied Inspection aims to be internationally renowned for its supply to industry of first class nondestructive testing (NDT), engineering inspection and consultancy services.

Mission Statement
Our mission is to make Applied Inspection the best service inspection company in the world. We will provide our customers with a high quality NDT service at an economic price through an ongoing system of quality improvements in all areas of the company's activities. We will promote co-operation internally between divisions and individuals and externally between our staff and our customers and suppliers. The company's intention is to continually strive for higher levels of:

o integrity of staff
o staff competence
o standard and accuracy of reporting
o punctuality
o service and value for money for each and every customer
o awareness of the environment and the company's influence on it
o health and safety performance

Quality improvements will be achieved through education and training leading to greater empowerment of the workforce.

The strength of the whole workforce is the most effective way of meeting or exceeding the requirements of all of our customers, enabling us to become the best of the best.

Joke of the Month
US scientists have made an important scientific breakthrough. The results of a recent analysis revealed the presence of female hormones in beer. The theory is that drinking beer makes men turn into women.

To test the theory, 100 men were fed 6 pints of beer each. It was then observed that 100% of the men gained weight, talked excessively without making sense, became overly emotional, couldn't drive, failed to think rationally, argued over nothing and refused to apologise when proven wrong.

No further testing is planned.

INTERNET

HEALTH & SAFETY

High Blood Pressure
On average the heart beats around 70 to 80 times a minute. This pumping action drives the blood through the arteries out to various parts of the body - it returns to the heart via the veins. Blood pressure is a measure of the force put on the muscular walls of the arteries.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, puts strain on the blood vessels. This can lead to structural changes, causing the vessels to thicken and deteriorate, and means the heart has to work harder to push blood through. These problems can eventually cause serious problems, including stroke.

There are a number of reasons for this. High blood pressure can cause clots of cholesterol and other fatty substances to break off from the arterial walls, blocking arteries to the brain. It contributes to the furring of arteries, making them more vulnerable to blockage by blood clots. And the excess stress on blood vessels may cause them to burst and lead to bleeding into the brain, another cause of stroke.

In next month's NEWSLETTER we will look at what factors affect blood pressure and how often it should be checked.

CONTACTS

Holmewood, Derbyshire: Tel: 01246 851864 (3 Lines) Fax: 01246 852243
Burton, Staffordshire: Tel: 01283 515163 (3 Lines) Fax: 01283 539729
Cleckheaton, W Yorks: Tel/Fax: 01274 869900
Glasgow, Scotland: Tel/Fax: 0141 3355191
Internet Website: www.appliedinspection.co.uk

Published by: Applied Inspection Ltd., Holmewood, Chesterfield, UK. Editor: D K Thomas 23/05/2001

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