ANALYSIS OF EXISTING QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM OF EME FIELD WORKSHOPS (EMER- H-410) AND REVISE IT ON THE BASIS OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) PHILOSOPHIES

Abstract

Armies of the world are undergoing rapid transformation primarily due to induction of new technologies resulting into attainment of new capabilities and doctrines being evolved for their effective employment. Realizing the change and requirement to maintain the balance, Pakistan Army has inducted modern and high tech weapon and equipment spanning areas like missile technology, digital communication, unmanned ariel vehicles, optronics and ground and air mobility. Operations and employment of these high tech weapons and equipment is a great challenge but the greater challenge is being faced by the Corps of EME to provide effective logistic support in terms of reliable and cost effective maintenance. The Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is responsible to keep the multitude of defence equipment of Pakistan Army in working condition. Small arms, binoculars, compasses, wireless sets, mortars, artillery guns, tanks, wheeled vehicles, bulldozers, aircraft, night vision devices, radars, x-ray machines and guided missiles are but to name a few. This support includes maintenance, repair, overhaul, refurbishment, recovery and planning and procurement of spares. The Corps faces the formidable task of not only maintaining the equipment held by the Army, but also to keep pace with advancements in defence technology. Highly skilled and capable workforce therefore becomes a primary requirement for absorbing this technological advancement and for delivering effective maintenance support in the future. Today, the diversity, vintage and complexity of the weapon systems calls for a battery of specialists in areas like radar, telecommunication, guided weapons, aeronautics, avionics, optical electronics, automotive technology and bio-medical engineering. Corps is facing serious problems of poor quality repair in field EME units resulting into lost user confidence. In order to assure quality repair in field workshops need arises to create Quality Assurance culture as per currently practiced worldwide TQM standards and techniques. As far as field workshops are concerned, EMER H-410 is a useful source for guidance and reference for quality control and assurance under taking field repair. In today’s modern era, quality inspection, control and assurance physically has been encompassed by TQM, which highlights awareness about quality among all the stakeholders of the organization. It includes suppliers, service providers and the users at all levels. Modern quality control techniques are comprehensive and incorporated by world leading organizations / institutions in order to achieve maximum productivity and customer satisfaction. The existing EMER H-410 is based on general policy and broad guidelines for the functioning and organizing of Quality Assurance Department of field workshops undertaking repair. It also prescribes systems, procedures and records to be maintained to have strict control on quality. The organizational structure in EMER-410 is more hierarchical and offer rigid lines of authority and responsibility with focus on maintaining status quo while the quality was totally determined by the top management. With the passage of time and emergence of TQM philosophy, tools and techniques, the need arises to revise this existing EMER-410 to streamline Quality Assurance procedures of the field workshop enabling them to make organizational structure less hierarchical and more flexible with focus on continuous improvement in the system and processes. The revised EMER will focus more on teamwork with the perception of labour as an asset and training not a waste but an investment. This essentially means creation of a class of workers which can be completely dedicated to the primary task of maintenance and repair with no possibility of employment on non technical jobs. Revised EMER with TQM philosophy applicability to field workshops will provide a way of better managing these workshops at all level to achieve user satisfaction by involving Officers (Engineers), JCOs (Supervisors) and NCOs / Soldiers (technicians) in the process of continuous improvement.