QP-7.5 Control of Nonconforming Product

Revision D · Effective 2026-03-02

1 Purpose

This procedure ensures that product which does not conform to requirements is identified, segregated, documented, dispositioned by authorized people, and prevented from unintended use or delivery.

2 Scope

Applies to raw material, purchased parts, work in process, finished product and returned product at the Wichita plant, including nonconforming product found after delivery to the customer (escapes). Physical tagging and quarantine steps are detailed in WI-610.

3 Definitions

NCR - Nonconformance Report, F-750-01, entered in the ERP.
MRB - Material Review Board.
Escape - nonconforming product that has already shipped to a customer.
Red HOLD tag - form F-750-04, applied to nonconforming or suspect material.
Working day - Monday through Friday, excluding company holidays.

4 Responsibilities

Any employee - stops work, applies a red HOLD tag and notifies the supervisor or Quality when a nonconformance is found.
Quality Manager (Ruth Okafor) - chairs the MRB, holds the key to the MRB cage, notifies customers of escapes.
Quality Engineer - investigates NCRs, prepares the MRB package, and opens CARs.
MRB members - Quality Manager (chair), Quality Engineer and Production Manager; the Engineering Manager joins for any proposed use-as-is or repair disposition.

5 Procedure

5.1 Identification and tagging

The person who finds nonconforming or suspect material applies a red HOLD tag (F-750-04) immediately. The tag records the part number, job number, quantity, operation and a brief description of the problem. Only Quality may remove a red tag.

5.2 Segregation and NCR

The tagged material is moved to the MRB cage in Bay 3 within 4 hours or by the end of the shift, whichever comes first. Material too large to move is roped off in place and the cage log notes its location.
An NCR (F-750-01) is entered in the ERP during the same shift. The NCR states the requirement, the actual condition, the quantity affected and the source (receiving, in-process, final, customer).
At least one photograph of the nonconforming condition must be attached to the NCR in the ERP. The photo shows the feature and, where practical, the part identification or tag.

5.3 Containment

The Quality Engineer determines whether other material may be affected (same lot, same machine, same program, same gage) and places that material on hold. For machine- or program-related issues, the Production Manager stops the affected operation until the cause is understood.

5.4 MRB disposition

The MRB dispositions every NCR within 5 working days of the NCR date. Allowed dispositions are:

Use-as-is - accept the part without correction. Requires the Engineering Manager on the MRB and written customer approval on a Customer Deviation Request (F-750-03) before the part ships.
Rework - bring the part fully into conformance with the drawing using an approved method; the reworked part is reinspected to the original requirement.
Repair - make the part acceptable for use though not fully to the drawing. Requires the Engineering Manager on the MRB and customer approval on F-750-03 before the part ships.
Return to supplier - for supplier-caused nonconformance; the Supplier Quality Engineer issues a SCAR (F-740-03) per QP-7.4.
Scrap - the part is marked or damaged so it cannot be used, and the scrap is recorded in the ERP.

The MRB decision is recorded on the MRB Disposition Record (F-750-02) and signed by each member. If the MRB cannot reach agreement, the Quality Manager's decision stands. An NCR not dispositioned within 5 working days is escalated to the Production Manager and reviewed at the weekly production meeting.

5.5 Escapes

When nonconforming product is found to have shipped, the Quality Manager notifies the customer within 24 hours of discovery, by phone or email, identifying the part number, lot or serial numbers, quantity shipped and the nature of the nonconformance. Customer-specified notification methods are followed when the contract requires them. Every escape requires a CAR per QP-8.5. Stock at Tallgrass from the same lot is placed on hold.

5.6 Release from hold

Material leaves the MRB cage only after an approved disposition. Quality removes the red tag and records the release in the cage log. Product dispositioned use-as-is or repair is shipped with the approved F-750-03 referenced on the certificate of conformance (see WI-410).

5.7 Corrective action triggers

The Quality Engineer opens a CAR (F-850-01) per QP-8.5 when three or more NCRs with the same part number and same cause occur within 90 days, for any escape, and for any customer complaint.

6 Records

NCRs (F-750-01), MRB Disposition Records (F-750-02), Customer Deviation Requests (F-750-03), NCR photographs and the cage log are quality records retained 10 years from creation per QP-4.2.

7 Revision history

Rev	Date	Change	Approved by
A	2016-05-02	Initial release.	Ruth Okafor
B	2019-10-21	Added Engineering Manager to MRB for use-as-is and repair; added F-750-03.	Ruth Okafor
C	2023-08-14	Added 4-hour move to MRB cage; NCR entered in ERP same shift.	Ruth Okafor
D	2026-03-02	MRB disposition time reduced from 10 to 5 working days; escape notification changed from "promptly" to within 24 hours of discovery; photograph of the nonconformance now required on every NCR; added escalation for late dispositions.	Ruth Okafor