Eliminate unnecessary man-hour and dollar
you are working on is restored to its original conditions.
The QA program provides a uniform policy of
expenses.
maintenance and repair on ships and submarines. It
Improve the training, work habits, and
improves discipline in the repair of equipment, safety of
personnel, and configuration control. It is essentially a
procedures of maintenance personnel.
program to ensure that all work meets specifications or
Store, locate, and distribute required technical
that any departure from specifications is approved and
information more effectively.
documented. You, the supervisor or craftsman, are
expected to carry out the QA program. This section will
Plan realistic material and equipment/
give you the broad knowledge you need to understand
maintenance tasks.
how it works.
CONCEPTS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE
THE QA MANUALS
The ever-increasing technical complexity of
The Navy's fleet commanders in chief (CINCs)
present-day surface ships and submarines has pointed to
publish and update QA manuals that set forth minimum
a need for special administrative and technical proce-
QA requirements for both the surface fleets and the
dures known collectively as the QA program. The
submarine force. The TYCOMs then publish QA
fundamental QA concept is that all maintenance person-
manuals that apply to their forces but are based on the
nel have the responsibility to prevent defects from the
fleet CINC manuals. Since these CINC and TYCOM
beginning to the end of each maintenance operation.
manuals apply to a wide range of ship types,
You must consider QA requirements whenever you plan
equipment, and resources, the instructions are general in
maintenance, and you must apply the fundamental
nature. Therefore, each activity must implement its own
rule--MEET TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AT
QA program that meets the intent of the latest versions
ALL TIMES.
of the fleet CINC and TYCOM QA manuals. If higher
authority imposes more stringent requirements, they will
Quality control (QC) means you regulate events
take precedence.
rather than being regulated by them. It means that you
work with proper methods, material, and tools. In other
The Navy's QA program applies to maintenance
words, knowledge is the key, and knowledge comes
done aboard ship by the ship's force, in IMAs, SIMAs,
from factual information.
SRFs, and shipyards. However, this section will
concentrate on QA work done by the ship's force and
The QA program provides a way to document and
IMAs since you may be assigned to either type of duty.
maintain information on the key characteristics of
equipment. It helps you base decisions on facts rather
QA PROGRAM COMPONENTS
than intuition or memory. It provides comparative data
that will be useful long after you have forgotten the
The basic thrust of the QA program is to ensure
details of a particular time or event. You can get
that you comply with technical specifications during all
knowledge from data, ship's drawings, technical
work on ships of both the surface fleet and the
manuals, material references (such as APLs), and many
submarine force. The key elements of the QA program
other sources. As you use these sources, you will
include administrative and job execution components.
develop the special skills you need to analyze
The administrative component includes the requirement
information and supervise QA programs.
to train and qualify personnel, monitor and audit
programs, and complete the QA forms and records. The
A good QA program provides enough information
job execution component includes the requirement to
so you can accomplish the following goals:
prepare work procedures, meet controlled material
requirements, requisition and receive material, conduct
of the total maintenance effort.
in-process control of fabrication and repairs, test and
Improve the work environment, tools, and
recertify equipment, and document any departure from
equipment used in maintenance.
specifications.
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