23.05.2022What is a Declared Process List?
Similar to a Declared Materials List (DML), a Declared Process List (DPL) is a database of processes to which each component (or material) has been subjected to.
For instance, if components/materials have been painted, etched, glued, or welded. Some of these processes have the potential to affect how well the component/material performs when it is in-service, so it is important to ensure these are controlled.
What's a DPL's Purpose?
The purpose of the DPL is to be able to examine each applicable process for correctness and determine if any of the processes are critical. An example of a critical process could be the adhesive bonding of composite laminates – how this gluing process is performed could be responsible for structures delaminating (separating) and therefore failing prematurely and causing a catastrophic failure, something we want to prevent if we can help it. The major process categories are as follows:
- Adhesive bonding
- Composite manufacture
- Encapsulation/moulding
- Painting/coating
- Cleaning
- Welding/brazing
- Crimping/stripping/wire wrapping
- Soldering
- Surface treatments
- Plating
- Machining
- Forming
- Heat treatment
- Special fabrication: processes developed specifically for the programme
- Marking
- Miscellaneous Processes
- Inspection procedures
Declaring how components and materials in a project are made, put together and finished allows Engineers and Product Assurance specialists to catch any foreseeable issues as early on in the programme as is possible.
How do AEON use a DPL?
As AEON adopts Product Assurance practices across its projects, we create DPLs for each project, this allows us to easily foresee any problem areas and therefore primitively correct any issues before manufacture.
AEON uses ECSS Standard DPL notation, starting with a list of seventeen process groups, which are then broken down into item numbers, process identification numbers, user/supplier/associated procedure, process description and associated part number(s).
Product Assurance Programme
Having previously provided Product Assurance documentation packs across a multitude of Space programmes, AEON are perfectly suited to assist in the delivery of your Product Assurance programme. Whether you are looking for a PA Specialist to set up a programme, or simply need to outsource the creation of one PA document, we're able to assist.
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If you have an upcoming project that requires expert knowledge, contact us and discuss your requirements with our team.
