Of all aspects of our industry, quality is inarguably most important. After all, if you are not delivering quality plastics products to your customers, your customers will go elsewhere. But how can plastics manufacturers guarantee quality parts? In those most basic sense, we need to inspect parts and ensure they meet customer requirements. To accomplish this, we need to use various devices — the most fundamental of which are measuring tools.

Understanding Measuring Tools

At Routsis Training, we see it time and time again: Most of the people measuring plastic products know almost nothing about the tools they are using. This can lead to mismeasurement, improper readings, and inaccuracies due to misuse, damage, and premature wear.

Mastery of any skill begins with a basic working knowledge. In the case of measuring devices, this includes knowing the basic components and the terminology used to describe the device and its functionality.

The Path to Mastery

Understanding the basic construction, modes of operation, and expected accuracy of each device is essential, prerequisite knowledge: Employees need to properly understand these tools before taking a single critical measurement. It’s the only way they (and the customer) can have confidence in the measurements they obtain. The difference between good and bad measurements is the difference between good and bad product getting into your customers’ hands. And bad parts are bad business.

In order to ensure accurate measurements, your quality personnel need to know how the device should be held, how the workpiece should be fixtured, and how to correctly interpret the results. In addition, they need to understand the correct procedures for handling, storing, and maintaining the measuring device. Otherwise, factors such as corrosion, rust, damage, and warpage will render the tool useless — and possibly require expensive replacement.

Once they understand these essential points, they are well on their way to mastering the tool. All that’s needed is practice, practice, practice.

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Routsis Training has developed innovative hands-on training labs for Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Measuring Tools. There is no better way to ensure your personnel know how to obtain accurate measurements. These training labs are also part of the Quality curriculum in our Professional Certification Portals, which deliver essential training and benchmarking to your entire workforce.