What We’ve Learned About Quality Management Systems

When you’re engaged with supplying bearings to companies who have put their confidence in your product’s reliability, there is a lot of weight on your shoulders. These companies have essentially put their brand reputation on the line by trusting that our bearings will do what they are supposed to do. That’s a responsibility that we do not take lightly. No matter what product you manufacture, neither should you. So how are we so confident in the products we supply and how do we instill that same confidence in our customers? Three simple words: Quality Management Systems.

Any product that is manufactured in high volumes runs the risk of  having a non-conforming item somewhere in the batch. It’s inevitable. But faulty products are not acceptable. Over the past 28 years, we have built a reputation for supplying high-quality bearings that are built to last. In the process, this is what we have learned about Quality Management Systems.

• They Create Loyal Customers

Customers expect a high quality product. No one buys a product with the expectation that the product will fail to meet their needs. Quality Management Systems help companies catch the faulty products before they ever find their way to the customer. In the long run, this translates into more loyal customers.

When customers know that they can rely on your company, they start to build trust in your brand. If your product comes through for your customer when they need it to, that’s a point in the bucket for your brand. Over time, those points add up and before you know it, you’ve created a strong relationship with a loyal customer.

The value of loyal customers cannot be overstated. It costs your brand much less to retain a customer than to gain a new customer. Quality Management Systems keep your customers coming back because they know they can rely on a quality product.

• They Increase Efficiency & Lower Costs

No matter the type, systems and processes are built with one goal in mind; to increase efficiency and to streamline workflows. Quality Management Systems are no different. When you put the time and effort into creating a product, you want it to be right the first time. It will only cost you in the long term if you rush to produce your product without paying attention to the small details.

Yes, these systems take time to put into place but once they are up and running they will save you time and money. You won’t have to worry about replacing faulty products or losing top paying clients due to unreliable product.

• They Back Up Your Brand Promise

Having Quality Management Systems in place help you to deliver your brand promise to your customer. However, if you want to take it one step further, recognition can amplify the priority you place on those systems and validate them to the customer.

Manufacturers have systems in place to monitor production and the quality of their products.  We also have systems in place to monitor the quality and consistency of our processes and services.

VNC has maintained our certification to ISO standards since 2001, for our own Quality Management System. This means that we have proven our ability to consistently meet both customer requirements as well as regulatory requirements.  It also means that we utilize our Quality Management System to enhance Customer Satisfaction and are continually looking for ways to improve our system.

Certifications are important for a few reasons. One, they prove that outside parties have examined your Quality Management System(s) and have found them acceptable for the standards deemed important by regulatory organizations. Secondly, certifications show your customers that you prioritize quality work and have taken the time to ensure the processes in place are truly for their benefit.

We supply high-quality bearings and believe that quality is important for any product. We enhance this by backing it up with unsurpassed Customer Service. If you have questions about our Quality Management System or would like ideas on how you can enhance the quality of your own product through the use of VNC Bearing, call us today at 800-862-3211!

Bearing Lubrication 101

Bearing lubrication may seem like a minimal, last-minute consideration when working on your application, but did you know that a high percentage of bearing failures result simply from issues with lubrication? At VNC, we know the importance of proper bearing lubrication and that’s why we’re going to start with the basics. Welcome to Bearing Lubrication 101.

Why lubricate bearings?

Proper lubrication of bearings will prevent undesirable situations and will help improve your bearings’ overall performance and life expectancy. With the proper lubrication in place, an oil film is created that separates the rolling elements of a bearing (raceways, cages, etc.) so that they do not experience metal to metal contact. This film protects the rolling elements of the bearing from continuous friction which would lead to excessive heat and ultimately, metal fatigue. If there is one thing you do not want your bearings to experience, it’s premature fatigue and failure.

What are my options for lubrication?

When lubricating your bearings, you have the choice between oil and grease. Each has its own pros and cons, but it really depends on your bearing and the circumstance or application that it will be used in. We will explore the characteristics of both oil and grease in our next post, but for now, let’s look at a simple break down of what each is used for.

Oil

Oil is typically used in applications that require extremely low torque or a narrow range of torque variation.

Grease

The life obtained from grease is considerably greater than that of just oil. This is due to the grease’s ability to release oil during use, keeping the oil where it is needed most.

What causes lubrication failure?

The top four most common causes of lubrication failure include

1. The lubrication type
2. The amount of lubrication used
3. Contamination
4. Over loading

When lubrication is inadequately applied, surface damage will result.  This damage will progress rapidly to failure and unfortunately, these lubrication failures are often difficult to differentiate from fatigue failure.  Spalling damage usually destroys the evidence of inadequate lubrication making its diagnoses very challenging.

As you can see, being knowledgeable about lubrication and what type and amount is best for your specific circumstance can mean the difference between bearing’s performance or failure. We want you to experience exceptional bearing performance so that your application does exactly what it needs to do. In our next post we explore oil and grease variations in more depth.

If you have questions about what lubrication to use, contact us today! Our team can help you choose the right type and amount of lubrication for your application.