Quality Management System
Circular Technologies Quality Management System is designed to ensure that we consistently deliver a high-quality product to our customers. To that end, we have the following subsystems in place:
Drawing and production control
Internal drawings are made for all parts that we manufacture. Drawings are approved by engineering, manufacturing, and quality, and conform to ANSI/ASME Y14.5M-1994.
Quality plans are developed for every part. These quality plans include a first article check for all dimensions and features as well as control charts for selected dimensions or attributes.
Drawings, quality plans, job routers, CNC programs, photos of fixtures, etc. are all bound up in a Circular Technologies “Blue Book” for every part. The Blue Book travels with the job throughout all processes.
Inspection
All received materials are sampled and inspected prior to release to the shop floor by the QA department. First article and in-process audits are conducted by QA of manufacturing jobs. All parts are sampled and inspected prior to release to inventory or shipping.
Inspection documentation is maintained both electronically and in paper form for a minimum of three years. Inspection records are supplied to customers if requested. Certifications of compliance are also supplied upon request.
Gage Calibration
All gages and measuring instruments are checked by operators on a daily basis. In addition, a formal calibration check is conducted on a scheduled basis, typically every 6 months. Calibrations are traceable to NIST. Calibration records are maintained for a minimum of three years.
Corrective Action
Even the best of plans sometimes go awry. Corrective action may be initiated as the result of a customer notification or from an internal request. Problems are treated as opportunities to improve our processes. Not only does the corrective action system seek to address problems so that they do not reoccur, but it also serves as a driving force for process improvement. Root causes are determined, and processes are modified. A copy of the corrective action is included in the part Blue Book. Copies of corrective actions are supplied to interested customers.
Certification and Traceability
Raw material and outside service (i.e., plating and anodizing) certifications are maintained for a minimum of three years. Copies of these certifications can be supplied upon customer request.
Document Control
A significant body of knowledge has been developed at Circular Technologies over the years. The document control system manages a myriad of procedures, technical specifications, and tribal knowledge to make that information accessible to the people who need it. Document control ensures that retrieved documents are the current revisions.
Training
Our employees are our most important resource. In addition to on the job training supplied by supervisors, Circular Technologies provides formal training in subjects such as drawing interpretation, GD&T (geometric dimensioning and tolerancing), control charts, measurement techniques, QMS subsystems, and other relevant topics.
Environmental Standards
Many of our customers must comply with environmental standards such as the European Union’s Reduction of Hazardous Substances RoHS (European Union Directive 2002/95/EC.)
Circular Technologies can certify RoHS compliance with our products. Some of our customers have developed their own environmental standards, which are generally more stringent than RoHS. Thus far, we have been able to satisfy those requirements as well.
