Department: Technology

Position: Quality Engineer

Industry: RO Pressure Vessel / FRP Manufacturing

Reports to: Technology Manager

1. Purpose and Objectives:

The Quality Engineer is responsible for:

• Incoming material inspection: Inspect, test, and verify raw materials and components against specified requirements. Provide Supply Chain with test reports identifying conforming and nonconforming materials, and control acceptance to ensure only compliant materials are released for use.
• In-process inspection: Conduct inspections at defined production stages to verify product conformity and support process quality control and assurance. Coordinate with Maintenance on machine and equipment calibration. Verify that the manufacturing process complies with documentation and traceability requirements and that records are maintained for all materials used in each vessel. Ensure that approved SOPs, defined procedures and drawings are followed without deviations. Identify quality-related issues arising during manufacturing and coordinate with Technology, Operations and Maintenance to resolve them.
• Final inspection and release: Perform final inspections of finished products, including components, and provide quality sign-off upon verification of compliance with applicable requirements.
• Product qualification: Carry out routine and new product development qualification activities in accordance with ASME Section X. Maintain and control qualification test records and data. Monitor and control qualification testing equipment, including cyclic hydrostatic and burst testers.
• Management system and statutory compliance: Support the PV&C Business Unit in maintaining compliance with applicable ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 series standards and other relevant statutory requirements.

• Customer complaint handling: The Quality Engineer shall serve as the single point of contact for customer complaints, maintain the Customer Complaints Register and coordinate with the relevant cross-functional teams for prompt resolution. Arrange meetings with Technology, Operations, Maintenance, Supply Chain and Sales, as appropriate. Ensure that a response acknowledging the complaint is sent to the customer within 24 hours and that a mitigation measure or final resolution is provided within one week.

2. Skills and Knowledge:

The Quality Engineer should have practical knowledge of FRP/composite manufacturing processes; filament winding of high-pressure pipes and vessels; glass fiber and resin systems and their chemistry; basic composite material testing; resin viscosity and gel-time testing; Barcol hardness testing; visual inspection for composite defects; dimensional inspection; engineering drawings and tolerances; pressure testing; material identification and traceability; Inspection and Test Plans (ITPs); NCRs and rework inspection; and calibration requirements.

Education: An engineering degree, diploma or equivalent technical qualification in Mechanical, Polymer, Chemical or Composites Engineering, or an equivalent discipline. Six Sigma, Lean or Lean Sigma certification would be an added advantage.

Experience: Preferably a minimum of four to five years of engineering experience, with mandatory quality experience in FRP/composite manufacturing, filament winding, filament wound high pressure vessels, GRP products or similar manufacturing industries.

3. Authority: The Quality Engineer shall have the authority to:

• Place incoming materials on HOLD when the materials or supporting documentation do not meet specified requirements.
• Stop and report a manufacturing activity when a significant quality deviation is observed.
• Identify and segregate nonconforming products and arrange for its review and disposition in a timely manner.
• Reject products and process output that do not meet approved acceptance criteria and present the same for review and disposition to Technology.
• Request re-inspection following corrective action and conduct reviews in coordination with Technology and Operations to resolve identified issues.
• Recommend finished products for QC release after satisfactory inspection and testing.

• Final release authority shall remain with the designated Engineer / QA-QC representative (Operations Manager), as defined by the company's Quality Management System. The Quality Engineer shall sign off on the release of every vessel.

• Communicate and coordinate with external authorities for 2nd-and 3rdparty audits, and coordinate, prepare for and manage visits, including online handling of such visits.
• Prepare daily, weekly and monthly reports relevant to the QA/QC departments.

Responsibilities:

4. Incoming Material Inspection:

• Be well versed in QC laboratory planning, procedures and maintenance.
• Inspect incoming raw materials against the purchase order, approved specifications, TDS, COA and COC.
• Verify material identification, supplier, batch/lot number, manufacturing date, expiry date and shelf life as well as review dimensional reports, material test certificates and other inspection certificates requested at the time of placing the order..
• Check the storage conditions and physical condition of composite raw materials.
• Inspect and verify glass fiber roving; resin systems; hardeners/catalysts and additives; adhesives and bonding materials; metallic and non-metallic components, inserts and fittings; end closures and locking components; and O-rings and sealing components.
• Ensure proper material identification and traceability.
• For equipment / machinery, arrange for FAT protocols.
• Identify, segregate and report damaged, expired or nonconforming materials.

5. Incoming and In-Process Raw Material Testing

Carry out or assist with routine material and composite testing and QC laboratory management. Activities include resin viscosity testing; gel-time testing; resin/hardener mixing-ratio verification; cure verification; Barcol hardness testing; glass/resin content testing, where applicable; Loss on Ignition (LOI) testing, where applicable; laminate thickness measurement; glass transition testing via DSC; visual examination of composite test samples; and preparation and identification of test coupons/samples. Coordinate samples for third-party laboratory testing when instructed and record all results in the approved inspection and testing formats.

6. In-Process Inspection / Process Control

Perform inspections at defined manufacturing stages.

• Setup Inspection: Check liner dimensions and surface condition, and verify liner thickness where specified. Inspect for cracks, deformation, scratches and other defects. Verify port/opening locations.
• Filament Winding Inspection: Verify that the material batch/lot is approved. Check resin preparation and mixing, and monitor resin viscosity and gel time. Verify the winding program/reference and check fiber tension where required. Verify resin impregnation and fiber wet-out, and observe the winding pattern and uniformity. Check for dry fibers, gaps, wrinkles and excessive resin. Record applicable process parameters.
• Laminate Curing Inspection: Verify curing time and temperature, and record curing parameters where required. Ensure that the product is not released for further processing before completion of the specified cure.
• Vessel Machining Process Inspection: Verify cut-off lengths and cut straightness; final sanded body and bell dimensions; milling/drilling dimensions; port-to-port dimensions; correct port selection against the sales order; and port alignment.
• Vessel Hydrotesting: Based on the sampling plan defined by Technology and Operations, witness hydrotesting and sign off on vessel hydrotest records. Witness hydrotesting and sign off on hydrotest records for every ASME vessel.
• Vessel Finishing: Inspect vessel paint preparation and painted vessels for defects. Identify painting defects and approve rework.
• Product Final Release Inspection: Check trimming and machining, labels and identification, and process records. Inspect port/nozzle preparation and verify port bonding and installation. Inspect finished composite surfaces for cracks, delamination, dry fibers, air pockets/voids, resin-rich or resin-starved areas, fiber exposure and surface damage.
• Dimensional Inspection: Perform and record dimensional inspections against approved drawings, and report any dimensions outside approved tolerances. Inspections shall include overall vessel length; internal/external diameter, as applicable; wall/laminate thickness; port/nozzle dimensions; port location and orientation; end-opening dimensions; critical fitting dimensions; and end-closure dimensions and fitment

7. Product Testing and Qualification Support

Responsibilities include preparing, inspecting and documenting test samples for hydrostatic pressure testing, leak testing, burst-pressure testing, pressure-cycle/fatigue testing, long-duration pressure testing where applicable, and RO membrane/component fitment verification.

During testing, the Quality Engineer shall verify vessel identification and serial numbers; confirm that calibrated test equipment is used; record test pressure and holding time; inspect for leakage, deformation or abnormal conditions; record observations and results; immediately report failures or abnormalities; and initiate and maintain supporting records and traceability for Product Qualification Reports.

8. Final Product Inspection and Release:

Perform final inspections before QC release, covering visual appearance and workmanship; overall dimensions; port configuration; internal surface condition; external composite surface condition; end-plate assembly; sealing surfaces; O-rings/seals, where applicable; product identification; serial number; nameplate/label; pressure rating; material/product traceability; and packing condition, where included in the inspection scope. Ensure that all mandatory inspections, tests and records are completed before recommending the product for release.

9. Nonconforming Product Identification and Control:

Identify and clearly mark nonconforming materials/products. Segregate rejected materials where required, and immediately inform the Shift Lead / Operations Manager. Raise or assist in preparing Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs). Perform re-inspection following repair/rework, and maintain clear inspection status identification: Accepted / Hold / Rejected. Ensure that nonconforming products, materials and components are not released without documented deviations duly authorized by the MD / CTO / Operations Manager, and maintain records of such deviations. Ensure that corrective actions to prevent recurrence are taken immediately.

10. Inspection and Testing Equipment

Use and maintain quality laboratory equipment and inspection instruments, including Vernier calipers, micrometers, measuring tapes, thickness gauges, Go/No-Go gauges, viscometers, DSC testers, LOI furnaces, Barcol hardness testers, weighing scales, temperature-measuring instruments, and pressure gauges/test equipment. Verify calibration status before use, and immediately report equipment with expired calibration, damage or inaccurate measurements. Ensure that all electronic and hard-copy records are meticulously maintained and readily retrievable. Maintain the quality laboratory in a clean and organized condition.

11. Quality Documentation:

Maintain accurate and traceable records in line with ISO 9001 requirements, including Incoming Material Inspection Reports, Material Testing Reports, resin viscosity and gel-time records, In-Process Inspection Reports, Filament Winding Inspection Records, Curing Records, Dimensional Inspection Reports, Hydrostatic Test Reports, Burst/Qualification Test Records, Final Inspection Reports, Rework Inspection Records, material traceability records and calibration verification records. Maintain FAT visit documentation. All inspection records shall be clear, signed or otherwise identified, and traceable to the relevant material batch and finished vessel serial number.

12. Key Performance Areas

Key performance areas include accuracy and completeness of inspection records; incoming material inspection compliance; in-process inspection completion rate; First Time Right acceptance levels; rework reduction; timely identification of defects; material and product traceability compliance; calibration compliance; timely completion of inspections and testing; timely closure of inspections and nonconformities arising from internal and external management audits; and zero release of products without mandatory inspections and testing.

You may also send your CV to: roxanne.pascual@roshell.net