Personel Orientation

Strictly adhering to the proper repair procedures will

CONTROLLED MATERIAL PETTY

almost entirely eliminate premature failures. You, as

OFFICERS

shop supervisor or work group supervisor, and

subordinate work center supervisors are responsible for

CMPOs are normally petty officers, E-4 or E-5, who

ensuring that the proper procedures are used in handling

are thoroughly familiar with controlled material

all repairable units.

requirements as outlined in the QA manual. They, too,

are trained and qualified by a QA supervisor. The QAO

will interview them, as he or she did for the SQCIs, to

QUALITY ASSURANCE TERMS AND

see if they have a general knowledge of controlled

DEFINITIONS

material requirements.

As a supervisor, you need to be able to talk to your

The QA supervisor will give them a written test to

personnel about QA and have them be able to carry out

ensure that they have sufficient knowledge of controlled

your instructions properly and promptly. You need to

material requirements and procedures to carry out their

promote the use of words and phrases pertaining to

responsibilities effectively.

quality and related programs, thus improving the clarity

in your communication with them about QA. To do this,

you need to understand the terms frequently used

OPERATION OF A QUALITY

throughout the QA program. Each TYCOM's QA

ASSURANCE PROGRAM

manual and MIL-STD-109 has a complete list of these

Initiating an effective, ongoing QA program is an

terms, but the most frequently used terms are listed here:

all-hands effort. It takes the cooperation of all shop

QUALITY ASSURANCE. Quality assurance (QA)

personnel to make the program work. As the shop or

is a system that ensures that materials, data,

work group supervisor, you will be responsible for

supplies, and services conform to technical

getting the program rolling.

requirements and that repaired equipment performs

The key elements are a good personnel orientation

satisfactory.

program, a comprehensive personnel training program,

QUALITY CONTROL. Quality control (QC) is a

use of the proper repair procedures, and uniform

management function that attempts to eliminate

inspection procedures. When you have organized the

defective products, whether they are produced or

shop or work center and have placed all these elements

procured.

in practice, your QA program will be underway. These

elements are discussed in the following paragraphs.

ACCEPTANCE. Acceptance is when an authorized

representative approves specific services rendered

PERSONNEL ORIENTATION

(such as a repair or manufactured part).

CALIBRATION. This is the comparison of two

The best way to get the support of your personnel is

instruments or measuring devices, one of which is

to show them how an effective QA program will benefit

a standard of known accuracy traceable to national

them personally. Eliminating or reducing premature

standards, to detect, correlate, report, or eliminate

failures in repaired units and introducing high-reliability

by adjustment any discrepancy in accuracy of the

repairs will appreciable y reduce their workload, saving

instrument or measuring device being compared

them frustration and enhancing the shop or work group

with the standard.

reputation. This program, as any new program or change

to an existing program, will probably meet with

INSPECTION. This is the examination and testing

opposition from some shop personnel. By showing your

of components and services to determine whether

shop personnel the benefits of a QA program, you

they conform to specified requirements.

greatly reduce opposition to the change.

IN-PROCESS INSPECTION. This type of

inspection is performed during the manufacture and

REPAIR PROCEDURES

repair cycle to prevent production defects. It is also

perfomed to identify production problems or

Repair procedures may be defined as all of the

material defects that are not detectable when the job

action required to return an equipment to its proper

is complete.

operating condition after a defect has been discovered.

Repair procedures include parts handling, disassembly,

INSPECTION RECORD. Inspection records

component removal or replacement, and reassembly,

contain data resulting from inspection actions.

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