Quality Control -Built Into the Process, Not Added at the End

KastMfg's quality philosophy is process control first, inspection second. By controlling the inputs -alloy chemistry, injection parameters, die temperature, cooling time, and ejection sequence -we produce consistent castings that do not require sorting. End-of-line inspection confirms what the process has already assured.

Our quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and structured to satisfy IATF 16949:2016 requirements for automotive customers, with APQP, PFMEA, control plans, MSA, and SPC as standard program management tools.

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Certifications

Certification	Scope	Status
ISO 9001:2015	Full quality management system	Certified
IATF 16949:2016	Automotive QMS compliant processes	Available for automotive programs
ISO 14001	Environmental management	Certified
REACH compliance	Material substance declarations	Available
RoHS compliance	Restricted substance declarations	Available

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Quality Control at Every Stage

Incoming Material Inspection

Every batch of aluminum, zinc, or magnesium alloy ingot is verified by optical emission spectrometer (OES) before entering the furnace. Alloy chemistry must conform to the relevant ASTM, JIS, or customer-specified standard. Non-conforming ingot is quarantined and returned to the supplier. Material certificates are retained and traceable to each production batch.

Melt and Process Control

Furnace temperature is monitored continuously by thermocouple, maintained within ±10°C of target. Rotary degassing with nitrogen or argon is performed before each casting run to reduce dissolved hydrogen content. A dip sample is taken before pouring for spectrometer verification of the final melt chemistry.

First Article Inspection (FAI)

At the start of every production run -and at every shift change for critical programs -the first parts produced are subjected to 100% dimensional inspection on the CMM before production continues. Any deviation from the control plan triggers a hold and root cause investigation before the run proceeds.

In-Process SPC

Critical dimensions are measured at defined sampling intervals throughout the production run. SPC charts (X-bar R or individual/moving range) are maintained for all characteristics designated as critical or significant on the control plan. Alarms trigger automatically when measurements approach control limits.

X-Ray and CT Inspection

For pressure-critical or structurally significant castings, industrial X-ray (digital radiography DR and computed tomography CT) provides non-destructive visualization of internal porosity, shrinkage, inclusions, and cracks. Acceptance criteria are established per customer standard (ASTM E505 or customer-specific reference radiographs).

Pressure and Leak Testing

Hydraulic and pneumatic components receive 100% pressure decay or helium leak testing at test parameters matching the customer's qualification requirement. Test results are logged per part and archived. Leak test records are available on request.

Final and Outgoing Inspection

Before packing, each batch is visually inspected 100% for surface defects (cold shut, flash, misruns, soldering marks, mechanical damage). A dimensional sample is re-checked against the drawing. Inspection records, material certificates, and process data sheets are packaged with every shipment.

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Inspection Equipment

Equipment	Make / Spec	Application
CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine)	Hexagon / Zeiss	3D dimensional inspection, GD&T, first article reports
Industrial X-ray (DR)	-	Porosity, shrinkage, inclusion screening
CT scanner	-	Complex internal porosity mapping
OES Spectrometer	-	Alloy chemistry verification per melt
Tensile testing machine	-	Mechanical property verification (UTS, yield, elongation)
Hardness tester	Rockwell / Brinell	As-cast and heat-treated hardness
Pressure decay tester	-	Hydraulic and pneumatic sealing
Helium mass spectrometer	-	Ultra-low leak rate detection
Roughness tester (profilometer)	-	Surface finish Ra measurement
Vision measurement system	-	2D geometric features, high-speed inline
Salt spray chamber	ISO 9227	Corrosion resistance testing
Coating thickness gauge	Elcometer	Powder coat, anodize, e-coat thickness

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PPAP Capability

KastMfg supports Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) at Levels 1 through 5 for automotive and safety-critical industrial programs.

Standard Level 3 PPAP package includes:

• Design documentation (drawing, specification)
• Authorized engineering change documentation
• Engineering approval (if required)
• Process flow diagram
• Process FMEA (PFMEA)
• Control plan
• Measurement system analysis (MSA / Gage R&R)
• Dimensional results (100-piece study)
• Material performance test results
• Initial process capability study (Cpk >=1.67 on critical characteristics)
• Qualified laboratory documentation
• Appearance approval report (if applicable)
• Sample production parts
• Master sample
• Checking aids
• Customer-specific requirements
• Part submission warrant (PSW)

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Non-Conformance Response

When a non-conformance is identified -whether internally or reported by the customer -KastMfg's response process:

1. Containment -within 24 hours, affected inventory is identified, quarantined, and the production line is held pending root cause investigation
2. Root cause analysis -8D methodology; five-why and fishbone analysis as appropriate
3. Corrective action -process parameter change, tooling modification, or design revision documented and implemented
4. Verification -effectiveness of corrective action verified by re-sampling and capability measurement
5. Customer communication -8D report submitted within agreed timeline (typically 10-20 business days for full report)

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Quality documentation requests: yaoqingpu1983@gmail.com | +86 138 1403 4409