The Cost of Poor Quality for Aerospace Manufacturing

Aerospace clients often seek our advice and solutions to Cost of Poor Quality (CoPQ) problems created by the use of legacy wire protection like the Nylon MS21266 glued on grommet.

CoPQ is bigger than most people think. According to Quality Digest, it ranges from 5% to 30% of gross sales for manufacturing and service companies.  Zero CoPQ is almost impossible so some cost is expected, but the higher you are on that range you are literally throwing your profits away.

One challenge is that CoPQ is frequently viewed as an indirect cost and is not tracked and attributed directly to product costs.  Rather it is captured at a global level and apportioned across products.  This lack of granularity makes it hard to identify, attribute and control.  The most common CoPQ costs include troubleshooting, in-process scrap, repairs and rework.

This should not be dismissed.  The FAA views wiring as a critical aircraft system and has produced Electrical Wiring Interconnect System (EWIS) guidelines to prevent chafe-induced Arc, Spark, or Combustion (ASC) and the myriad of less critical – but also dangerous – equipment issues/discrepancies caused by wiring problems.

An example DTi is familiar with:

Aerospace manufacturing integrates miles of wiring that requires the use of grommet edging.  The legacy SOP is to apply a nylon grommet like MS21266 with glue to the sharp edges and then fixture it in place while the glue cures.  But not only is this is a slow, messy and inefficient process, it can also lead to high CoPQ as “egg shaping” and faulty adhesion can happen any time a glued nylon grommet is applied.

Post curing inspections of the grommets can show the issues and create rework – adding to CoPQ.  However it could be even worse if it fails when access to it is significantly more difficult. It can also add the threat of FOD.

DTi helps to eliminate CoPQ issues related to cable and wire protection with a high-performance grommet that does not need glue and does not bow.  DTi's best in class Spring-Fast® grommet saves manufacturers ~49% of total install costs and boosts productivity by a factor of 9.5x.  Finger pressure application minimizes install and inspection time with no curing.

Footnote for MRO’s

As the deadline for the FAA’s ADS-B Out mandate gets closer, more planes are having compartments and spaces opened that are rarely exposed. It is the perfect time to inspect that all-important nervous system/wiring and installing/replacing any damaged grommet edging.

Between now and the FAA January 1, 2020 ADS-B (installation) mandate deadline, DTi will provide a discounted ABS-B installation kit to help MRO’s in their ADS-B installations. Contact EDMO for details.

Visit the Spring-Fast grommet edging page with multiple variants for virtually any situation.

Source: Article from Quality Digest