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Quality management

Keller & Kalmbach attaches great importance to the highest quality. This refers not only to goods, but also the actions of employees. The pronounced focus on quality can be seen in our management systems. Our customers can access a worldwide, audited pool of suppliers, for which we perform on-site services in purchasing, materials management and logistics.

A wide range of measurement and test equipment as well as broad specialist knowledge mean that we are always prepared to meet your requirements. Beside hardness tests and measuring inspections, we offer various other testing processes.

Beside certification to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015, we also meet the strict requirements in the automotive sector with VDA 6.2. We have received various awards over the years for our high quality standards, for example the Bavarian Quality Award. With EMAS, we have also been using an extensive environmental management system since 2017. You can find more certificates in our download portal.

Quality policy

Certifications


Keller & Kalmbach has established a quality management system according to ISO 9001. For our customers in the automotive industry, we are certified according to VDA 6.2. With our EMAS certification we would like to communicate our attitude towards the environment.

In order to strengthen the confidence of our customers in our company, we have had ourselves certified in various areas: DIN EN ISO 9001 / VDA 6.2  / EMAS

The DIN EN ISO 9001: 2015: standard defines requirements for a quality management system. Through the application of a documented QM system, the connection between a regulated organization and the company's success should be demonstrated. With clear regulations, clearly defined responsibilities and working within the process structure, the overall success is to be ensured via product quality and customer satisfaction. In DIN ISO 9001:2015, the High Level Structure creates a uniform basic structure and a basic system.

In 2007, we had our environmental protection system certified according to the ÖKOPROFIT standard of the City of Munich and have been working on continuous improvement. In November 2017, we were awarded the EMAS certificate. In our corporate policy, the aspect of the environment represents an important element. With the environmental management system EMAS and the permanent effort to relieve the environment, we provide our contribution to a better understanding of the environment. We pursue these guiding principles in our environmental policy.

Test instruments

Below you can see some of the testing instruments we use at Keller & Kalmbach to meet the high quality and safety requirements at all times.

The FISCHERSCOPE enables non-destructive material and coating thickness analyses in our laboratory. Here, the material sample is excited with X-rays. The main task is the testing of galvanic coatings such as ZnFe, ZnNi/Fe.
Hardness is the mechanical resistance that a material offers to the mechanical penetration of another body. EmcoTest's DuraScan hardness tester can perform hardness tests in the range HV 0.01 to HV10. In addition, it can convert to many common hardness scales, such as Rockwell.
Measuring a complex part or shape with the help of a few touches? With the FARO measuring arm this is possible. The market-leading coordinate measuring machine enables precise and fast measurements on complicated parts.
On our tensile testing machine we can check the most important mechanical characteristics of our bolts. This is possible with up to 60 tons tensile force (max. M30 10.9).
This device from the Kistler Group enables the friction coefficient on screws to be determined. This is done by recording the torque applied and the preload force achieved. The coefficient of friction can be calculated from these characteristic values. Tests according to DIN, VDA and VW standards are possible.
The salt spray testing chamber features corrosion testing and assessment according to DIN EN ISO 9227 and complies with the VDA standard. The typical test times of a salt spray test chamber are 96 hours, 240 hours, 480 hours or 720 hours. The standardized comparative test is used to evaluate protective coatings.
Contour gauges measure and record the profile of a measured object by tracing the surface with a stylus. Thus, this device can be used to make measurements on angles, radii, arcs, thread pitches and much more.
With our mobile eddy current tester from IBG a non-destructive testing of metallic surfaces for defects such as cracks or imperfections is possible. This allows e.g. 100% testing of screws for hardness without damaging the parts.
With our stationary spectrometer, the determination of steel grades and alloy compositions is possible. This is done with the aid of an electrical discharge on the material sample. Only determinations on FE base alloys are possible.
Electrolytic preparation is a fast, efficient method for metallographic preparation that achieves deformation-free surfaces, in contrast to the slight deformation that occurs after mechanical grinding and polishing.
The KEYENCE digital microscope can achieve magnifications from 0.1x to 1000x and can therefore be used in a variety of applications. In addition, the device has a 3D function that also enables area evaluations and 3D measurements.
The digital profile projector determines all dimensions that are visible as a contour, both with incident light and transmitted light. After teaching a part, up to 99 other parts can be measured automatically and simultaneously. Defective parts and their dimensions are immediately shown on the display. In addition, the digital projector has a function for automatic measurement of the external thread.
This test stand of the company Schatz is used in our laboratory for any recording of torques and angles of rotation. For example, tests according to DIN 267-27, DIN 267-28 are possible.

Quality assurance

Our ERP system is connected to the CAQ system via interfaces, in which we store characteristic-related inspections on product groups or down to item level. After coordination with the customer, we can determine the inspection frequency via skip-lot procedures. Depending on the agreement, we order corresponding inspection certificates from the suppliers in accordance with DIN EN ISO 10204. These are stored in the system for the batch concerned at goods receipt and, if desired, transmitted with the delivery bill.
In case of problems with delivered products, we are available with a qualified team. The safeguarding of our customers' production is our top priority. Common quality tools such as 8D reports are used for this purpose. In order to measure customer satisfaction, various key figures such as delivery rate, number of complaints, audits and evaluations are used as a basis. Customer satisfaction is to be further increased through various improvement measures.
We work exclusively with precisely selected and qualified suppliers. A structured supplier management system is used to evaluate suppliers on the basis of quality criteria. The basis for this is an ongoing supplier evaluation, which includes both hard and soft facts. With a systematic supplier development and supplier promotion, the entire performance of our company is integrated.
By using our modern, fully automated warehouse, we can transfer the production batches of our suppliers into our WMS. If these are not available, our system assigns its own batch number. Thus, all customer deliveries can be clearly traced back to the production of our supplier. Of course, we also manage the MHD of our products with expiration dates.

Initial sampling

We are able to fulfill all sampling requirements of our customers. Whether according to VDA or PPAP according to the desired submission levels, our clientele decides.
Initial sample test reports are mainly used in the automotive industry for the release of new products and processes. Generally, initial samples are specified according to VDA 2 or PPAP, but these must be agreed in the order.
In general, initial sampling is not provided for standard parts according to VDA. The cost of sampling is usually very high in relation to the price of the part. In any case, a simplified form of the product and process approval procedure should be used here.
For our automotive customers, we naturally enter the chemical analysis of the material composition into the industry-specific management system for each component concerned. In this way, we ensure the proper disposal of our supplied products after their useful life in the installed vehicles. IMDS material data are used by automotive manufacturers for all vehicle classes and are requested accordingly in the supplier chains via supply contracts. With the help of a material data sheet (= IMDS entry), this information is recorded at component level and made available to the customer in the IMDS portal.
With the requalification (also called follow-up sampling), the requirements and tests from the initial sampling are confirmed with the current production and deviations are avoided. Depending on the customer agreement, we can also carry out desired requalifications according to time specifications. In principle, test frequencies must be re-evaluated and agreed with the customer's quality assurance department if the capacities to be produced should change significantly. To ensure quality, the supplier must carry out regular requalification of his scope of supply in accordance with ISO/TS 16949 or VDA.