What is resident engineering and when is it needed?

Resident engineering is placing a quality professional on-site at a supplier or customer location for an extended period. It's typically needed during new product launches, quality escalations, or when organizational complexity requires neutral third-party oversight.

How long do resident engineering engagements typically last?

Engagements typically range from 3 to 12 months depending on the program scope and objectives. This particular project lasted 12 months to cover the critical launch phase and ensure stability before transitioning to normal operations.

What makes a good resident engineer?

Beyond technical quality expertise, the role requires diplomatic skills, cultural awareness, ability to work independently, and focus on objective facts rather than organizational politics. The goal is to be a trusted advisor to both parties, not an enforcer.

Can resident engineers work remotely?

While some tasks can be done remotely, the value of resident engineering comes from physical presence on the shop floor, direct observation of processes, and immediate resolution of issues. A hybrid model with periodic on-site visits may work for follow-up phases.

How do you measure success in resident engineering?

Success metrics typically include defect rates (NCRs, PPM), inspection efficiency (SFR reduction), on-time delivery improvements, and qualitative measures like improved collaboration and reduced escalations between organizations.

Offshore Wind

Resident Engineering

Featured

Resident Engineering: Navigating Quality Assurance in a High-Stakes Political Environment

January 13, 2025

10 min read

By Qualiteh Team

At a Glance

Duration	6 months (April – September)
Team Role	1 Resident Engineer + Team Lead (remote coordination)
NCRs during resident period	0(Zero non-conformance reports)
SFR Reduction	1.53% → <0.3%
Containment	39 segments, 0 escapes
Production Value	~€27M protected

The Challenge

A major European wind turbine manufacturer faced a critical supplier quality challenge with their single-source supplier of offshore generator segments: high-value components essential for offshore wind installations.

The stakes were significant: Component value ~€80,000 per segment, line stop cost ~€1,000,000+ per incident, project delays leading to contractual penalties, and no alternative supplier qualified.

Specific Problems

Airduct blockages

Segments with blocked airducts preventing airgap measurement — Production delays, rework costs

Micatube positioning

Incorrect angle and positioning of PT100 sensors — Field reliability concerns

Packaging damage

Moisture ingress during transport — Rejected segments, refurbishment costs

Business Impact

Supplier Failure Rate (SFR) in 2024: 1.53% (roughly 1 in 65 segments required intervention). The Political Dimension: What made this engagement uniquely complex wasn't just the technical challenge, it was the organizational dynamics: • Customer and supplier had previously been part of the same corporate group • Recent separation created competing interests and residual tensions • Supplier operated as single-source with limited accountability pressure • Customer initiated parallel qualification of alternative suppliers (Asia-Pacific) • Quality issues becoming secondary to political maneuvering

The Approach

Methodology: Resident Engineering with Neutral Third-Party Facilitation

Strategic Framework: Neutral Third-Party Positioning

Objective: Be perceived as genuinely neutral facilitators, not as an extension of either party

Before deploying our resident engineer, we developed a comprehensive engagement strategy. The key insight: technical competence alone wouldn't succeed in this environment.

Actions:

Conducted detailed stakeholder analysis covering both organizations
Established crystal-clear RACI matrix for all activities
Designed communication flows to prevent information asymmetry
Defined escalation protocols (Level 1 → 2 → 3)

Deliverable:

Stakeholder engagement strategy and RACI matrix

Operational Execution: Resident Engineer Deployment

Objective: Embed at supplier facility with clearly defined scope

Our engineer embedded on-site with daily process witnessing across all production stages (MDDW, SDDW, VPI, FIN).

Actions:

Process witnessing: Laminated stator core, stator segments, vacuum impregnation, final inspection
Checkpoint verification against control plans
Documentation review and completeness checks
Informal relationship building with production teams
Every segment tracked by serial number with complete inspection history

Deliverable:

Checkpoint tracker with segment-by-segment inspection records

Containment Measure Implementation

Objective: Prevent escapes during investigation period

For the highest-risk issue (micatube positioning), we implemented structured containment.

Actions:

Scope: All segments produced during investigation period
Method: 100% inspection at supplier + verification at customer incoming
Photo documentation per segment, traceable to serial number
Exit criteria: Demonstrated process capability (Cpk target)

Deliverable:

39 segments through containment; all passed customer incoming inspection

The Diplomatic Dimension

Objective: De-escalate deteriorating relationship while maintaining focus on quality

Our most valuable contribution wasn't inspection; it was maintaining neutrality in a politicized environment.

Actions:

Data as neutral ground: Redirected discussions to objective data
Reframing findings as opportunities: Avoided blame language
Parallel validation: Facilitated joint verification when disputed
Balanced recognition: Highlighted positive developments from both parties

Deliverable:

Weekly consolidated reports to both parties simultaneously

The Results

Supplier Failure Rate (SFR)

Before

1.53%

After

<0.3%

>80% reduction

NCRs during resident period

Before

Multiple per month

After

100% prevention

Containment escapes

Before

Unknown

After

100% containment effectiveness

Inspection coverage

Before

Sampling

After

100% witnessed

Full visibility

Business Impact

Customer SQD regained confidence in supplier capability
Customer Production received predictable quality, no line disruptions
Supplier Quality demonstrated improvement, protected relationship
Supplier Management avoided escalation to commercial consequences

Key Insights

•Patterns Identified

•Neutrality as core competency: Technical expertise was necessary but not sufficient
•Proactive stakeholder management: Understanding organizational dynamics before deployment prevented missteps
•Structured communication: Rigid protocols prevented either party from weaponizing findings
•Resident presence value: Daily on-site presence enabled both quality assurance and relationship-building

Critical Success Factors

Genuine impartiality in a politicized environment
Clear RACI matrix established upfront
Data-driven discussions vs. blame assignment
Meticulous documentation transformed subjective concerns into objective tracking

Key Takeaway

In a situation where trust had eroded between organizations, objective eyes, diplomatic approach, and relentless focus on actual quality rather than politics delivered zero-defect results while improving collaboration.

Deliverables

✅ Checkpoint Tracker	Segment-by-segment inspection record Template for future programs
✅ Weekly Summary Report	Findings, trends, containment status Standard reporting format
✅ NCR Analysis	Pareto analysis of historical and current issues Baseline for improvement tracking
✅ Photo Documentation	Visual record of each inspected segment Quality evidence archive
✅ Q-Points Meeting Minutes	Joint sessions with supplier quality Communication protocol established

Client Perspective

"In a situation where trust had eroded between our organizations, Qualiteh provided exactly what we needed: objective eyes, diplomatic approach, and relentless focus on actual quality rather than politics. The zero-defect result speaks for itself, but equally valuable was their ability to improve collaboration between our teams."
— Senior Quality Manager
Wind Energy OEM

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Resident Engineering: Navigating Quality Assurance in a High-Stakes Political Environment

At a Glance

The Challenge

Specific Problems

Business Impact

The Approach

Strategic Framework: Neutral Third-Party Positioning

Actions:

Operational Execution: Resident Engineer Deployment

Actions:

Containment Measure Implementation

Actions:

The Diplomatic Dimension

Actions:

The Results

Supplier Failure Rate (SFR)

NCRs during resident period

Containment escapes

Inspection coverage

Business Impact

Key Insights

•Patterns Identified

Critical Success Factors

Key Takeaway

Deliverables

Client Perspective

Download PDF Version

FAQs About This Case Study

Facing Similar Challenges?

Related Content

Your Privacy Matters