Sheppard products include a wide range of manufactured parts, machined assemblies, and castings, including engine timing devices, power transmission boxes, and iron castings. Customers operate in the glass, railroad, trucking, farming, and hydraulic pump industries. Capability studies are conducted for all key processes, which allow operators to monitor every manufacturing operation at his or her work station. Instruments and gauges are calibrated and certified on a regular basis. Control charts are audited as a part of continuous strategy evaluation.
Sheppard representatives visit suppliers' locations and audit their quality control procedures.
To further insure that the quality standards of incoming materials are met, Sheppard will provide SPC training for its suppliers. By using SPC, Sheppard is able to design a capable process rather than rely on inspection to ship quality products. The internship is for eight weeks during the summer. The intern will be working closely with Peter Sheppard, '72, and Quality Control Manager Mike Weaver. The company prefers a student with interests in manufacturing and quantitative analysis, one who is capable of taking a data collection project from start to finish.