Quality Assurance (QA) Inspection for Melt-Blown Filter Cartridge Production

MASTER FILTRATION ensures consistent quality during the production of melt-blown filter cartridges by defining standardized inspection procedures at critical control points.

1. Scope

Applies to QA personnel and production operators conducting in-process inspections of melt-blown filter cartridges at Master Filtration.

2. Responsibilities

QA Inspectors: Perform checks, document results, and escalate non-conformities.

Production Team: Correct defects and adhere to QA feedback.

Process Engineers: Adjust parameters if inspection trends indicate deviations.

3. Inspection Equipment & Tools

Calipers/micrometers

Bubble point tester or integrity tester

Pressure drop tester

Visual inspection light/borescope

Sample collection trays

4. In-Process Inspection Procedure
 

4.1 Raw Material Verification

Polypropylene (PP) Resin:

Check moisture content (<0.1%) and lot certification.

Core Tube & End Caps:

Verify dimensions (ID/OD) and material compatibility.

4.2 Production Process Checks
 

A. Melt-Blowing Process
Temperature & Pressure Monitoring:

Record extruder temps (190–250°C) and air pressure (0.2–0.5 MPa).

Fiber Layering:

Confirm uniform fiber distribution via cross-section samples.

Core Bonding:

Inspect adhesive uniformity between core and filter media.

End Cap Sealing:

Check for leaks (pressure test at 0.3 MPa for 30 sec).

4.3 Critical Quality Checks

Dimensional Inspection:

Measure OD (±1 mm), length (±1 mm), and pore size gradient.

Visual Defects:

Reject cartridges with:

Cracks, delamination, or uneven density.

Contaminants (black spots, foreign particles).

Performance Tests:

Bubble Point Test: Validate pore size (e.g., 10 µm @ 0.2 bar).

Flow Rate/Pressure Drop: Ensure compliance with specs (e.g., ΔP < 0.5 bar @ 10 L/min).

4.4 Sampling Frequency

Per Batch: Test 5% of cartridges (min. 5 units) every 2 hours.

100% Inspection: For critical applications (e.g., medical, food).

5. Non-Conformance Handling

Minor Defects: Adjust machine settings and recheck next samples.

Major Defects: Halt production, quarantine batch, and initiate root cause analysis (RCA).

6. Documentation
 

Inspection Report: Record:

Batch #, inspection time, parameters, defects, and inspector name.

Trend Analysis: Track defect rates weekly for process improvement.