Boeing needs to improve quality-control work on SLS moon rocket, NASA Inspector General finds

[Admin]

A scathing report from NASA's Office of Inspector General has highlighted several critical issues related to the development of the next version of the agency's SLS moon rocket.

Boeing needs to improve quality-control work on SLS moon rocket, NASA Inspector General finds : Read more

 

[BobShumaker]

A scathing report from NASA's Office of Inspector General has highlighted several critical issues related to the development of the next version of the agency's SLS moon rocket.

Boeing needs to improve quality-control work on SLS moon rocket, NASA Inspector General finds : Read more

In my humble opinion, NASA needs to jettison all projects dealing with Boeing. Their proven history of incomplete and hazardous work is a threat to human space travel.

 

[Mark3141]

Whether you like Boeing or not, this comes as a surprise to no one. I wonder if a criminal case can be made against certain Boeing execs.

 

[Dancquill]

Hiring, retention and quality control seems to be a big issue for Boeing. I would get rid of the HR department and start fresh with a new crew and hiring citeria.

 

[Unclear Engineer]

Clearly, Boeing management is to blame for Boeing slipping into its current state from its previous status of a proficient supplier of aerospace hardware. That needs to be changed.

But, there is no guarantee that simply changing the upper managers is going to right the ship. The culture of the employees actually designing and making the products needs to be changed.

If NASA decides to keep contracting with Boeing, I suggest that it includes "resident inspectors" at Boeing's design and fabrication facilities who have the authority to observe all meetings and activities and to speak directly with every employee. These inspectors should be specialists in the appropriate disciplines and should be assigned to specific NASA projects, coordinating among themselves and reporting monthly to NASA headquarters in joint reports that each inspector on a particular project signs. There needs to be no more surprises like the flammable electric tape and the deletion of already demonstrated capabilities by "firmware updates".

 

[Rob77]

Hiring, retention and quality control seems to be a big issue for Boeing. I would get rid of the HR department and start fresh with a new crew and hiring citeria.

Would be interesting to see how many (if any) staff may have gone over to SpaceX?

 

[Macadoodle]

There’s a shocker.

 

[fj.torres]

Clearly, Boeing management is to blame for Boeing slipping into its current state from its previous status of a proficient supplier of aerospace hardware. That needs to be changed.

But, there is no guarantee that simply changing the upper managers is going to right the ship. The culture of the employees actually designing and making the products needs to be changed.

If NASA decides to keep contracting with Boeing, I suggest that it includes "resident inspectors" at Boeing's design and fabrication facilities who have the authority to observe all meetings and activities and to speak directly with every employee. These inspectors should be specialists in the appropriate disciplines and should be assigned to specific NASA projects, coordinating among themselves and reporting monthly to NASA headquarters in joint reports that each inspector on a particular project signs. There needs to be no more surprises like the flammable electric tape and the deletion of already demonstrated capabilities by "firmware updates".

A big part of the problem with their work culture is the old "flip it over the wall" assembly line mentality, especially with respect to subcontractors. "Do your assigned task and let the next guy figure it out". That stuff went out in most places in the '80's after Demming was lionized.

Nobody seems to take ownership of the final product. You see it with Starliner issues; Boeing blames Rocketdyne, Rocketdyne blames Boeing for the design, both blame suppliers. And the issues come from things any competent QA dept would catch on the fly.

And then there is the whole cost-plus mentality that leads to endless reworks ahd delays. Nobody cares about doing it right the first time to reduce cost because doing it three times simply means charging the government more and bigger billings means more profits.

The new guy has his work cut out for him.

(SpaceX, on the other hand, is used to fixed price contracts where cost control is essential. And Shotwell is a veteran of the auto industry. She understands modern manufacturing and so does SpaceX. People undervalue her importance to SpaceX.)

 

[Unclear Engineer]

Demming's lessons about quality seem to have been lost in the U.S. industrial base. Part of that may be from the off-shoring of so much of U.S. manufacturing to the cheapest source, where price has higher priority than quality and much control is lost at the basic production level.

And, with U.S. brand names being bought by off-shore companies and applied to totally different designs and manufacturing practices, the value of brand names has plummeted.

It is the "business community", including the college-level education processes, that have fostered the change. So, it is truly now a "culture". And, I suppose it will take another Demming to change that here, just as it took in Japan. The U.S. is not the only "Western" culture affected.

 

[DrRaviSharma]

Whatever it takes to improve upon cost over run and schedule problem such as systems engineering overview or safety with agility and smartness with enthusiasm are needed.

 

[bolide]

As a longtime resident of Seattle, Boeing's one time "company town," I remember when the company was well and proudly run by engineers. The merger with McDonnell-Douglas in the 90's brought in the Jack Welch cost-cutting corporate mentality, and priorities changed. We've been seeing the effects for a while now.

 

[billslugg]

There is cutting of costs associated with boondoggles and there is cutting into the meat. You must be able to sort wheat from chaff. Then charge the people with principles, values and clear direction and stand back. Pay attention to quality and everything else takes care of itself. i know this because Dr Deming told us at a seminar in DC in 1984. I was with the P&G contingent.

 

[Cdr. Shepard]

A big part of the problem with their work culture is the old "flip it over the wall" assembly line mentality, especially with respect to subcontractors. "Do your assigned task and let the next guy figure it out". That stuff went out in most places in the '80's after Demming was lionized.

Nobody seems to take ownership of the final product. You see it with Starliner issues; Boeing blames Rocketdyne, Rocketdyne blames Boeing for the design, both blame suppliers. And the issues come from things any competent QA dept would catch on the fly.

And then there is the whole cost-plus mentality that leads to endless reworks ahd delays. Nobody cares about doing it right the first time to reduce cost because doing it three times simply means charging the government more and bigger billings means more profits.

The new guy has his work cut out for him.

(SpaceX, on the other hand, is used to fixed price contracts where cost control is essential. And Shotwell is a veteran of the auto industry. She understands modern manufacturing and so does SpaceX. People undervalue her importance to SpaceX.)

I actually think Gwynne Shotwell is valued correctly as the powerhouse that she is. I'm also partial to fellow auto industry alum -- including the legendary W. Edwards Deming -- but I have seen a fair amount of coverage praising her work in various outlets.

 

[Cdr. Shepard]

Demming's lessons about quality seem to have been lost in the U.S. industrial base. Part of that may be from the off-shoring of so much of U.S. manufacturing to the cheapest source, where price has higher priority than quality and much control is lost at the basic production level.

And, with U.S. brand names being bought by off-shore companies and applied to totally different designs and manufacturing practices, the value of brand names has plummeted.

It is the "business community", including the college-level education processes, that have fostered the change. So, it is truly now a "culture". And, I suppose it will take another Demming to change that here, just as it took in Japan. The U.S. is not the only "Western" culture affected.

Interestingly enough, it's only at a Japanese tier one automotive supplier that I was trained in the ways of Demming.

Haven't heard a peep about him since working at American, German, and British employers. It's discouraging.