CQI-15

Special Process: Welding System Assessment

Version 2, 2nd Printing, Issued January 2020

Laser Welding Job Audit

Assessor #REF! Welding Plant #REF! Date #REF!

(Name - Company) (Name - Location)

Item No. Area Requirements Critical to Quality #REF! Evidence / Gap Identified #REF! Follow up Comments

1. PART PRINT

The latest revision of the welding specifications at the time of release shall be called out on the part print. Black
1. Welding Specifications box components shall follow industry or internal welding specifications. Yes <== START HERE

2. Weld Identification Welds shall be numbered uniquely for consistent tracking. Yes

3. Weld Symbol Callout The weld symbol shall contain the Joint type, weld ID number, welding classification, process, weld length.

4. Weld Classification Each weld number shall be assigned a classification per severity level in the DFMEA. Yes

5. Spatter Free Zones Spatter free zones shall be identified.

6. Weld Size Requirements Weld size shall be based off Governing Material Thickness (GMT) / Thinnest material (T1).

2. CONTROL PLAN

1. Inline Visual Inspection Welds shall be inspected for presence and appearance per visual acceptance criteria.

2. Weld Quality Inspection Presence, Appearance, Size, and Total Length per the welding specification and classification. Yes

3. Destructive Testing Performed based off of the weld specification.

4. Cut and Etch Performed per the weld specification and weld classification. Yes

5. Hardness Testing Transverse micro-hardness from parent material through weld checks shall be performed. Yes

6. Cup Test Perform deformation test (for tailor welded blanks)

Welding Special Characteristic Identification: Welds shall be identified by weld number in the control plan per the
7. Weld Identification in Control Plan Design Records/DFMEA/PFMEA. Yes

All weld validation testing shall be performed prior to shipping components with critical (CC) welds (Batch &
8. Weld Lot Containment Hold). Yes

Control of Changes and Unplanned

9. Events An event matrix shall be followed for events not listed in the control plan OR if changes are made. Yes

All welds follow prelaunch control plan based off of the welding safe launch plan, utilized from prelaunch to start
10. Prelaunch Control Plans of production.

11. Production Part Traceability Traceability to welding build date and weld fixture.

Identification and Control of

12. Nonconforming Parts Physical separation and containment of Good and Reject Parts. Yes

13 Setup Part Identification Setup parts shall be marked for easy identification to prevent further processing or shipping.

3. DESTRUCTIVE & NONDESTRUCTIVE

TESTING DATA

1. Destructive Testing Data Destructive testing data retention shall have a defined time period as per customer/regulatory requirements.

2. Variable Data Variable data shall be available and retained for a defined time period. Yes

3. Attribute Data Attribute data shall be available and retained for a defined time period (pass/fail or go/no go).

4. WELD QUALITY INSPECTION &

REPORTS

Personnel involved in weld inspection shall be qualified by the supplier as receiving adequate formal training on
1. Lab Technician Training the recognition of weld defects, and measurement techniques.

Personnel designated as weld inspectors shall have their vision reviewed annually by the supplier for compliance
2. Vision Acuity with recognized corrected levels of vision.

Weld examination equipment shall provide adequate magnification to capture the entire cross section, showing
the measurements of the features defined in the welding specification in one picture. Per the welding
3. Weld Cross Section Examination specification, including (Leg size, root penetration, depth of fusion, throat, undercut, gaps). Yes

Cross section measurement technique shall be reviewed by qualified technicians and approved and signed off
4. Cross Section Analysis Technique by product engineering and supplier quality. Yes

Cut and Etch Measuring System Variable gauge R&R on cut and etch measurements on a laser beam weld to calibrate lab personnel.
5. Effectiveness Destructive test measurement equipment shall be calibrated.

Weld Cross Section Evaluation Software formulas shall be utilized to calculate/generate pass/fail such as using conditional formatting as in a
6. (Pass/Fail Determination) spreadsheet.
 CQI-15
Special Process: Welding System Assessment
Version 2, 2nd Printing, Issued January 2020

Item No. Area Requirements Critical to Quality #REF! Evidence / Gap Identified #REF! Follow up Comments

Warning limits shall be utilized for controlling the weld attributes. Warning limits to establish an alert prior to
7. Warning Limits failure to meet specifications.

8. Weld Quality Traceability Welds shall be tracked per stream/ fixture/ weld #.

Shall have an in-process system that will prevent parts produced during machine interruption (weld setup,
9. Part Containment maintenance intervention, power outage, etc.) from further processing or shipping.

10. Visual Aids Visual aids shall be available for cross section attributes, defects, and common failures modes.

5. REWORK PROCEDURE & REPORTS

1. Repair Procedure (WPS) Rework or repair welding shall have a customer approved procedure.

Welding Procedure Specification (WPS), Procedure Qualification Record (PQR), and Welder Qualification
2. Repair Qualification Records Record (WQR) shall be utilized.

3. Inspection and Repair Visual Aids Visual aids for welding defects and display acceptable repairs shall be posted per PFMEA.

4. Repair Welder Training Repair welders shall undergo formal training and qualification.

5. First Time Through Data Collection Internal First Time Through shall be tracked by each operation. Including in line and off line repair.

6. Scrap Reports Scrap shall be tracked by fixture, weld number, and defect code.

7. Scrap Codes Scrap shall be tracked by codes for the failure modes listed in the PFMEA.

8. Rework Data Rework shall be tracked by fixture, weld number, and defect code.

9. Rework Part Traceability Rework parts shall be identified and traceable.

6. PARAMETER DOCUMENTATION

1. Process Parameter Documentation A controlled document (WPS) shall contain all welding key process input variables and submitted at PPAP.

Welding parameter changes shall be password protected or gatekeeper controlled (quality manager, welding
2. Welding Parameters Controls engineer).

Key Process Input Variables

3. Items below are examples Example - Record as Applicable
Beam quality Mark Green if Monitored
Cross Jet / Laser knife
Beam configuration
Focal length
Beam spot size
Gas tube angle
Optics purge gas
Mirror / optic cleanliness
Chiller flow rate
Chiller temperature
Fiber diameter
Fiber length
Bend radius
Power loss
Mirror coating
Optic and mirror cooling
Travel speed

Cleaning (Laser Ablative or

mechanical)
Power output control
Power ramping
Power at work piece
Offset of beam to joint
Continuous or Pulse
Pulse parameters
Angle of incidence
Focal point
Weld direction
Beam quality
Plasma suppression
Preheat
Post weld heat treat
 CQI-15
Special Process: Welding System Assessment
Version 2, 2nd Printing, Issued January 2020

Item No. Area Requirements Critical to Quality #REF! Evidence / Gap Identified #REF! Follow up Comments
Electrode/wire type, classification,
and diameter

Wire Feed Speed

Leading/Trailing edge wire
placement

4 Weld Failure Investigation Checklists A welding failure investigation checklist (trouble shooting procedure) shall be used prior to adjusting parameters.

All parameter changes within specification shall be documented, changes outside of limits shall follow customer
5. Parameter Changes managing change process.

6. Setup Tools Setup tools shall be linked to tool ID number and start-up procedures.

7. MAINTENANCE RECORDS

Maintenance reports shall be detailed to include technician identification, date, time, corrective action, and
1. Unplanned Downtime Log revalidation per the event matrix.

Scheduled Preventive Maintenance Established a preventive maintenance weld equipment schedule that shall include the equipment manufacturer's
2. (PM) PM recommendations.

2.a Cover Lenses Cover lenses shall be changed on established frequency.

2.b Beam Power Actual beam power at the work piece shall be checked.

2.c Beam Quality Actual beam quality shall be checked per OEM recommendations.

2.d Run Out Check of Fixture Rotators All fixtures verification to equipment OEM recommendations. Yes

2.e Air Knife Air knife shall provide adequate flow to cover lenses and verified. Yes

3. Validation of Tooling Details All details checked for looseness, all non-pinned details torque checked and match marked.

Part touching details, locating pins,

fixture locators and tooling mating
4. surfaces All mating surfaces shall be free of spatter and debris.

8. SUSTAINABILITY

Shall have demonstrated at last PPAP, or can prove through customer requirements for consecutive build shifts
1. Weld Sustainability of meeting the welding spec without adjustments. Note: See Health Chart Example. Yes

2. Weld Effectiveness Weld percent effectiveness shall be used as a key metric (good welds/total welds).

9. EQUIPMENT & ROBOTIC PROCESSING

REQUIREMENTS
LASER WELD MONITORING

Initial Validation shall be performed with a cause and effect study for the common welding failure modes,
1. Validation of Process Control Limits ongoing validation to be done with red rabbit testing.

Only performed when all equipment PM is completed. New limits validated though cut and etch as well as red
2. Re-referencing / Adjusting Limits rabbit testing.