Industrial Cooling
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    Supplier Development: Transforming Final Inspection in 10 Days

    January 13, 2025
    8 min read
    By Qualiteh Team

    At a Glance

    Duration10 days on-site
    Team Role1 SQD Specialist
    NCRs for remainder of year
    0(After 7 OFIs implemented)
    OFIs Implemented7 critical improvements
    Products CoveredCooling Towers, Generator Coolers, Pumps

    The Challenge

    A Tier-1 supplier of industrial cooling systems had been experiencing recurring quality issues with products delivered to a major wind energy customer. Despite being a well-organized facility with modern production capabilities, customer complaints persisted.

    The core question: Why was a capable supplier still generating customer complaints?

    Specific Problems

    Control plan not matching shop floor inspections
    FMEA & Control Plan gaps
    Lacking systematic analysis and failure cataloging
    Customer NCR Process ineffective
    Gaps in supervision of operators in training
    Training Process inconsistent
    Resource constraints affecting execution
    Internal Audits incomplete
    95% of items classified as low-risk
    Supplier Quality Management undifferentiated

    Business Impact

    The facility produced three distinct product lines for the wind energy customer: - Cooling Towers (High complexity): Structural integrity, rust prevention, component tightness - Generator Coolers (Medium): Pressure integrity, cleanliness, leak-free performance - Cooling Pumps (Medium): Pressure testing, assembly completeness Each product required specific inspection protocols, and the variation created opportunities for inconsistency.

    The Approach

    Methodology: 10-Day Intensive Supplier Development
    1

    Phase 1: Immersion (Days 1-2)

    Objective: Embed with quality team to understand reality

    Rather than arriving with predetermined conclusions, our specialist embedded with the quality team.

    Actions:
    • Day 1: Health/safety orientation, comprehensive plant tour, introduction to Quality Dept
    • Day 2: Detailed review of inspection protocols for all three product lines
    • Observation of actual inspection activities
    • Identification of gaps between documented procedures and practice
    Deliverable:
    Initial assessment of process gaps
    2

    Phase 2: Active Inspection & Gap Identification (Days 3-8)

    Objective: Perform parallel inspections to identify gaps

    Our specialist performed parallel inspections alongside the facility's team, using their checklists while documenting observations.

    Actions:
    • Work alongside final inspectors, not as oversight
    • Use existing checklists to identify gaps, not to find fault
    • Document improvement opportunities in real-time
    • Immediate feedback to enable quick wins
    Deliverable:
    7 Opportunities for Improvement (OFI) documented
    3

    Phase 3: Secondary Process Verification (Days 6-8)

    Objective: Verify supporting processes beyond final inspection

    Beyond final inspection, our specialist verified cleanliness, endoscope inspection, and pressure test processes.

    Actions:
    • Verified endoscope usage and cleanliness checks
    • Reviewed pressure test process (primary at sub-suppliers)
    • Documented sampling rationale and criteria
    • Assessed adequacy of existing controls
    Deliverable:
    Process verification assessment
    4

    Phase 4: Collaborative Implementation (Days 9-10)

    Objective: Address all findings collaboratively

    All findings were addressed collaboratively with the facility's quality team.

    Actions:
    • Checklist updates (5 items): Same day implementation
    • Training supervision gap: Investigation initiated (Target CW14)
    • Equipment calibration: Immediate removal from service
    • All 7 OFIs tracked to completion
    Deliverable:
    Implementation tracker with completion status

    The Results

    Final inspection checklist gaps

    Before
    7
    After
    0
    100% resolved

    Uncontrolled training situations

    Before
    Present
    After
    Eliminated
    Process controls added

    Questionable measurement equipment

    Before
    In use
    After
    Removed
    Equipment replaced

    NCRs from customer (remainder of year)

    Before
    Multiple
    After
    0
    100% prevention

    Business Impact

    • Zero customer NCRs for remainder of year following engagement
    • Checklist improvements sustained through internal audits
    • Training supervision gaps closed with documented buddy system
    • Improved relationship with Tier-1 customer

    Key Insights

    •Patterns Identified

    • •External eyes matter: Familiarity creates blind spots that capable people miss
    • •Checklist design is critical: Specificity, traceability, applicability, measurability
    • •Human factors in quality: Technical controls necessary but insufficient
    • •10-day intensive model: Optimal balance of depth and efficiency

    Critical Success Factors

    • Parallel inspection methodology: Identify gaps without blame
    • Real-time feedback: Enable immediate quick wins
    • Collaborative problem-solving: Build ownership, not resistance
    • Written documentation: Create sustainable reference
    "

    Key Takeaway

    The facility had capable people and reasonable processes, but familiarity had created blind spots. The 10-day intensive model provided external perspective with sufficient depth to identify and fix root causes.

    Deliverables

    ✅ Updated Final Inspection Checklists
    Revised checklists for all three product lines
    Template for future products
    ✅ Findings Summary
    Documented observations with specific recommendations
    Improvement tracking
    ✅ Photo Documentation
    Visual evidence supporting each finding
    Training material
    ✅ Implementation Tracker
    Status tracking for all improvement items
    Project management template

    Client Perspective

    "The Qualiteh specialist integrated seamlessly with our team. Rather than pointing fingers, they worked alongside our inspectors to identify practical improvements we could implement immediately. The fact that we had zero customer complaints for the rest of the year speaks to the effectiveness of their approach."

    — Quality Manager
    Industrial Cooling Systems Manufacturer

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