Re: [PipingDesign] ISO 9001 and CAD

Christopher Wright wrote:
> On Apr 19, 2008, at 6:05 AM, Paul Bowers wrote:
>
>> Basically, it states that an organization must have (among other
>> things)
>> documentation standards that they follow, and that those standards can
>> be audited in order to prove adherence to the certification.
> That's my understanding as well. At it' root it's a way of tracking
> your manufacturing process so that you can prove that you make what
> you say you make the way you say you make it.
>
> The fatal flaw is that if you make crap, ISO 9000 is cool with crap
> provided you document it properly. That's actually the problem with
> so many QA standards. When they're audited, it's only the procedure
> system that's audited, not the skill with which the procedures are
> carried out. Or the possibility that the procedures might be
> circumvented. Most of the times I got audited by anyone, it was
> pretty clear that the auditors had no idea what I actually did or
> whether I was competent to do it.

I'd also think that there's a difference between manufacturing a part in a factory designed to make similar parts and welding together spools which will be erected/field-welded together at a construction site.

Such standards may be great in one environment but not-so-great in another.

Building a refinery, chemical plant or nuke facility is "a bit" different from manufacturing a mechanical part on an assembly line. 3D CAD is often touted as being superterrific, and it really is, if you build the same part over and over with gradual improvements throughout the history of the part/assembly.

To try to apply quality standards that work in one environment to another that is completely different (again I must bring up the concept of 3D, databased CAD essentially changing or replacing whatever 2D quality standards that were "pre-existing") often doesn't work.

I can create all the document standards I want, but if the software doesn't work that way they are useless. Of course, at that point users are forced to adjust to what the software output is, but that's putting the cart before the horse, so to speak.

It won't be a simple problem until 3D CAD piping software outputs to an assembly machine that puts all the pieces together, does the welding and erects the semi-finished assembly onto the piperack or attaches both ends to equipment all by itself.

Paul Received on Sat Apr 19 13:53:00 2008