Reducing Scrap and Restoring Confidence in Quality Control
A Practical Consulting Project by KCG
After a major capacity increase, one of our customers suddenly faced a serious problem: more than 10% of their production was being scrapped. Even worse, no one could clearly explain why. Parts were rejected as NOK, but the existing checking equipment delivered inconsistent results, leaving the team without reliable data to act on.
That’s when KCG was brought in.
Understanding the Real Problem
Our consultants started where it mattered most: on the shop floor. Together with the customer’s team, we reviewed the production process, part design, and inspection methods. It quickly became clear that the issue wasn’t just the process itself, but the measurement system.
With tolerances as tight as ±0.2 mm, the existing End-of-Line (EOL) measurement was simply not capable of delivering stable, trustworthy results. Measurement variation was too high and the system could not reliably distinguish OK from NOK parts.
Turning Insight into Action
Rather than waiting for a perfect long-term solution, our team focused on fast, practical improvement:
- A Go / No-Go quick checker (ICA) was designed and implemented to immediately protect the customer’s production.
- Workshops were held at the customer’s plant, combining brainstorming, cycle-time analysis and value stream mapping.
- Proven quality tools such as 5 Why, Ishikawa, MSA (R&R), SPC and 8D were used to validate findings and align teams.
The results were immediate.
Results That Matter
- Scrap rate reduced from over 10% to below 5%
- NOK parts reliably detected before reaching the customer
- Clear evidence that the part design and process could not consistently meet ±0.2 mm tolerances
- Confirmation that the existing EOL measurement concept was not feasible for the required accuracy
- Development of a new Go / No-Go checking device for 100% EOL inspection and documentation
The new checking concept meets AIAG MSA (4th Edition) requirements, with significantly improved repeatability and reduced measurement variation.
Lasting Value
This project was not just about reducing scrap. It was about restoring trust in quality data, enabling better decisions and giving the customer a robust, future-proof inspection solution.