Consulting Services

I offer a broad range of services in the fields of geometrical product specifications (ISO GPS and ASME based GD&T), dimensional and general metrology, metrology quality systems and ISO 17025 accreditation. The areas listed below are not meant to be exhaustive, rather they are meant to give a general impression of my areas of expertise and ways in which I can help your company.

Even if your problem does not fall in any of these categories, you are welcome to give me a call, to see if I am able to help you. Maybe I can point you towards somebody, who might be better equipped to handle your problem, if I don't feel the topic is within my areas of expertise. For your protection, as well as my own, I am very careful not to sign up for any assignment I do not feel qualified for. You can also E-mail me if you have a request, or want to know more.

Main Areas of Expertise

How can we work together?

My main working principle is that I will help you help yourself. You and others in your company have to participate as much as possible and I have to do as little as possible. That is the best way to transfer the knowledge and retain the ownership of a project within your company. I prefer to be the instructor, the coach and sounding board, providing the new ideas, the new knowledge and a framework for putting it all together. You can use me for small or large assignments. You are also welcome to contact me with a question or two, for advice or to be pointed in the right direction.

You are the one who decides the extent of my engagement. Typical scopes and arrangements for a project can be:

  • One or more phonecalls
  • One meeting
  • One or more working meetings where both you, your team and I work on assignments between meetings.
  • I take on the full assignment and solve it in close collaboration with you and your team.
  • Any of the above combined with one or more training seminars. either public or tailored to your specific needs and the the project at hand.

Questions? Please contact me for clarification and additional information.

Geometrical Product Specifications - Geometrical Dimensioning and Tolerancing - Design Analysis

Geometrical Product Specifications:

Does your company have a policy for how to define geometrical and dimensional requirements for your components and products? Did you know that by choosing the right datums and tolerance in the correct sequence, you can typically increase your tolerances by 50-100%.

I can help you analyse your designs and suggest how you might be able to change your tolerancing and open up your tolerances, such that you can produce at lower cost, improve your process capability and improve your bottom line.

This is one of my main areas of expertise. You can find much more information on the GPS page.

Industrial Metrology and Calibration

Metrological needs assessment:

Have you ever felt that you did not have a good way to define what your company's needs are in terms of measuring capability? Have you found yourself in situations, where you don't really know what needs to be measured and to what uncertainty?

In these situations I can help develop a metrological needs profile of a plant or production line. Based on product requirements and tolerances, I can help define what measurement instruments are needed and what they in turn require in terms of calibration and support systems, such as temperature controlled enclosures. I can even make this analysis while the product and the production facility are in the planning stage.

Measuring Equipment Procurement:

Are you buying a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) or other measuring equipment, that represents a significant investment? Are you unsure how to ask the right questions to make sure you get the instrument that is right for your needs? Is it unclear to you how you ensure that it performs up to specification when you get it installed in your facility?

I can help in all these situations. I can work with you to understand you measurement needs. I can help you develop a specification for your new measuring machine and negotiate it with your preferred vendor. I can also help you during the run-off stage to make sure that the machine performs according to specification. Finally I can help you plan and develop the right measurement strategy, such that you get the most out of your new machine.

Quality Assurance of Measurements and Calibration in Industrial Practise

Metrology Systems for ISO/QS 9000:

Is your company implementing ISO 9000, or upgrading to QS 9000? Are you, like so many others, in the situation, where the sections on "Inspection and Testing" and "Control of Inspection, Measuring and Test Equipment" causes major problems and may be the roadblock to achieving registration?

With my extensive background, running an accredited calibration laboratory and working in the automotive industry, I can assist with the dimensioning and planning of metrology systems to comply with ISO/QS 9000. I can also help build the documentation and paper trail necessary to convince an auditor that your measuring system is under control.

Calibration Laboratory Quality Assurance and Documentation for Accreditation

ISO/IEC 17025 and ANSI/NCSL Z540 Accreditation:

Are you thinking about getting your laboratory accredited? QS 9000 and its replacement, ISO/TS 16949 put special emphasis on the use of accredited laboratories. This represents a tremendous advantage and business opportunities for the laboratories who invest in accreditation.

I have managed an accredited dimensional metrology laboratory and I worked as a calibration assessor for A2LA for 10 years. With my expertise, I can help you prepare your laboratory, your systems and your procedures to achieve accreditation.

Internal and External Standardization

Standard Systems:

Does your company have a comprehensive and consistent system of standards? Do your design and inspection standards agree with each other, or are you measuring something different than what is on your drawings? If your company manufactures overseas, do your overseas locations work to the same standards as your domestic locations, or are they using their own national standards.

I can work with you to design a comprehensive system of standards, that are based on international, national and internal standards in the right mix, that makes sense for your company.

Henrik S. Nielsen

Contact