An interview with Jesse Bessmer, Director of Project Management and Quality Assurance
Like most things done well in the world—a memorable essay, choosing tile colors for your bathroom, whale watching—having a second set of eyes is very important. It helps you catch mistakes you didn’t notice, point out opportunities for improvement, and align with a pre-established standard of quality—not to mention, save you from a lifetime of avocado green showers.
At Metal Works, we call this extra review of our products “quality control,” or “QC” for short. QC is an extremely important part of the process because it ensures we have a dedicated program to oversee the quality of each step of a metal fabrication project. We asked Jesse Bessmer, Director of Project Management and Quality Assurance at Metal Works, to share more about the Metal Works quality control process and how it ensures you receive the best quality end result possible.
Metal Works: So Jesse, why do you think quality control is so important at Metal Works?
Jesse Bessmer: Quality control, by definition, is a system of maintaining standards in manufactured products by testing a sample of the output against the specifications. Metal Works quality control employees inspect every single item that leaves our facility for compliance with the contract plans and specifications. Without quality control, you have no control.
MW: What is the difference between “quality control” and “quality assurance”?
JB: At Metal Works, our quality control employees are on the front line. They are hands-on with the product, checking for conformance. As the quality assurance director, I review the contract plans and specifications prior to fabrication to verify what is needed to comply with them. This includes coating requirements, welder certifications, welding procedure specifications, etc.
MW: What is the first step in the QC process at MW?
JB: This can be answered many different ways. Quality control starts from the time a piece of steel arrives at our facility to the time it’s loaded onto the transport. We have two dedicated quality control employees, but quality is top priority for every employee and process throughout the entire company. When it comes to fabrication, the first set for the QC is to check the overall length of the piece.
MW: Do you use any special tools to ensure maximum QC?
JB: Our quality control employees are trained to use fillet weld gages, V-WAC gages, gas flow meters, flukes, tape measures, steel squares, and infrared temperature guns. They must also pass a Jaeger J-2 eye examination to conduct these tests. To learn more about our entire process, click here!