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Quality Conclave Themes

This document discusses upgrading quality assurance practices for submarine batteries. It outlines two key focus areas: (1) upgrading measurement technology and methods to use modern techniques like spectroscopy that provide more accurate and precise measurements; and (2) uplifting suppliers' quality control labs to meet NABL or ISO 17025 requirements. The document also discusses engaging with suppliers to shift from conventional to advanced testing and encouraging adoption of quality guidelines to improve process robustness and confidence in results. Annual quality conclave themes proposed include driving manufacturing excellence through quality assurance and bringing innovation to quality practices in a scientific manner.

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Vikin Jain
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60 views4 pages

Quality Conclave Themes

This document discusses upgrading quality assurance practices for submarine batteries. It outlines two key focus areas: (1) upgrading measurement technology and methods to use modern techniques like spectroscopy that provide more accurate and precise measurements; and (2) uplifting suppliers' quality control labs to meet NABL or ISO 17025 requirements. The document also discusses engaging with suppliers to shift from conventional to advanced testing and encouraging adoption of quality guidelines to improve process robustness and confidence in results. Annual quality conclave themes proposed include driving manufacturing excellence through quality assurance and bringing innovation to quality practices in a scientific manner.

Uploaded by

Vikin Jain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Key Focus Area

Introduction

1. In this ever changing technological environment, zero tolerance to defects with


stricter quality norms requires Quality Assurance bearers’ attention to adapt a broader
purport. Quality Assurance of Lead Acid Submarine Battery, which is a primary source
of power for submarine operations, is one of the key functions of this unit. Thus, being
critical item, it requires extensive and elaborative testing with high precision and
accuracy starting from the very initial stage of the manufacturing i.e. raw material till
final product. It is therefore imperative to upgrade testing method from conventional to
modern technique, thereby, supporting the industries espouse Total Quality
Maintenance (TQM), a pillar of Manufacturing Excellence (ME) by implementing various
World Class Quality practices like Quality Circles, Poka-yoke, Six Sigma etc. Embracing
the change is not easy as it requires intensive and unabated efforts towards process
based approach, instead of only product based approach.

Following key focus areas highlighting various lessons learnt are outlined below –

(a) Upgrading the measurement technology/methods


(b) Uplifting the standard of Suppliers’ Quality Control/Assurance lab to NABL
requirements or ISO 17025.

2. The first set of indigenously developed Submarine Batteries was supplied to the
Indian Navy in 1974. Over four decades, various other Types of batteries have also
been indigenised and are being supplied to the Navy. These Lead Acid batteries supply
electrical energy by converting chemical energy stored in the form of electrochemical
potential of active material (raw material) viz. Lead Sub-oxide, Red Lead, Lead Alloys
and Sulphuric Acid. The performance of a battery depends upon the right chemical
composition of active material with least possible impurity levels (measured in ppm).
Inaccurate levels are detrimental to evolution of unwanted gases like poisonous Stibine
& Arsine and inflammable & explosible Hydrogen. Since inception of batteries, the testing of
active material were being undertaken using classical quantitative/ qualitative
techniques which do not facilitate highly accurate and precise measurement in ppm
levels. Therefore, the need arose to shift to modern techniques for accurate
measurements of raw material i.e. Spark-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES), Flame-
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP)-OES.

conventional techniques As a case with one of the submarine battery suppliers, there
were various instances where old vintage testing techniques or methods were in use.
For examples, for impurity measurements in various chemicals, as Lead Sub-oxide,
Red Lead, Sulphuric Acid & others, classical quantitative and qualitative techniques
were in use. Moreover, shock test parameters calculation was being through crude drop
hammer formula, rather than using accelerometer and oscilloscope for accurate and
precise readings. Various engagements and technical deliberations with the supplier
were made to highlight the significance of upgrade of testing/measurement
technology/technique. These discussions and insistence for the use of latest technology
led to successful shift to various latest and advanced chemical analysis techniques, like
use of spectroscopy, viz. Spark-OES, & Flame-AAS, ICP-OES instead of qualitative
/quantitative classical methods. Further, various trials are underway with the firm for
shock test to shift to accelerometer and oscilloscope of measurement of shock test
parameters.

Also, it becomes imperative to take advantages of recent advancements in the


information technology, like, avoiding repetitive data entry at multiple points and
duplication using bar-code marks, automatic report generation, etc. If we talk about
Industry 4.0 implementation, then we can have direct access to Plant Process
Parameters at our desk, through remote DSC/SCADA monitoring access. Moreover,
implementation of WinLims/Labware, can provide real time access to quality control
parameters, thus having pre-inspection reports at hand and that too, on real time basis.
Moreover, in this rapidly changing technological environment, it is highly important to
upgrade and prepare ourselves incessantly for future technology challenges.

Uplifting the standard of Suppliers’ Quality Control/Assurance lab to NABL


requirements or ISO 17025

3. There are methods which are formulated or modified by the firm indigenously to
suit the inspection requirements, but lacks basic philosophy of ISO 17025 or NABL
requirements. To ensure the inspection/testing process robustness and fidelity, it
becomes pertinent to follow basic guidelines of ISO 17025, especially for indigenously
developed methods. Thus, supplier’s methods should be vetted against the NABL
requirements along with national/international standards, like IS, ISO or ASTM as per
latest standard available in the market as practical as possible following the risk based
approach. This would help deter the repetitive analysis, bring more confidence
discerning right from wrong. This establishment has been putting tremendous efforts by
helping the supplier adapt various ISO 17025 guidelines like for chemical analysis,
insisting on validation of testing method, viz. establishing LOD, LOQ, uncertainty,
repeatability, spiking, reproducibility, and calibration curves, use of Certified Reference
Material/Reference Material before test, complete traceability of raw material and
related intermediates in the processes, etc.
Annual Quality Conclave Themes
1. Driving/embedding Manufacturing Excellence through Quality Assurance

In this global and competitive market place, industries are facing challenges to put their best to provide
high quality products at a competitive price in a sustainable manner. Moreover, with the advancement
of technology, technical requirements are becoming more and more stringent and specific in nature.
Operational Excellence or Manufacturing Excellence has been such a driver in achieving these targets,
e.g. for Japan, revolution in technology started with Total Quality Maintenance (TQM), i.e.
Manufacturing Excellence initiated and proved by Toyota first to the world. Many of the recently
launched government platforms like Make in India does require such scientific and logical approach
where other platforms like Digital India may help or boost domestic production in Defence Sector. It
would be late, if our domestic Defence Sector doesn’t adopt it.

We can help industries embrace these changes by embedding our Quality Assurance Practices into
Company’s Manufacturing/Operational Excellence roadmap delivering best of the best product.

2. Bringing Innovation and Creativity in Quality Assurance in a scientific manner

3. Applying Design and Action Thinking to Quality Practices

4. Challenges in Current Quality Assurance Framework

5. Complete Overhaul of Current Quality Assurance Practices

6. New Approaches to Quality Assurance

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