Gauge Found Out of Tolerance: How to Find Affected Product Using ERP and Calibration Data

Running an out-of-tolerance impact assessment

1. 1Record the as-found data and the date of the last calibration where the gauge was in tolerance; the window runs from that date to the date it was removed from service.
2. 2Query inspection results for the gauge ID inside that window, in the ERP, QMS or inspection software.
3. 3Resolve each result to its job, lot or serial, part number and operation, then to downstream shipments.
4. 4Decide for each affected characteristic whether the as-found error could have moved a part across its tolerance, using the size of the error against the tolerance.
5. 5Quarantine on-site doubtful lots through the NCR process and re-inspect with a calibrated gauge where parts are still available.
6. 6Assess shipped product and decide on customer notification where re-inspection is not possible or shows nonconformance.
7. 7Record the assessment, decisions and approvals against the calibration record, and review whether the interval should shorten.

Make the gauge ID a field, not a comment

-- Shape of the impact query (names vary by system)
SELECT r.job_no, r.lot_no, r.part_no, r.characteristic, r.result_date
FROM   inspection_result r
WHERE  r.gauge_id = :gauge
  AND  r.result_date BETWEEN :last_good_cal AND :removed_from_service
ORDER  BY r.result_date;

Preventing repeats

Common pitfalls

• !Recording the gauge as free text such as caliper 3, so queries by gauge ID miss records.
• !Starting the impact window at the failed calibration date instead of the last good one.
• !Treating every out-of-tolerance finding as a recall without comparing error to tolerance.
• !Ignoring in-process checks and looking only at final inspection records.
• !Keeping separate gauge lists in the CMMS, the QMS and the ERP that disagree.
• !Allowing results to be entered against a gauge whose due date has passed.