With accurate knowledge about which processing parameters have changed, the scientific troubleshooter can begin to make changes to return the process outputs to the documented standard. Always be careful of related process parameters. For example, if the first-stage fill time is too high and the first-stage fill weight is too low, then an increase in the injection speed may bring both parameters back to the documented standard.

 

The goal here is not to just fix the defect, but to return the machine-independent process outputs back to the documented standard. When steps 1 and 2 are conducted properly, the scientific troubleshooter has confidence that the parts will be acceptable when the process is returned to the documented standard, if the mold, machine, and material are behaving properly. This troubleshooting method will also help the scientific troubleshooter to quickly identify and isolate a problem with the equipment or material.

 

 

 

STEP 6—VERIFY THE PART & PROCESS

After the parts are brought into conformance, it is best to ensure that the part and process conform to the standard. This means the scientific troubleshooter should take a few minutes to check each of the parameters that are easy to verify. It may be impractical to check every process output, but any information that is easily obtained, such as first-stage fill time, first-stage fill weight, cycle time, and cooling time, will help increase the confidence that the process will remain stable and reliable over time.

 

 

 

STEP 7—DOCUMENT ALL CHANGES

This is one step any troubleshooter—scientific or traditional—should take. A trail of documentation, beginning when the process was established and approved, that continues to build as the process is adjusted, creates a portfolio of information to draw upon when trouble arises. A scientific troubleshooter should be able to see the full history of the process, machine, and mold. For example, if an employee on the first shift corrected the process by increasing transfer position, this would be invaluable information for the second-shift technician who encounters a defective part such as a sink.

 

If a systematic approach to processing and documentation is used when the process is established, a scientific troubleshooter will be able to correct the problem in a relatively short time with a significantly high degree of confidence. Ultimately, good troubleshooting is just an extension of good processing. The more effectively your technicians and engineers process and document what they do, the more efficiently they will troubleshoot when non-conformances occur.