AISC Standard (new)

Date 04-04-2003 12:03

Am I the only person that has attended at least partially this seminar? I missed the last days of it and was concerned that important topics may have been covered while I was traveling back home to attend a funeral.
John Wright

By CHGuilford (****)

Date 04-04-2003 14:50

'fraid so John. We were going to send 2 people to the Baltimore session but someone dragged their feet and so the course was full. I wanted to go but my superiors felt they didn't need to spend the money- probably because we are major bridge and FC certified and the course addressed the now complex building criteria.
I do know 1 guy who went. He works for one of our competitors who just recently became certified. His take was "Hang on to your hats!" But then again, he is new to Quality Control issues, so........

Chet Guilford

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 04-04-2003 15:00

Chet,
The part that I did get to see, seemed to make you aware that your policy writing skills are going to be judged by the auditors. They are promoting this new "standard" as "a tool to better business" for you, but I still see it as I have to know what the auditors want to see, so I can receive a piece of paper to hang on the wall to stay in business. I'm hesitant to this change because I have worked for years perfecting this manual to the point that I have had very few things the auditors can complain about. Anyway, they hold the cards, so I have to play the game.
John Wright

By CHGuilford (****)

Date 04-04-2003 17:36

I hear you there, John. We were given a briefing on the new audit criteria and were told we could opt for the new or stay with the old for our annual review. Naturally we will sit this one out and see how others make out. My revisions to our manual were done with the changes in mind though.
But the biggest question I have is on calibration of M&TE.
It seems like everything is going to require annual checks which is fine for Skidmores, torque wrenches, and volt/amp meters. But I see no need to calibrate hardness testers that have the included cal blocks for verification; micrometers that are used maybe once a year (we aren't a machine shop). Paint thickness gauges require standards traceable to NIST for verification so I can't see sending out the gauges for factory verification unless they won't hold adjustments.
And tape measures wear out quickly so I see no need to check them. We use only Stanley tapes and they have verified that all tapes are manufactured and verified with NIST standards. I can understand checking them when the hooks get bent and we do that with a precision ruler to verify the 12" line is still correct. But damaged tapes get replaced with new.
I'll be interested in seeing how this plays out. Hopefully I'm reading more into it than is actually there.

Chet

By jwright650 (*****)

Date 04-07-2003 11:49

Chet,
Our guys (they supply their own tools)have been using the Craftsman brand of tape lines(because of the return policy). I've noticed over the years that the fifty foot tape lines are running an eighth off, but the hundred footers are dead on. I've been checking them against a calibrated Lufkin chrome hundred foot with a Lufkin tension handle. I've got it down to a one man operation now. I fixed a place in the shop where I can pull all those tapes and do it by myself. That way I don't have to pull someone out of production to help with holding the proper tension while I go and read all the increments that have to be checked. I rigged up a couple of angles back to back and bolted it to a column in the shop. I hook the handle of the tension handle over the angle and turn the bolt until the proper tension is achieved, while the other end is clamped down to the floor with a modified "C" clamp with a rubber foot to keep from hurting the tape line. I hate that part of tool calibrations too, seems redundant to check em when they are always within tolerance.
John Wright