Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Thos Begbie & Co is a certified ISO 9001:2015 company that makes it their priority to produce not only the best quality product possible, but also ensures that every aspect of the customer’s specifications are met.

Thos Begbie clearly differentiates between Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Although customer’s requirements may differ, Thos Begbie, as the supplier, liaises with each individual client and draws up a mutually acceptable Quality Control Plan, or QCP.

This QCP is the document that clearly and systematically identifies and lists all major events and activities in chronological sequence, which have to be performed by both the client and the manufacturer from the inception of the contract to its completion and final acceptance.

The QCP and the data pack become living documents, not only during the manufacturing and installation process, but also during the life of use of the product by the customer.

The Quality Department has highly skilled and specialised personnel experienced in all the related fields of quality engineering and metallurgy ensuring that customers’ design criteria are correctly interpreted from the drawings to the final product.

Impartial reporting is ensured by making use of third-party inspection specialists in the field of ultrasonic testing, X-ray examination and infrared thermal imaging are some of the tests performed on site to give clients the additional comfort of knowing that latent defects are eliminated and test results are accurate and verified. To ensure that all products produced comply with the set standards and specifications and that all details on the drawings are adhered to, the following tests are selectively performed during and after each manufacturing process:

Specialised tests routinely conducted:

• Thermal image testing
• Ultrasonic testing & X-ray examination
• Dye penetrant testing
• Material analysis
• Weld integrity testing
• Hydrostatic pressure and flow testing
• Conductivity testing
• Hardness testing
• Dimensional inspections
• Visual inspections

TB (77)
Some of the criteria included in a typical QCP:
  • Supplier and client identification and contact details
  • Contract name
  • Job number and client order number
  • QCP number and revision status
  • Client and manufacturer item identification numbers
  • Drawing number and revision status
  • Drawing revision and specification variation procedure
  • Data pack requirements
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As-cast – surface quality indicators

In accordance with ASTM A802 (SCRATA)

Comparators measuring 150 × 100 mm are reproductions of actual casting surfaces and are provided for establishing the categories and quality levels of the surface conditions that occur during the production by conventional sand moulding techniques, so as to eliminate subjective opinion as to acceptability.

The following images indicate the maximum allowable visual as cast indicators of castings produced by Thos Begbie & Co (Pty) Ltd, unless noted otherwise by the customer, applicable quality control plan or technical specification

A3 - Surface Texture

The natural surface of the casting after abrasive cleaning

B4 - Non-metallic

Inclusions non-metallic material trapped on the cast surface

C3 - Gas Porosity

Indications of gas at the casting surface

D2 - Fusion Discontinuities

Surface irregularities giving a wrinkled appearance

E3 - Expansion

Discontinuities Slightly raised surface irregularities

F3 - Inserts

Indications of chaplets or internal chills

H4 - Mechanical Removal Marks

Fettling or dressing visible on the surface

Assessment of surface quality

  • For evaluating casting surfaces, the as cast surface shall be compared, without optical aids, with the appropriate replica comparators on the basis of the category and quality level.
  • Comparison of the comparators with the casting surface shall be made with the comparators held next to the casting under good conditions of lighting.
  • When two or more surface categories are present in any controlled area, each shall be assessed according to its own quality level.
  • The assessment shall be satisfactory if, in the required area the surface condition of the casting corresponds to that of the stated reference comparators, or if it generally corresponds to a higher quality level.
  • It is emphasised, however, that it is not intended that areas of the casting shall be divided up into equivalent comparator areas and assessments made for each area.