Field note
When rework counts hide the real scrap story
2 September 2025
Scrap logs tell only half the story when operators quietly route borderline parts to a rework bench. The plant’s official scrap rate stays flat while overtime on rework grows.
Ask for both scrap and rework piece counts for the same period, coded the same way. If rework rises while scrap falls, the defect has not left the plant — it has changed desks.
Walk the rework bench with a supervisor and list the three most common return reasons. Match those reasons to scrap codes. Missing codes are a recording problem, not a quality miracle.
Agree on a simple rule: any part that leaves the main flow for repair is counted once, even if it later passes. Double counting is less harmful than invisible rework.
Use a weekly overlay chart that shows scrap and rework together. Supervisors often notice the pattern within one meeting, especially on lines with night shifts where informal rework is common.