1.0 Quality Policy

It is the policy of SALEM SPECIALTY BALL to design, fabricate, market and service products of such quality that they reliably performs their intended function so SALEM SPECIALTY BALL is recognized as a quality leader in the industry. All products offered for sale to SALEM SPECIALTY BALL’s customers are consistent with public interest, applicable laws and regulations, prevailing state-of-the-art technologies, and contract requirements or advertised specifications.

In pursuit of this overall policy, it is the intent of SALEM SPECIALTY BALL that:

No product offered to a customer contains a known condition inconsistent with the public interest, applicable contract requirements or advertised specifications, and/or laws and regulations applying to it.

All products offered to the marketplace consistently exceed the customer’s expectation and thereby contribute positively to SALEM SPECIALTY BALL’s product quality reputation.

Products containing SALEM SPECIALTY BALL trademark are made to the same exacting product standards and quality assurance requirements regardless of where the material was purchased or manufactured.

It is essential that parts and subassemblies of like product identification are interchangeable regardless of the location of manufacture.

The General Manager is responsible for maintaining the quality of SALEM SPECIALTY BALL services and products. Responsibility for implementing the quality procedures of SALEM SPECIALTY BALL is delegated to the Quality Assurance Manager. All SALEM SPECIALTY BALL personnel have documented job descriptions that define responsibility, authority, and their relationship within SALEM SPECIALTY BALL.

The Quality Assurance Manager oversees the Quality Assurance Organization of SALEM SPECIALTY BALL shown in figure 1-1. Quality Assurance has the responsibility for Quality Planning, Receiving Inspection, Test, Final Inspection, and both system and product audits.

Quality Assurance has the organizational freedom to identify problems; to initiate, recommend, solve and/or verify solutions to quality problems; and to access Management at any level if action is required.

A Corrective Action Request (CAR) can be initiated by any employee who finds a nonconforming condition existing in a process or product. Corrective action requests are implemented in accordance with the CAR procedure.

The Corrective Action Coordinator assigns a cognizant person (i.e., engineer or supervisor), who is directly responsible and knowledgeable of the product, to investigate the reason for nonconformity. When a solution is found, if not given by the originator, the nonconformity is corrected and reported back to the Corrective Action Coordinator and the originator.

All conditions adverse to quality that are not resolved, are reported to SALEM SPECIALTY BALL management to resolve the condition, before they effect product quality.

SALEM SPECIALTY BALL products are inspected for defects in workmanship and quality against the product design drawing. Inspections are performed using a generic inspection procedure (IP) or an IP for the individual product along with the product design drawing. Personnel performing these quality inspections are trained and approved by Quality Assurance.

Receiving Inspection verifies the conformance of incoming raw material and products against design specifications. In-process inspection, final inspection and functional testing verifies conformance in appearance, dimension, and functional ability with product design specification. All products returned by customers for repair that are returned to service comply with all "like new" standards except for defects acquired in the field that only effect appearance.

Design reviews are initiated and conducted by personnel independent of the design activity. This occurs when a new product is developed and when an existing product’s proposed modification effects its function, fit or agency certification.

Quality audits, used to verify the conformance of products and services, are performed by cognizant personnel trained and appointed by the Quality Assurance Organization. Personnel performing the quality audits are able to audit any area in which they are trained but do not have responsibility for the products or service being produced in that area.

The ultimate responsibility for maintaining quality remains with the General Manager. The authority for implementing and maintaining the quality system is delegated to all managers and supervisors with primary responsibility for coordination and evaluation of the system by the Quality Assurance Manager. Therefore, Quality Assurance has the final derivative authority on all quality matters.

Responsibility for implementing the quality procedures that comply with ISO 9001 (or International Standard) is assigned to the Quality Assurance Manager. Each operation that designs, distributes, fabricates or services products under SALEM SPECIALTY BALL trademark comply with this policy and applicable SALEM SPECIALTY BALL procedures.

The Quality Assurance Manager, as defined by this manual, has the authority and responsibility to:

A) Interpret this manual,

B) Define and establish a complying quality system,

C) Identify, evaluate and require correction of any and all quality related problems,

D) Verify implementation and its effect, and

E) Control further processing or shipment of nonconforming material or defective products.

Responsibility for SALEM SPECIALTY BALL performance of the quality system, including International Standards and the associated procedures, is assigned to the General Manager. Internal quality audits conducted by Quality Assurance is used to evaluate SALEM SPECIALTY BALL’s quality system. The QA Manager provides periodic reports--from audits, SPC, and other data--which verify the quality system for SALEM SPECIALTY BALL management.

At least once each calendar year, the General Manager reviews the quality system’s applicability to the current methodology and International Standards. Revisions to the manual and quality system are made as required to guarantee the quality of the product, services and the needs of SALEM SPECIALTY BALL.

Quality Assurance exercises control over SALEM SPECIALTY BALL functions that effect the quality of the product or service in accordance with this manual and the lower tier documentation. This section summarizes how the overall quality system controls these functions.

This manual is the first tier of documentation the customers and employees of SALEM SPECIALTY BALL should refer to in order to understand SALEM SPECIALTY BALL’s position on quality topics. This quality manual provides direction for all of SALEM SPECIALTY BALL’s quality programs.

Quality Implementation Procedures (QIP’s) are the "means" by which the statements of this manual are implemented. The Quality Assurance System includes, but is not limited to, the following procedural topics.

• Contract Review
• Control of Customer-Supplied Product
• Control of Inspection, Measuring and Test Equipment
• Control of Nonconforming Product
• Control of Quality Records
• Corrective and Preventive Action
• Design Control
• Document and Data Control
• Handling, Storage, Packaging, Preservation, and Delivery
• Inspection and Test Status
• Inspection and Testing
• Internal Quality Audits
• Management Review
• Process Control
• Product Identification and Traceability
• Purchasing
• Servicing
• Statistical Techniques
• Training

Through the use of quality audits, Quality Assurance is able to verify the implementation of policies and procedures described in the Quality Manual and QIP’s. The Internal Quality Audit’s QIP describes the auditing of all departments and vendors that can have an effect on product or service.

Quality planning is an integral part of the SALEM SPECIALTY BALLquality system. SALEM SPECIALTY BALL makes use of quality plans to define all resources required to assure the quality of products and services. SALEM SPECIALTY BALL quality plans make extensive use, through reference, of existing procedures (i.e., test, inspection, assembly, set-up, workmanship, and technology).

Contracts (customer orders) are reviewed prior to acceptance to ensure that requirements are defined and that SALEM SPECIALTY BALL is capable of meeting all requirements. Special requirements are reviewed by the appropriate groups.

2.0 Review

The following procedure is performed before order, contract acceptance, or payment from a customer.

When a customer order is received, the Order Entry Department ensures that the customer requirements are clearly defined. If the customer order is verbally received, the requirements of that order are repeated to the customer for verification before acceptance.

The order is identified as being in one of two categories: regular or special. A regular order contains only "off-the-shelf" items. A special order contains items with special customer requirements. These requirements are screened by the Marketing Department for completeness in definition and ability to manufacture. Evidence of contract review and changes is authorized by signature or controlled stamps.

When a contract or customer order (regular or special) contains conflicting requirements (i.e., incompatible parts ordered as one unit) the Contracts Administrator contacts the customer to resolve the problem.

Special contract requirements for inspection hold points, tests, or quality plans are reviewed, approved, and coordinated by Quality Assurance.

3.0 Amendment to a Contract

Changes in a customer order or contract are recorded within the customer file and an order change notice is forwarded to Production Planning. Planning then makes the necessary adjustments in the production schedule to assure the customer requirements are met.

4.0 Records

A record entry is made in the customer files for each order or contract received or changed. Only one primary record source for each customer is maintained to prevent duplication of effort and the passage of incorrect information.

Procedures to control and verify the design of SALEM SPECIALTY BALL products are established and maintained to ensure that specified requirements are met. The Design Review and Approval QIP establishes the product Research and Development’s (R&D) documentation. This documentation includes control, safety review and the approval of new or major modified products for marketing input prior to release of the design to operations.

Research & Development plan and document each development project. Each design activity has its responsibility and relation defined. As the development project progresses, the plan for the project is reviewed and updated as required.

Research & Development has the responsibility to develop two types of documentation: (1) design decision documentation, and (2) product description documentation.

The product documentation consists of Engineering drawings and logbooks, specifications, bills of material and initial test procedures. Product documentation is prepared for all SALEM SPECIALTY BALL products.

Design decision documentation is initiated to record the decision making process of the engineer. It is the responsibility of engineering management to establish and maintain a design decision documentation file.

The development project is broken up into specific activities and sequences. Each design activity is assigned qualified personnel and adequate resources. Evidence of personnel qualifications is maintained.

Control over all activities during the design development project is maintained throughout the process. All organizational and technical interfaces that input into the design process is monitored and controlled as well.

Marketing provides to Research & Development the new product definition. The new product definition is approved by the department heads.

Design engineers and Marketing work together to create the product as defined.

Marketing is responsible for calling design review meetings prior to prototype development and prior to release of all subassembly and final assembly drawings that describe the product. Marketing also distributes the minutes of these meetings to the attendees.

Manufacturing Engineering is responsible for assembling pre-production units for design manufacturing capability.

Manufacturing assembles a pilot run (small quantity) to verify documentation, routing and manufacturing capability. Periodically, pilot run product is also used for beta site testing.

Quality Assurance verifies conformance to documentation, inspection and/or test procedures, labeling for traceability and packaging.

If you require more information on our quality control manual, please contact us.