A Background in Quality Excellence
With over a decade of experience in quality engineering and auditing within the automotive sector, Robert brought invaluable expertise to Top Tubes. His qualifications and experience as a third-party certified internal auditor for IATF 16949:2015 and VDA 6.3 process audits have provided him with a deep understanding of quality assurance and regulatory compliance. This knowledge has been instrumental in maintaining and enhancing our adherence to Quality Management Systems standards, including ISO 9001, Iso 14001 and applicable industry standards such as BS EN 10219, BS EN 10305, BS EN1090 and factory production control requirements for CE and UKCA marking on tubes produced for structural construction market.
Building a QUALITY Team
Robert isn’t just an expert in quality management—he is the heart and soul of a team that takes pride in delivering excellence. His leadership has fostered a culture of trust, dedication, and expertise among his colleagues.
Working side by side with experienced Quality Engineer Tony Roberts and Quality Technician Jordan Davis, Robert has created a strong and reliable quality assurance framework that not only upholds rigorous standards but also ensures that every product meets and exceeds customer expectations.
A key part of Robert’s success is the strength of his team. Working alongside him are two dedicated professionals who help ensure Top Tubes' quality assurance framework remains strong and efficient.
Tony Roberts – Quality Engineer
With over 40 years of experience in the steel industry, Tony Roberts is a highly respected expert in quality engineering. His vast knowledge and technical expertise have been instrumental in maintaining the highest standards in our manufacturing processes. Tony’s ability to mentor and guide the team has made him a crucial asset in upholding our commitment to quality.
Jordan Davis – Quality Technician
Jordan Davis brings a fresh and dynamic approach to the team. With a strong passion for the steel industry and an eagerness to learn, he has quickly become a key player in ensuring quality control is maintained at every stage of production. His attention to detail and proactive attitude have helped drive continuous improvements within the department.
Implementing Robust Quality Processes
One of Robert’s first major initiatives at Top Tubes was implementing a systematic process for purchasing raw materials, sourcing high-quality raw materials from certified suppliers, validating the suppliers by testing supplied materials for chemical composition and mechanical properties. Incoming inspection was extended to all raw materials brought into the factory. The next step initiated by the Top Tubes Quality team was to standardise production process control, perform robust product inspections, and implement strict control over tube diameters, wall thickness, roundness and weld integrity.
NDT and destructive real-time testing were implemented as regular inspection methods. The team worked hard to define and maintain strong, accurate Standard Operating procedures and special instructions document control.
By securing third-party certification for our Factory Production Control (FPC) system for CE/UKCA marking, Robert and his team have strengthened our commitment to providing high-quality, compliant products to customers in the regulated structural industry.
His leadership in refining our internal auditing process has enhanced quality control, ensured compliance with industry standards, and driven continuous improvement. By implementing daily product and process auditing processes, streamlining documentation, and fostering a culture of accountability, he has proactively helped identify and address potential risks. This has strengthened our ability to meet regulatory requirements and improve efficiency, minimised defects, and reinforced our commitment to delivering high-quality, compliant products to our customers.
Robert and his team is working towards meeting customer-specific requirements and quality levels that exceed standard expectations.
Breaking Down The Measuring Instruments
What Is A Measuring Instrument?
- A measuring instrument is a device used to measure a physical dimension.
- For example, it can measure a tube’s outer diameter, Length, cut geometries or wall thickness (gauge).
- Utilising calibrated measuring and checking instruments is crucial for ensuring that tubes and laser-cut dimensions consistently meet customer drawing specifications, fostering a standard of quality we can all rely on.
Types of Measuring Instruments
- A high-precision measuring instrument used to measure wall thickness and the outer diameters of tubes.
- Measurements are reported in millimetres, covering different ranges, e.g. 0mm - 25.4mm, 25.4mm - 50.8mm, 50.8mm-76.20mm, 76.20mm-101.60mm
Measuring Instruments and Calibration
To maintain the highest levels of accuracy and compliance, Robert and his team have implemented and maintained an internal and external calibration system for all measuring instruments. This system ensures that:
- All measuring instrument calibrations are traceable to national standards, guaranteeing consistently precise measurements for manufactured and cut tubes.
- Only UKAS and ISO 17025-certified laboratories are contracted to perform calibration for externally calibrated measuring instruments and gauges.
- Calibration schedules are structured based on instrument usage and risk factors. Frequently used instruments are calibrated every three months, while others follow an annual cycle.
- The calibration process complies with ISO 9001 requirements and undergoes periodic re-certifications, as well as annual FPC surveillance audits for CE and UKCA marking, in accordance with EN 1090 and EN 10219-1. These audits are conducted by UKAS-accredited independent certification bodies.
Get in touch
Top Tubes is always on hand to assist customers with both improving onloading and offloading products offered by Top Tubes. Contact Us to see how we can improve the quality of your products.
Enhancing Traceability & Compliance
A key focus of Robert’s role has been improving traceability across our entire production areas. By embedding the full barcode traceability systems from coil ordering, goods inward inspection, and tube identification, he has enhanced transparency and accountability at every stage of the manufacturing process. This ensures that all raw materials are sourced from strictly controlled and sustainable origins, with full traceability back to the point of melt. Certificates of conformity are issued upon request.
Driving Continuous Improvement & Innovation
Robert’s passion for quality is rooted in his constant pursuit of improvement. He understands that excellence is not a destination but an ongoing journey. By implementing continuous monitoring of process parameters, dimensional stability, daily coolant concentration and pH level checks, he has enhanced production efficiency while minimising waste and the need for rework. His proactive efforts in implementing material testing and inspection have strengthened product durability, ensuring that every tube meets the highest lifetime.
Recognising the evolving nature of quality management, Robert is championing the integration of AI-driven tools to streamline our continual improvement process further.
Shaping a Culture of Quality
Robert has been instrumental in embedding a right-first-time culture at Top Tubes. He has worked to ensure that quality is not just a department but a company-wide commitment. By providing rigorous training to employees—from the shop floor to senior management—he has reinforced best practices that drive operational excellence.
His emphasis on structured training programs ensures that every new employee receives relevant, required training from day one. This strategy aligns all team members with standardised inspection and accurate measurement techniques, guaranteeing consistency, repeatability, and reproducibility of the measurement system. Additionally, it contributes to defect prevention and enhances efficiency throughout the manufacturing process.
Tackling Challenges & Looking to the Future
The world of precision tube manufacturing is constantly evolving, and Robert, along with the entire Top Tubes team, is at the forefront of adapting to these changes. We are committed to refining industry compliance procedures and implementing new technologies to ensure that Top Tubes stays ahead of the competition.
One of Roberts' ongoing initiatives is integrating a digital quality management system to replace traditional paper-based processes. This system will enhance real-time data monitoring, streamline documentation, and improve response times for corrective actions. Additionally, he is focused on maintaining product tolerances to meet customer-specific requirements with even greater precision.
Final Thoughts
At Top Tubes, we believe that Quality is the backbone of our success, and the Quality Team is the driving force behind that belief. Our expertise, commitment, and innovative approach to quality management continue to elevate our manufacturing standards.
As we look ahead, Robert’s leadership will be instrumental in ensuring that Top Tubes remains synonymous with precision, reliability, and excellence in the steel tube industry.