The importance of defect detection in steel

I’ve seen firsthand how critical it is to implement robust defect detection systems… Just last week, we caught a series of surface flaws in a batch before it went out for processing, saving us from significant financial losses. I’m curious how other QA professionals ensure they’re catching all potential defects in their processes. What tools or methods have worked best for you?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‌​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​​⁠​⁠‌​‌⁠‌‍⁠​‌‍‍‍‌​​‍‌​‍‍‌⁠‍‍‌​​⁠‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​⁠​​​⁠‌​‌‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

But catching defects early is key. We use a mix of visual inspections and automated ultrasonic testing, which helps us identify issues that aren’t always visible. Just last month, we avoided a costly rerun of a project by catching minor surface flaws early.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‌‍‌​⁠‍‌‍‌‍‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​⁠‌‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍​⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌‌‍‌⁠‍‍‌‌​‌‌​‍⁠​⁠‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

I’ve noticed a big difference with AI image recognition tools. They catch anomalies we might miss during manual checks, like those surface flaws you mentioned.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠‌‌​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‌​⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠⁠​⁠‍‌‌​‌​​⁠‍​‌‍⁠⁠‌‌‍‌‌⁠‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍⁠​‌‌​⁠‌‌⁠⁠​⁠‌​‌‍‍‍​⁠‌‌‌‍⁠​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​