Quality Management is now a prime concern for all producers of PM components. Automotive manufacturers now put stringent demands not only on the quality of components, but also on the suppliers ability to guarantee and document that their quality control systems have functioned at all times. In response to a need to achieve a consensus on how to handle the increasing demands for quality assurance from end-users, the EPMA 'Quality Assurance Committee' has produced this 44 page 'Quality Assurance Guidelines for Structural PM Parts and Porous Bearings'

The guide is divided into the following five sections:

• A brief introduction to PM technology which explains the different processing steps in manufacturing.

• Focus on certain aspects of the PM process where special attention has to be paid with respect to Quality Assurance. This section covers raw materials, density variations, sintering, microstructure, dimensional precision, burrs/edges, hardness, case depth, surface roughness, pressure tightness, part cleanness and appearance, corrosion protection, mechanical properties, and machining.
  

• The third section lists 18 troublesome questions relating to Quality Assurance requests from customers and the common responses as proposed by the EPMA QA Committee.
  

• The fourth section gives a list of standards on PM materials and test methods, comparing different 'international' and 'national' standards.

• The fifth section contains a list of suppliers in tabulated form which have QA systems accepted by the EPMA. Thus, the EPMA recommends to its members not to perform any QA audit of the listed companies because their QA systems have been approved by certification, or reliable audits. This list is updated quarterly and will save PM parts and bearing producers much valuable time and effort in not having to carry out their own audits.

EPMA, 44 pages, softcover 1995,
ISBN 1 899072 01 2