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Quality Assurance Program Description
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM
IN-PLANT QUALITY ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
ASSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
This entire Section "Contractor's In -Plant Quality Assurance Requirements," beginning with Section E.1.2, "Qual ity Assurance Organization," shall be effective until January 1, 2000 and Revised 10/20/2017:
E.1.2 QUALITY ASSURANCE ORGANIZATION
E.1.2.1 ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHMENT
The Contractor shall establish and maintain an effecti ve in-plant quality assurance organization.
It shall be a specifically defined organization and should be directly responsible to the Contractor's top management.
E.1.2.2 CONTROL
The quality assurance organization shall exercise quality control over all phases of production from initiation of design through manufacture and preparation for delivery. The organization shall also control the quality of supplied articles.
E.1.2.3 AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
The quality assurance organization shall have the authority and responsibility for reliability, quality control, inspection planning, establishment of the quality control system, and acceptance/rejection of materials and manufactured articles in the production of the transit vehicles.
E.1.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE ORGANIZATION FUNCTIONS
E.1.3.1 MINIMUM FUNCTIONS
The quality assurance organization shall include the following minimum functions.
E.1.3.2 WORK INSTRUCTIONS
The quality assurance organization shall verify inspection operation instructions to ascertain that the manufactured product meets all prescribed requirements.
E.1.3.3 RECORDS MAINTENANCE
The quality assurance organization shall maintain and use records and data essential to the effective operation of its program. These records and data shal l be available for revie w.
Inspection and test records for this procurement shall be available for a minimum of 1 year after inspections and tests are completed.
E.1.3.4 CORRECTIVE ACTION
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The quality assurance organization shall detect and promptly assure correction of any conditions that may result in the production of defective vehicles. These conditions may occur in designs, purchases, manufacture, tests, or operations that culminate in defective supplies, services, facilities, technical data, or standards.
E.1.4 STANDARDS AND FACILITIES
E.1.4.1 BASIC STANDARDS AND FACILITIES
The following standards and facilities shall be basic in the quality assurance process.
E.1.4.2 CONFIGURATION CONTROL
The Contractor shall maintain drawings, assembly procedures, and other documentation that completely describes a qualified vehicle that meets all of the options and special requirements of this procurement. The quality assurance organization shall verify that each vehicle is manufactured in accordance with these controlled drawings, procedures, and documentation.
E.1.4.3 MEASURING AND TESTING FACILITIES
The Contractor shall provide and maintain the necessary gauges and other measuring and testing devices for use by the quality assurance organization to verify that the vehicles conform to all specification requirements. These devices shall be calibrated at established periods against certified measurement standards that have known valid relationships to national standards.
E.1.4.4 PRODUCTION TOOLING AS MEDIA OF INSPECTION
When production jigs, fixtures, tooling masters, templates, patterns, and other devices are used as media of inspection, they shall be proved for accuracy at formally established intervals and adjusted, replaced, or repaired as required to maintain quality.
E.1.4.5 EQUIPMENT USE BY RESIDENT INSPECTORS
The Contractor's gauges and other measuring and testing devices shall be made available for use by the resident inspectors to verify that the vehicles conform to all specification requirements.
If necessary, the Cont ractor's personnel shall be made available to operate the devices and to verify their condition and accuracy.
E.1.5 CONTROL OF PURCHASES
E.1.5.1 MAINTENANCE OF CONTROL
The Contractor shall maintain quality control of purchases.
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E.1.5.2 SUPPLIER CONTROL
The Contractor shall require that each supplier maintains a quality control program for the services and supplies that it provides. The Contractor's quality assurance organization shall inspect and test materials provided by suppliers for conformance to specification requirements.
Materials that have been inspected, tested, and approved shall be identified as acceptable to the point of use in the manufacturing or assembly processes. Controls shall be established to prevent inadvertent use of nonconforming materials.
E.1.5.3 PURCHASING DATA
The Contractor shall verify that all applicable specification requirements are properly included or referenced in purchase orders of articles to be used on the vehicles.
E.1.6 MANUFACTURING CONTROL
E.1.6.1 CONTROLLED CONDITIONS
The Contractor shall ensure that all basic production operations, as well as all other processing and fabricating, are performed under controlled conditions. Establishment of these controlled conditions shall b e based on the documente d work instructions, adequate production equipment, and special working environments if necessary.
E.1.6.2 COMPLETED ITEMS
A system for final inspection and test of completed transit buses shall be provided by the quality assurance organization. It shall measure the overall quality of each completed vehicle.
E.1.6.3 NONCONFORMING MATERIALS
The quality assurance organization shall monitor the Contractor's system for controlling nonconforming materials. The system shall include pro cedures for identificati on, segregation, and disposition.
E.1.6.4 STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES
Statistical analysis, tests, and other quality control procedures may be used when appropriate in the quality assurance processes.
E.1.6.5 INSPECTION STATUS
A system shall be maintained by the quality assurance organization for identifying the inspection status of components and completed transit vehicles. Identification may include cards, tags, or other normal quality control devices.
E.1.7 INSPECTION SYSTEM
E.1.7.1 INSPECTION SYSTEM SCOPE
The quality assurance organization shall establish, maintain, and periodically audit a fully documented inspection system. The system shall prescribe inspection and test of materials, work in process, and completed articles. As a minimum it shall include the following controls.
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E.1.7.2 INSPECTION PERSONNEL
Sufficient trained inspectors shall be used to ensure that all materials, components, and assemblies are inspected for conformance with the qualified vehicle design.
E.1.7.3 INSPECTION RECORDS
Acceptance, rework, or rejection identification shall be attached to inspected articles. Articles that have been accepted as a result of approved materials review actions shall be identified.
Articles that have been reworked to sp ecified drawing configur ations shall not require special identification. Articles rejected as unsuitable or scrap shall be plainly marked and controlled to prevent installation on the bus. Articles that become obsolete as a result of engineering changes or other actions shall b e controlled to prevent unauthorized assembly or installation.
Unusable articles shall be isolated and then scrapped.
The inspection personnel shall enter discrepancies noted by the Contractor or resident inspectors during assembl y on a record that accom panies the major component, subassembly, assembly, or bus from start of assembly through final inspection. Actions shall be taken to correct discrepancies or deficiencies in the manufacturing processes, procedures, or other conditions that cause articles to be in nonconformity with the requirements of the contract specifications. The inspection personnel shall verify the corrective actions and mark the discrepancy record. If discrepancies cannot be corrected by replacing the nonconf orming materials, the Procuring Agency shall approve the modification, repair, or method of correction to the extent that the contract specifications are affected.
E.1.7.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE AUDITS
The quality assurance organization shall establish and maintain a quality control audit program.
Records of this program shall be subject to review by the Procuring Agency.
E.2 INSPECTIONS
E.2.1 INSPECTION STATIONS
Inspection stations shall be at the best locations to provide for the work content and characte ristics to be inspected. Stations shall provide the facilities and equipment to inspect structural, electrical, hydraulic, and other components and assemblies for compliance with the design requirements.
Stations shall also be at the best locations to inspect or test characteristics before they are concealed by subsequent fabrication or assembly operations. These locations shall minimally include underbody structure completion, body framing completion, body prior to paint preparation, water test before interior trim and insulati on installation, engine installation completion, underbody dress -up and completion, prior to final paint touchup, prior to road test, and vehicle final road test completion
E.2.2 RESIDENT INSPECTOR
This level of inspection is required by FTA for each sy stem that procures 10 or more buses—None of the coordinating systems exceed 4 buses plus options (total not to exceed 7 with options for any one system). Average system purchase is 2 buses plus 1 option.
E.3 ACCEPTANCE TESTS
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E.3.1 RESPONSIBILITY
Fully documented tests shall be conducted on each production vehicle following manufacture to determine its acceptance to the Procuring Agency. These acceptance tests shall in clude pre-delivery inspections and testing by the Contractor, and inspections and test ing by the Procuring Agency after the vehicles have been delivered.
E.3.2 PRE-DELIVERY TESTS
The Contractor shall conduct acceptance tests at its plant on each vehicle following completion of manufacture and before delivery to the Procuring Agency. Thes e pre-delivery tests shall include visual and measured inspections, as well as testing the total vehicle operation. The tests shall be conducted and documented in accordance with written test plans, approved by the Procuring Agency.
Additional tests may b e conducted at the Contractor's discretion to ensure that the completed vehicles have attained the desired quality and have met the requirements in "Technical Specificati ons" (Section 5). The Procuring Agency may, prior to commencement of production, dema nd that the Contractor demonstrate compliance with any requirement in "Technical Specifications" (Section 5), if there is evidence that prior tests have been invalidated by Contractor's change of supplier or change in manufacturing process. Such demonstrat ion shall be by actual test, or by supplying a report of a previously performed test on similar or like components and configuration. Any additional testing shall be reco rded on appropriate test forms provided by the Contractor and shall be conducted befor e acceptance of the vehicle.
The pre-delivery tests shall be scheduled and conducted with 30 (thirty) days’ notice so that they may be witnessed by the resident inspecto rs, who may accept or reject the results of the tests. The results of pre-delivery tests, and any other tests, shall be filed with the assembly inspection records for each bus.
The under floor equipment shall be available for inspection by the resident in spectors, using a pit or bus hoist provided by the Contractor. The Contractor shall provide a hoist, a scaffold, or elevated platform to inspect vehicle roofs safely and easily.
E.3.2.1 INSPECTION - VISUAL AND MEASURED
Visual and measured inspections sha ll be conducted with the bus in a static condition. The purpose of the inspection test ing is to verify overall dimensional and weight requirements, to verify that required components are included and are ready for operation, and to verify that components and subsystems that are designed to operate with the bus in a static condition do function as designed.
E.3.2.2 TOTAL VEHICLE OPERATION
Total vehicle operation shall be evaluated during road tests. The purpose of the road tests is to observe and verif y the operation of the vehicle as a system and to verify the functional operation of t he subsystems that can be operated only while the vehicle is in motion. Each vehicle shall be driven for a minimum of 15 (fifteen) miles during the road tests. Observed Defects shall be recorded on the test forms. The vehicle shall be re -tested when Defec ts are Turtle Top
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corrected and adjustments are made. This process shall continue until Defects or required adjustments are no longer detected. Results shall be pass/fail for these vehicle operation tests.
E.3.3 POST-DELIVERY TESTS
The Procuring Agency may conduct acceptance tests on each delivered vehicle. These tests shall be completed within 15 (fifteen) days after vehicle delivery and shall be conducted in accordance with written test plans. The purpose of these tests is to identify defects that have become apparent between the time of vehicle release and delivery to the Procuring Agency. The post -delivery tests shall include visual inspection and vehicle operations. No post-delivery test shall apply criteria that are different from the criteria applied in an analogous pre-delivery test (if any).
Vehicles that fail to pass the post -delivery tests are subject to non -acceptance. The Procuring Agency shall record details of all defects on the appropriate test forms and shall notify the Contractor of acceptance, conditional acceptance, or non -acceptance of each vehicle within five days according to "Acceptance of Vehicle" (Section 2.3.1.5) after completion of the tests. The defec ts detected during these tests shall be repaired according to procedures defined in "C ontractual Provisions" (Section 2), "Repairs After Non-acceptance" (Section 2.3.2).
E.3.3.1 VISUAL INSPECTION
The post -delivery inspection is similar to the inspection a t the Contractor's plant and shall be conducted with the vehicle in a static condition . Any visual delivery damage shall be identified and recorded during the visual inspection of each vehicle.
E.3.3.2 VEHICLE OPERATION
Road tests will be used for total vehicle operation similar to those conducted at the Contractor's plant. In addition, the Procuring Agency may elect to perform chassis dynamometer tests.
Operational deficiencies of each bus
Electrical System and Lighting Section 14
14.1 The electrical system operates by the use of an ignition controlled power distribution printed circuit board designed for high reliability and ease of trouble shooting. A driver-friendly controlled switch panel of heavy-duty lighted rocker switches remotely operates the main control board and contains the climate control system and ADA lighted indicators. The switch panel is also based on the same proven printed circuit board technology used in the main control board and is connected to the main control board by a highly reliable multi-conductor data cable.
14.2 The major controlling, protection, and other electrical components are located in easily accessible compartments above the driver and co-pilot. The 12 Volt circuit protection is achieved using ATO automotive fuses.
14.3 The system is supplied directly from the OEM battery and a #2 gauge cable protected by a 125 amp slow-blow fuse battery shut-off switch. All battery cable connections are double-crimped and protected by heat shrink water-tight sealed tubing. Battery cables and external wires are protected by high temperature split convoluted conduit. All external connections are coated with an anti-corrosion spray to help prolong terminal life and avoid voltage loss. Where battery relocation is chosen as an option, the box and slides used will be protected from environmental elements and corrosion resistant. The enclosure will keep the batteries from being exposed yet provide adequate ventilation.
14.4 Wiring consists of rugged, custom built wiring harnesses for all interior and exterior components. Wires run the length of the vehicle on the driver and passenger sides and are easily accessible by removing wire covers (corner boards) located where the side walls meet the ceiling. Cable tie bases are secured to the steel framework of the body using screws and all wires are attached to the bases using durable nylon ties. All wiring harnesses are constructed of high-temperature type-GXL wire for 12 Volt circuits providing a safe and reliable electrical system. Weather Pack environmentally sealed connectors are used for all exterior applications. Butt-style connectors are restricted.
Each wiring circuit is color coded and labeled for ease of identification. All cabling is solder sealed and machine crimped. Wiring follows Ford QVM recommendations.
14.5 All interior lights are LED. All exterior lights are LED lamps. Convenience lighting is installed in the cab and stepwell. Lighting is designed for ease of use and maintenance.
All lighting products are wired for use with the driver controlled switch panel or with optional paratransit equipment, and/or through automatic switches. Interior dome light packages are available for passenger safety and convenience. Exterior lighting consists of long lasting heavy duty LED running, clearance, brake, and stop/tail/turn lamps.
Additional optional interior and exterior lights are available such as destination signage, optional reading lights, dome lights, stepwell and exterior lighting. All lighting products meet or exceed the standards specified in C/FMVSS 108.
14.6 Vehicle is equipped with a back-up alarm for safety. Optional reverse camera systems or rear object detectors are available.