Quality Assurance & Supply Chain Inspection

Workscope

Altrad Quality Services presently holds a frame agreement that supports the defence sector in the UK. Altrad Quality Services supports and understands the importance of several factors included in the award of this work. With a historical tenure in the quality industry and already working with the government in the nuclear sector the key elements of this contract are confidentiality, security, and safe working practices.  

The capability working in the MOD sector required strong professional and technical capabilities and qualifications to support this work.  

The nature of the work required covered all aspects of manufacture in the marine industry from the quality management system through to training at the start / end of the process. It was particularly important to mentor the supply chain to ensure that quality escapes were not only identified up front by reduced as part on an ongoing program. Learning from experience (LFE) had to be passed back into the system and a process was required for this and had to be proven. Learnings from cross sector industries were requested to be developed where appropriate.

The work areas covered in this framework covers for the following:

• Vessel Dismantling Projects
• Vessel Successor Projects
• New Vessel Projects
• Commercial Marine Projects
• Civil Nuclear Projects
• Supply Chain Quality Services
• Other Confidential Projects as required

The workscope called for three focus areas in this framework:

• Auditing – required for vendor and supply chain, reviews, and selection
• Third Party Inspection – required for review of all orders in the supply chain
• Expediting – required to ensure all work is being delivered against important project schedules  

The process for all would cover the following:

• The services
• Evaluation of personnel
• Reporting
• Records and Information
• Contract Meeting Requirements

Solution  

Altrad Quality Services provide global support to our customers where needed we already have in-depth and working knowledge on many of the supply chain companies and vendors being used in todays’ procurement world. We have ongoing assignments and contracts that require specific security controls and high levels of training. Our inspectors constantly work to the highest security, safety, and technical levels. Altrad Quality Services has vested in their training and this is representative of the work we deliver.  

Altrad Quality Services works across all control elements required by MOD type contracts:

• Security clearance of our personnel
• Quality Management Systems
• Safety Programs / Reviews / Participation (QHSAS18001 / ISO14001)
• Supply Chain contract reviews against customer requirements
• Document control
• Material tracking & traceability
• All forms of production / manufacture
• Inspection & testing
• Calibration of inspection, measuring & test equipment
• Witness and review of FAT testing
• Control of non-conforming products and quality escapes
• Handling, storage, safe packaging, marking and delivery
• Training across all processes
• Provision of a secure database for documentation and reports  

Our Pathway System locator tool allows our QS (Quality Services) Co-ordinator to locate the best qualified inspector in the closest location to the vendor or works site for the client. This tool removes the client need to mobilise one of their own inspectors usually with travel involved, or spend the time searching and qualifying the correct level of inspection resource and process.  

For one specific technical project competency requirement in welding , our Altrad Quality Services Project Co-ordinator ran a system locator on our database to find suitably qualified mechanical and welding inspectors with experience in PEMA Robotic welding solution and equipment stations. Experience in this area with these welding station applications and procedures was important to this process. Our Technical SME (Subject Matter Expert) ran further due diligence and capability assessments on each of the inspectors we would propose by completing Knowledge Online tests with them (Altrad Quality Services KOL’S) to confirm their capability and suitability for this contract.  

A selection of PEMA Robotic welding stations and equipment utilised to be inspected on are:

• PEMA VRWP-X2 13500 X2
• PEMA EBS-FTH 13500
• PEMA SMWP 13500-2
• PEMA OSW-H SAW 13500

Some further project examples of the workscope covered five different European locations and equipment and process types:  

Project #1

‍Perform the FAT in a tube bending machine Model eMOB-180 CNC-R

Project #2

‍Perform FAT witness testing, two examples:-

Scope of FAT 1:

• Machine Overview
• Demonstration of Printing and Plasma Cutting Process (As per Example 1 in FAT agenda)
• Demonstration of Printing and Oxyfuel Cutting Process (As per Example 2 in FAT agenda)
• Demonstration of Blasting, Printing and Cutting (As per Example 5 in FAT agenda)

Scope of FAT 2:

• Visual Examination of the Drilling Unit
• Demonstration of Plasma Cutting Process, 30 Degree X Cut
• Demonstration of Drilling and Cutting Process (As per Example 3 in FAT-2 agenda)
• Demonstration of Drilling, Printing and Cutting (As per Example 4 in FAT-2 agenda)

Project #3

‍Factory acceptance test (FAT) of Cutting and Marking Station DRM-PL 13501.140 FbMIPrk

Project #4‍

Perform FAT witness testing of Heavy load trailers Type SEFIRO 75.4 D (2 Pcs).

Project #5‍

Witness FAT/Function Test Activity and witness of Electro Mechanical Tests and Function Tests of the Upender Fixture  

Results & Benefits

Some key contracts were awarded by the MOD to their supply chain sector to support the fleet work recently. For one specific Technical Project, Altrad Quality Services were asked to find specific skill sets for a new supply chain vendor based in Scandinavia that required specialist work to be completed in a critical timeline to ensure project deadlines continued in the UK. This work required the alignment and communication of two inspectors to ensure that a common seamless project requirement was achieved.

We are asked to support witness and review of the manufacture and fabrication of important structural subcomponents, including different metallurgies and assemblies with new welding equipment as part of a key project being developed in various locations due to confidentiality and proprietary information.  

The driving benefits to support this frame agreement are:

• Altrad Quality Services assigned locally based inspectors to this work scope in Europe, Scandinavia, and the UK
• This provided reduced travel and costs to the client and reducing the carbon footprint in the process
• Altrad Quality Services provided the necessary metallurgy requirements and exposure of PEMA Robotic Welding Solutions machinery as specifically requested in one project
• Altrad Quality Services provided access to our client in our Pathway system which has a date base of regulations, procedures and standards that can be referenced, are applicable to manufacturing, and welding industries
• With our global support from one office, Altrad Quality Services interlinked the process with a high skill set approach and continuity mind set
• Altrad Quality Services can provide future support and mitigation through our Remote Digital Inspection (RDI) capability, further essential support for our client in this important sector