What is a Critical Control Point?
A Critical Control Point (CCP) is any point in the manufacturing process where the surface condition of a material has the opportunity to change—intentionally or unintentionally—and impact adhesion, in a positive or negative way.
Why should you care about them?
Like that definition laid out, CCP's are where it all happens. They are these vital steps in any manufacturing process where a part is stored, washed, delivered to the facility, treated, bonded, coated, painted, installed, etched, abraded, cleaned, and the list goes on and on. If these CCP's are not properly monitored, measured, understood and managed then the whole enterprise could be trending towards failure and you'd never know. They're called critical for a reason.
If you do not have a quantifiable value, a number, to work towards at each of these points then there is nothing left to do but guess at whether your process is on its way to success or failure.
Where are CCP's found?
Potentially everywhere. It's logical to look at points in the manufacturing process where obvious changes are taking place to your material surface but anytime there is the possibility of change to the surface state there is an opportunity to take a closer look. When a part comes into the facility there could be any number of contaminants present at that point that need to be directly handled. When a part is in storage the treatment that was previously done to that surface could degrade and leave it open to contamination. These are both examples of Critical Control Points that aren't immediately obvious.
Find out where else to measure Critical Control Points to ensure your surfaces are clean from start to finish by signing up for the Customer Hub. There you'll find exclusive diagrams to pinpoint exactly where you should be testing your surfaces.
How do you control these Critical Control Points?
Well, until now, you haven't been able to.
If these CCP's do not have a quantifiable spec to aim for when altering the surface condition of your material then how can success be measured? And if you can't measure what occurs at these CCP's how can you manage it?
It may sound simple but the answer is quite frightening because more often than not the truth is - you can't. You can't manage what you can't measure.
If you don't know your number at each CCP you are missing vital information and are leaving your process vulnerable to adhesion failure. But there is hope! We have over 30 years of experience uncovering Critical Control Points and equipping companies with the knowledge they need to take back control and guarantee adhesion every time. We can help you discover your CCP numbers and learn how to apply them to improve your process.
Learn how to establish an inspection and communication system that connects all the dots. Partner with us to optimize your adhesion process and shore up your Critical Control Points. Download the eBook: Predictable Adhesion in Manufacturing Through Process Verification.
