Original Date: 09/14/1998
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

Raytheon Missile Systems Company (RMSC) recognized that quality accountability lies with the individual technicians who perform the work. In 1993, the company developed the Manufacturing Verification Program (MVP) to assure continuous improvement in the quality of its products and processes. Through this certification program, technicians are trained to manufacture and inspect their work. This approach eliminates secondary inspector verification, and places the responsibility for work compliance with the employee. The program is tailored to specific production areas.

Supervisors nominate MVP candidates based on their work qualifications and experience. The candidates receive eighteen hours of classroom training, followed by on-the-job training in operations and inspection procedures. After completing this training, candidates then submit three to five defect-free, final pieces for audit by a quality inspector and subject matter expert. Those who pass the audit become certified for a specific operation and part. Supervisors maintain a skills matrix on each employee. To become an MVP technician, employees must complete this certification process for every operation and item for which they are responsible. MVP technicians are subjected to random sample inspections every two to three months. These technicians can also reject any hardware that they believe is not in compliance with technical data package requirements.

MVP has helped RMSC develop a flexible, mobile, and knowledgeable workforce. Since implementing the program, RMSC reduced manufacturing cycle times; in-process inspections; and overall costs associated with build times, failures, and reworks. MVP also promotes ownership of products as well as empowerment and team development in the workforce. Between 1995 and 1998, RMSC realized a $200,000 reduction in scrap/line loss, which the company partially attributes to MVP’s success.

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