Why do not ask the inspector for help?

In the early 2000s, a cogwheels’ (pinions, transmissions) manufacturer used fluorescent PT or MT to detect cracks after grinding.

For MT, a 220 V AC hand-held electromagnet, fluorescent magnetic ink and a UV-A source were used currently.

The inspector was then very surprised when he saw, in another area of the workshop, that a new magnetic equipment, said to be “revolutionary”, would allow for the inspecting of parts in one single operation. All this done to lower inspection time while increasing the inspection rate and, at the end, increasing productivity.

We may think that nowadays it is unusual an inspector is not a part of the committee that defines and/or chooses an inspection equipment.

As usual, each cogwheel was brought to the inspection area in the horizontal position on a wooden pallet. However, on the new MT equipment, the cogwheel needed to be put in the vertical position. Furthermore, previous to magnetization and spraying of the fluorescent magnetic medium, the “alternative magnetic heads”, i.e. magnetic heads in which an AC current flows, required to be put in the right area close to the wheel’s circumference; this was not that easy.

Should the same diameter be checked, this setting time could be quite short.

However, the trouble came from the wheels, which all were delivered to the machine in a row with their own diameter; every wheel required a set-up! A huge waste of time!

Obviously, the inspector’s advice would have been welcomed during the design ... but he was left aside.

Nevertheless, the inspector had to resign himself to use the machine that made him lose a lot of time. As wheels continued to arrive at the same pace, very quickly dramatic “traffic jams” built up in the workshop, downstream production was slowed down, going to delivery delays, and late invoicing, which of course was a cause for alert in the financial services.

This investment was far from negligible and had to be profitable.

When writing the specification of this MT equipment, the project managers did not bother to know about the customers’ needs as well as the user’s.

Since many years, aircraft or aeroengine manufacturers, for instance, ask their future customers, i.e. airlines for what they want, but also look for the advice of maintenance specialists to design what that will help to reduce downtimes, while ensuring quality and safety.

The MT equipment was quickly put aside, then put under cover and, finally, it was scrapped.

We do not know the end of the story, but we may well imagine that the Directorate had to demand accountability from decision-makers. Everyone tried to ‘‘pass the buck’’ back and forth.

When a new machine or a new installation of a line is scheduled, it is a TOP PRIORITY to bring operators in the loop, those operators who will use the coming equipment. They often have good ideas on what to do or not to do, on the arrangement that will ease their work, which will prevent tiredness and systematic movements, which could lead to pains, or even accidents.

In the '60s a UK Company had a motto: "For every surface treatment problem, there is a product xxxxxx" (trademark we do not display).

Engineers and Commercial people in this Company had made a "translation": "With every surface treatment product xxxxxx (trademark we do not display), there is a problem".

This anecdote is there only to remind everyone that problems met in workshops may be due to the suppliers/manufacturers as well as to the users.

Our idea in these documents is NOT to target anyone, but on the contrary to bring to your knowledge some interesting cases which may prevent you to duplicate the same mistakes while performing Penetrant Testing (PT) or Magnetic Testing (MT).

All the ministories you will read are TRUE. We think they will be helpful:
• First as examples of specific technical --or non-technical-- requirements or peculiar problems.
• Second to let you see that the problems do not always come where you think they should come from.
• Third so that users feel free to ask for help from people (the experts) who may know more than they do.