Quality assurance: vital to guaranteeing excellence

Quality assurance (QA) is a discreet yet crucial stage of the industrial manufacturing process. Even though much of the focus throughout the production process is on the finished product, QA ensures that every component required complies with the highest standards. At Soucy Rivalair, this task falls to Olivier Bourque. He first joined the team as a technician and is now our QA manager. He is constantly perfecting his skills and is dedicated to training the newest generation of technicians to ensure they are also committed to excellence. Read on to find out more about what QA entails and discover how Olivier contributes to Soucy’s success.

Olivier began his career at Soucy Rivalair as a metrology inspector because he wanted a job that allowed him to take on a range of different tasks and an opportunity to put his mechanical engineering studies into practice. It was a position that helped Olivier develop his autonomy and acquire experience.

Over time, he learned to master the most sophisticated measurement tools and gained an in-depth expertise in dimensional metrology. This enabled him to take on greater responsibilities while leveraging his technical skills to resolve complex problems and improve our manufacturing processes. As a result, Olivier took on the role of quality technician, a position he held for several years before temporarily leaving Soucy.

After spending some time with another organization, where he was able to acquire skills in project management and leadership, Olivier decided to return to Soucy and did so with a new vision for his career. Thanks to his atypical background, he was able to rise through the ranks to take on the responsibilities of a quality manager. Today, he is a pillar of the company and guides his team of quality technicians toward excellence. Together, they help guarantee that every product we produce complies with the highest standards.

A quality technician is one of the key roles in quality assurance. The job requires incredible meticulousness and a keen sense of observation. It’s also an enriching profession that provides the satisfaction of contributing to the success of major projects. “It’s a wonderful compromise between design and manufacturing – our work takes place both at a desk and on the factory floor,” said Olivier.

Continuous development is what being a quality technician is all about at Soucy Rivalair. Thanks to custom training programs, our technicians acquire skills in metrology, programming, and data analytics. This multifaceted expertise allows them to identify and resolve non-compliance issues (parts that don’t meet standards), thereby reducing costs and production delays while strengthening relationships of trust with clients.

Olivier is proud to have contributed to the success of smelting moulds for rubber track systems. These complex parts, made with numerous aluminum rings, were critical for the new rubber press developed by Soucy Rubber Tracks. Olivier was instrumental in validating the parts and spent endless hours designing programs that would allow the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) to run tests lasting over 8 hours.

People who work in QA are essential to the success of Soucy. Even though their work is often invisible, it helps guarantee the satisfaction of our clients and maintain our organization’s reputation for excellence. By sharing Olivier’s story, we also want to pay tribute to every other QA professional who has helped make Soucy the highly trusted company it is today.