THE APPLIED INSPECTION
NEWSLETTER
Issue No. 79 - March 2001
FROM THE EDITOR
UKAS Accreditation
After careful consideration and deliberation, the Applied Inspection board of directors decided not to renew the company's UKAS accreditation held by Burton laboratory.
The decision was taken after assessment of current customer requirements, the current trend in the general engineering sector and the merger of the Burton laboratory into the Applied Inspection group. Another major factor was the move from UKAS document M10 to BS EN 17025, which would involve a re-write of the quality system at Burton.
Having gained ISO 9002 last year for all laboratory and site NDT work through BSI, it was decided that the expenditure involved in maintaining a system not required by our customers was not a sensible use of resources.
PERSONNEL
Jamie to Tie the Knot!
Congratulations to Jamie Bacon on his engagement to Kelly. We wish them all the bast for the future.
Get well Bob and Lee
Bob Theaker is convalescing at home after spending a week in hospital. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Lee Davies has had an operation on his leg. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Congratulations
The following have attended a rail testing course at Serco, Derby, and have reached the required standard of competence:
John Oliver (RTO 176 and MSC 970 Techniques U3 and U14), Anthony Mitchell (RTO 176 and MSC 970 Techniques U3 and U14), Alan Bartlett (MSC 970 Techniques U3 and U14)
Overseas
Mark Skelland travelled to Baltimore, USA on 23 January to carry out ultrasonic examination of steel castings. He returned on Sunday 28 January, just before Baltimore Ravens won the American Football Superbowl. Mark described the atmosphere in the town whilst he was there as 'electric'.
Paul Goss Wins Pool Tournament Final
Congratulations to Paul Goss, who is the Applied Inspection Pool Champion. He beat Steve Wilkes for the £50.00 prize money on Sunday 28 January. Both players agreed, before the final, to donate the prize money to a charity of their choice. As winner, Paul chose the cancer unit at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary.
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)
6 January, 2001 - £10.00
13 January, 2001 - £20.00
20 January, 2001 - £10.00
27 January, 2001 - £10.00
3 February, 2001 - £0.00
10 February, 2001 - £10.00
Any errors in the above list will be corrected as soon as possible.
QUALITY & TRAINING
Standards and Specifications
The following standards were added to the company's BSI PLUS update list of controlled standards during February:
BS EN 10228-1: 1999 - Non-destructive testing of steel forgings - Part 1: Magnetic particle inspection.
BS EN 10228-2: 1998 - Non-destructive testing of steel forgings - Part 2: Penetrant testing.
BS EN 10228-3: 1999 - Non-destructive testing of steel forgings - Part 3: Ultrasonic testing of ferritic or martensitic steel forgings.
BS EN 10228-4: 1999 - Non-destructive testing of steel forgings - Part 4: Ultrasonic testing of austenitic
BS EN ISO 9001: 2000
The format of the new standard is different to the 1994 standard. It has just five clauses compared with 20 clauses in the old one. They are:
· QMS (Quality Management System)
· Management responsibilities
· Resource management
· Production realisation
· Measurement, analysis and improvement
A 'process model' diagram is included in the new standard. The reason given is that it enables an organisation to integrate its QMS more easily with other management systems. The model aligns well with the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) excellence model.
NDT Training
The answers to the questions on Magnetic Particle Inspection in last month's NEWSLETTER are as follows:
1) A 2) D
3) C 4) B
Here are some more questions, this time on penetrant Testing:
1. The type of penetrant to be used on an investment casting should be:
A. water-washable fluorescent for adequate sensitivity and water washability.
B. solvent removable because of size and shape.
C. Post-emulsifiable fluorescent for maximum sensitivity and water washability.
D. solvent removable for greater visibility.
2. Which of the following techniques has been found to be effective for aiding penetration in certain instances in commercial application?
A. Heating the penetrant.
B. Vibration.
C. Vacuum and pressure.
D. Ultrasonic pumping.
3. Dentists have used liquid penetrant inspection to:
A. locate fine cracks in teeth prior to the availability of x-rays.
B. locate defects in artificial teeth prior to mounting them.
C. verify questionable information gathered from x-rays.
D. identify the filling material.
4. If a modular equipment has been obtained for a penetrant inspection system using fluorescent post-emulsifiable penetrant and wet developer, the dryer should be placed:
A. before the emulsifier tank.
B. after the developer tank.
C. before the developer tank.
D. after the wash unit
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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 Equal Opportunities 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.
1. Applied Inspection is an Equal Opportunities employer and endeavours to foster an atmosphere of mutual tolerance and co-operation amongst it's employees.
o We will provide equal opportunities for all employees, and aim to recruit, train, employ and promote staff according to ability and without discrimination or disadvantage of any kind which has no direct bearing on a person's ability to carry out his/her work.
o We seek to deal with employees in ways which promote mutual toleration and co-operation, and to ensure that staff act similarly towards colleagues, customers and the general public.
2. The Company as an employer recognises that it is bound by the provisions and the spirit of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts 1944 and 1958, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Equal Pay Act 1970, the Race Relations Act 1976 and associated Codes of Practice.
3. The Company will not tolerate acts of direct, or indirect, discrimination or prejudice by its staff and will take any necessary action to ensure compliance with its policy.
The Company recognises that acts of harassment or victimisation are forms of discrimination.
4. The equal opportunities policy will be implemented by the Company, and given to all employees. The Company places a responsibility on its management staff at all levels to ensure that the letter and spirit of this policy is implemented.
5. The Company will seek positively to develop practice which promotes equal opportunities in recruitment, training and promotion. Individual employees at all levels will be expected to co-operate with measures designed to develop equal opportunities and the removal of discrimination.
6. The policy will be monitored and reviewed from time to time.