Audits of the heat-treating department are a vital part of any good quality program - either as part of a self-assessment or ISO program for a captive shop or, of equal importance, as part of an evaluation of the capabilities of a commercial heat-treat supplier. In either case, the audit process needs to be formal in nature and follow specific guidelines. Let's learn more.

The audit process should be designed to ask basic questions: Who is performing the heat treatment and are they competent; what procedures are being used to carry out the heat-treating operation, and are they adequate to assure proper quality; where is the work being done, and is the shop performing the work capable of performing the required task(s); when was the last assessment, and was it representative of current practice; why is an assessment required now - in other words, did a quality issue or problem trigger the event, and if so, will the audit questions help resolve it; and finally, how will the audit be performed - that is, is the right personnel in place to reach meaningful conclusions?