Flying in the face of traditional quality control: Boeing ups productivity by using Renishaw diagnostic system prior to machining. (Case Study).

Engineer, The, March, 2002

When aerospace giant Boeing changed the emphasis of its quality control from measuring finished parts to ensuring that machine tools used during production were correctly calibrated it led to a huge improvement in productivity.

The solution was to verify the machine tools themselves prior to machining instead of relying on hand-held gauges, co-ordinate measuring machines (CMMs), and other post-production systems.

By verifying the tools, the parts they cut, no matter how complex or critical, would be expected to meet the specification. Another advantage was that parts would be inspected while in production, eliminating all post production inspection.

To enable Boeing to meet these objectives, engineers at the company's tooling shop at Auburn, US,...