Work instructions with quality check points.

The use of simple computer based work instructions,with mandated detailed quality check points,that detail pass or fail criteria for the specific step.This would seem to be a must have "type of document" in all manufacturing facilities today!And that this document, would be available in or accessible within all the departments.Which are related or directly associated with the product manufacturing pathway used by the facility for the article under manufacture.

This lack of detailed instructions and or process controls often results in additional down time do to recurring issues which should have been corrected systematically over the products previous manufacturing cycles.

I recently witnessed a batch of primer under going its final steps in the mixing and dispensing process.I observed what appeared to be a shortage of product containers based on my quick calculation of the number of necessary containers verses what was located at the filling station.I was shocked to learn, that no other containers for this material were available within the factory or from the material control group. which utilizes a manually written simple record system of in and out without the benefit of any min/max requirements for new order generation.Which should be based in part, on a historical known purchase cycle time for the needed article.