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Original Date: 02/28/2000
Revision Date: 01/18/2007
Information : Electronic Material Review Board
Crane Army Ammunition Activity’s Material Review Board decides the disposition of non-conforming material. Prior to 1992, the process was driven by a cumbersome, paper-based approach. Today, the Material Review Board process is accomplished by personal computer, positively impacting the Activity’s production.
Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA) has a Material Review Board (MRB) that decides the disposition of non- conforming material, whether that material is purchased or manufactured at Crane. Prior to 1992, the MRB process was driven by a cumbersome, paper-based approach. An inspector would identify non-conforming material on a discrepancy record form, and the discrepancy record had to have a control number. Because a hard-copy form was used, the control number was maintained by secretarial personnel. The form was hand-carried to the supervisor, and subsequently hand-carried or mailed to individual MRB members for their input, comments, and signatures. With the amount of coordination and hand-carrying involved, the process was labor intensive and subject to lost records.
Today, the MRB process is accomplished by personal computer. The electronic disposition form and e-mail capabilities have decreased the need for formal MRB meetings and reduced overall processing time. A total MRB process that normally took two weeks has been reduced to a day or less. An inspector initiates the discrepancy record via the personal computer, forwards the electronic form by e-mail to the supervisor for review, and then forwards the electronic discrepancy record to the MRB. With engineering, production planning and control, and quality assurance input and recommendations, the discrepancy record is forwarded to the MRB chairman (quality assurance) who has ultimate authority to make a decision.
Beyond significant savings in processing time and the increased ability to track status, actual line stoppages have been processed in less than an hour, reducing overall downtime. The electronic discrepancy record and the personal computer process have directly impacted the Activity’s production in a positive manner.
For more information see the
Point of Contact for this survey.
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