Elevating Repair Shop Standards: The Power of a Dedicated Quality Control Department

“I’ve just always liked a new challenge,” says Bobby Martinez, Quality Control Manager with Houston Dynamic Services.

fter working more than 33+ years in the pump shop and machine pump industry – 3 of those years at HDS – the company offered Bobby a new opportunity.

“I have experience with the entire process from creating drawings, dismantling, inspection, repair and rebuilding pump parts.  When I worked with Reliant, CenterPoint and HL&P, we were responsible for everything.  So I know first-hand how important it is to have high-quality parts,” says Bobby.

While HDS splits up roles and responsibilities between machinists and mechanics, to allow for a greater deal of expertise from each department, since Bobby has familiarity with both areas he was the perfect candidate for starting the Quality Control Departmnet at HDS.

On any given day, Bobby performs part inspections from the machine shop, reviews blueprints, work orders, part documentation and compares them to the final part to ensure that the part is operating within the allowable tolerances.

Bobby then checks off with approval and the part is given to the Shop Manager for quoting, and eventually to the mechanics for part assembly.

Some recent projects include:

• A reconditioned stuffing box that is part of a vertical water pump, typically used in refineries and chemical plants, hydraulic oil, condensate safe water, power plant
• New impellers for a 3-stage pump; inspected the bore, the wear ring area, performed NDT to ensure no cracks or erosion
• A shaft with two impellers; checked the roller by putting an indicator across the length of the shaft in multiple areas and do a run-out check.
• Block rings that go on a pump
• A reconditioned coupling that attaches the electric motor to the pump shaft

Ultimately, Quality Control is a critical and necessary part of the repair shop team.  Any issues or part imperfections leads to performance issues and will cause companies to lose production time and money.