Quality Analysis of the Mechanical Lever and Improvement of Non-Destructive Testing Process

The analysis of product quality is an indispensable action in developing enterprises. In case of mechanical products, the non-destructive tests (NDT) are effective way to make control. Non-destructive tests allow making assessing product quality without destroying it. Due to the dynamically growing requirements of customers and necessary, the improvement actions for demanding organizations important is to make a complex analysis of quality products. Such an action was proposed to a production and service company located in Podkarpacie region of Poland. The aim was to analyze the quality of the mechanical lever and improvement the process of non-destructive tests, in order to identify the source of nonconformity with using quality management techniques. These activities were to demonstrate that the sequence (NDT and selected quality management techniques) would allow the detection of unconformities on the product surface and also identify the source of this unconformity. In the enterprise, the quality research of the product using fluorescent and magnetic-powder methods was made. After identified the unconformity on the product the additional actions which could point the source of unconformity were not practicing. The proposition of improvement in the NTD was use appropriately selected quality management techniques (Ishikawa diagram and 5Why method) after identified the unconformity. The mechanical lever was tested, which its surface using the magnetic-powder method was analyzed. After identified unconformity (scratch) using the Ishikawa diagram, the potential causes were identified and four main causes were selected (i.e.: uncleaned pattern, impurities during production, poor molding mass, poorly carried out product production method). It has been shown that sequence of NDT, Ishikawa diagram and 5Why method allows to identify the unconformity on product surface and source its creation. This sequence could be practicing to analyze other product in production and services enterprises.