Submarine and rocket fastener heat-treatment recall

Recounted by a student (likely a Navy officer in the class) as a paperwork-fraud case: fastener manufacturer's certs claimed compliance "if heat-treated," but the parts were never heat-treated. Tom uses this as the lecture's climactic illustration that paperwork ≠ properties. ## Cases / figures referenced as background

Student: I've had that happen. My job was to go check all the paper trail, and sure enough, these fasteners were tied to paperwork from the manufacturer that said this is entirely compliant. Then we chased their paperwork back to the company that made the steel and used for evidence the actual properties from the miller. We noticed that their paperwork said it has the following properties if heat-treated. It was never heat-treated. They assumed it was. They machined it, manufactured it, produced it, and produced paperwork with their company logo on it saying it's qualified to these standards. There are many reasons why that should never have made it that far. They're supposed to destructively test a certain percentage. It should never have made it as far as it did. Sure enough, all through our submarines, through the rocket systems, were a bunch of these that were never heat-treated.

Not good news, but these things happen. That's why you guys are out there — to keep them from happening. If that happens on your watch, you start looking for a new job. Why don't we take a break for a little bit.