Original Date: 03/06/2006
Revision Date: / /

The goal of Raytheon Missile Systems’ Foreign Object Damage/Debris Elimination Program is the early detection and elimination of hazards to life and hardware caused by foreign object debris and contamination. Adherence to this program, which is being flowed down to suppliers, has ensured a zero foreign object damage/debris incident rate for the last 25 deliveries.

Raytheon Missile Systems recognized the need to formalize the Foreign Object Damage/Debris (FOD) Elimination Program that was being informally conducted at its Louisville facility. The facility’s prior practice was to remove any FOD found any time during the overhaul process – a common sense and informal approach that worked relatively well. However, as production cycle times increased, the need to develop and implement lean manufacturing principles became more important. In September 2005, Raytheon-Louisville released its first Site Quality Practice (SQP 4.13.8), formally documenting the FOD process.

The FOD Elimination Program functions as the early detection and elimination of hazards to life and hardware caused by foreign object debris and contamination. Raytheon-Louisville’s FOD Elimination Program is applicable to the detection, analysis, root cause identification, and corrective and preventive action of hardware FOD issues found during all design, testing, manufacturing, and delivery operations. Raytheon-Louisville took its FOD detection process a step further by developing an automated, Web-based reporting system (Figure 2-3) that uses CA Web, the company’s corporate website. All FOD incidents are reported on the CAWeb, where photos are attached if available. E-mail is automatically sent out for action and to inform managers, making this a significant feature of the system.

Raytheon’s process is simple and applies to all personnel in the factory. First, Raytheon created an animated Web- based training presentation. All new hires are trained before starting work, and all factory personnel are required to retrain and be tested annually. Training topics cover all aspects of FOD detection and elimination. When hardware is delivered to any work area, it is inspected; then while working on hardware and after completing work on hardware, a final inspection is made. All work area personnel also rely on the “buddy system” to again inspect and reinforce Raytheon’s FOD Program. Work area personnel conducting in-process and final inspections use flashlights or fiber optic illuminators and mirrors to see into tight work areas.

Raytheon-Louisville has a zero FOD incident rate for the last 25 Phalanx and Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) deliveries. To maintain and continue the success of this program, Raytheon is taking the next step. FOD prevention requirements will be flowed down to Type 1 part-number factory suppliers on new purchase orders using purchase order attachment TQA 166 (010), Foreign Object Damage Prevention – Quality Assurance.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.