Prior to the inception of the FIT program, the CTP tested only pre-production design samples of armor models, which was more of a "once and done" approach. The FIT program addresses the issue of quality assurance in manufacturing after the pre-production model has performed to minimum standards set under the CTP. The FIT program assists manufacturers in identifying areas in the manufacturing process that can potentially impact the armor's performance. Through the FIT program, the CTP can identify issues and require a manufacturer to perform a root-cause analysis that makes the product better. The result is improved consistency in the manufacturing process and the quality of the armor delivered to users. The first FIT inspection occurred in September 2010. Through September 2016, inspectors contracted to the CTP completed 251 inspections at various manufacturing locations and pulled 748 total armor models. The vast majority have passed through the FIT program with no issues.
Follow-Up Inspection and Testing Program Helps Stop Potential Armor Issues (TechBeat)
NCJ Number
250294
Journal
Techbeat Dated: October 2016 Pages: 3-7
Date Published
October 2016
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the Follow-up Inspection and Testing (FIT) program administered by the Compliance Testing Program (CTP) for the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).
Abstract