Designing and manufacturing parts is always an exacting process. The need to design and cut parts that all fit together is a principle that has been around from the very beginning. But as time has gone by, we’ve become more reliant upon the machines that make our lifestyles possible. As that advancement happened, our systems became more complicated and required more precise manufacturing processes.
Why? Because, yes, more modern technologies make our lives better, but they also help keep us alive.
What is a Safety Critical System?
An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) must work the moment it’s called upon. When a car accident occurs, the airbags must work. A spacecraft’s propulsion system must function properly to break out of the pull of earth’s gravity. If these systems fail, people lose their lives.
That’s what a life and safety critical system accomplishes.
A safety critical system is a system whose failure or malfunction results in one (or more) of the following outcomes:
- Death or serious injury to people
- Loss or severe damage to equipment/property
- Environmental harm
These outcomes are not acceptable, so designers and manufacturers must design with tight tolerances and precision in mind.
What Regulations Exist? Are They Effective?
For us in the aerospace and defense sector the Failure Modes Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) is our Bible. It was initially specified through US Military Procedure MIL-P-1629 in 1949, and updated through MIL-STD-1629A in 1980 by the Department of Defense.
In 1956, two airplanes collided above the Grand Canyon; all 128 occupants involved perished. So, in 1958, for commercial aircraft, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was established as a breakaway from the Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA). The FAA went on to create more rules to mitigate the risk of air travel. One such way was through regulating the way planes were built.
These regulations proved effective. As the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reports, in 2023 there were no fatal accidents or hull losses for jet aircraft. That year, there were 30 total accidents. Keep in mind, in 2023, more than 35 million commercial flights took place around the world.
Of those, there was only one fatal accident (a turboprop aircraft), sadly resulting in 72 fatalities. All things considered, the fatality risk was 0.03 rate per million sectors. That means, for every 1 million miles of total air travel, there were 0.03 deaths. That’s a testament to just how safe air travel is and how effective the rules regulating manufacturing truly are.
Role in Quality Management at Bertrand Products
Bertrand takes the commitment to life critical systems seriously, and that commitment is reflected in Quality Management (QM) framework.
Quality Control
At the heart of Bertrand’s operations lies a rigorous Quality Control (QC) system. From raw materials to the last touches, every step in our process is a reminder of our commitment to safety.
Quality Assurance
Our Quality Assurance (QA) protocol makes sure not a single part leaves the shop without meeting our exhaustive safety standards. We stake our reputation on that quality. We also know the standards evolve with each advancement in technology. Simply put, “good enough” is never good enough when lives are on the line.
Bertand Products: A Commitment to Quality
For us at Bertrand, we believe the true metric of success is measured in the trust of those who rely on the parts we make. So, when you need parts you can rely on, rely on Bertrand. Ready to find out how we do it? Contact us and let us show you what we can do.
