"We can argue about anything else. But quality must not be the subject of our arguments."

Lee Iacocca

Inspection and Acceptance

Experience shows that when companies employ qualified people to oversee their operations, there are significantly fewer disruptions in the implementation of projects and in the manufacture, repair, reworking or assembly of products. Clearly, inspections of products must evaluate their quality in terms of acceptance but should also consider product life cycle. When it comes to corrosion protection, this aspect is often neglected.

When both the quality and life cycle of products are kept in check, companies are better able to meet deadlines and compliance requirements, reach goals, pass milestones, and enjoy greater cost advantages. Only then can long-term quality be ensured.

Where testing and acceptance points are set up depends on the various project phases, but usually take place as follows:

• Examination of the operational and personnel requirements according to the application regulations and / or specifications
• Examination and / or acceptance of welder qualifications (ISO 9606)
• Examination of process safety and / or acceptance of process tests (ISO 15614)
• Preparation, acceptance and documentation of work samples (ISO 15613)
• Testing of materials used (sampling when assessing old stocks)
• Testing in the processing area (cutting, qualification, identification and traceability)
• Production checks (before, during and after welding and coating)
• Quality testing of welded and coated structures
• Non-destructive testing (e.g. magnetic particle or penetrant testing)
• Inspection of product storage and packaging
• Documentation
• Reporting