Q: Can you please clarify a requirement in clause 8.2.4.1 in ISO/TS 16949 Quality management systems—Particular requirements for the application of ISO 9001:2008 for automotive production and relevant service part organizations. The requirement is as follows: “A layout inspection and a functional verification to applicable customer engineering material and performance standards shall be performed for each product as specified in the control plans.”
We have a third-party auditor claiming that “product” means every part number. Our belief is that this is every product family, not every part number. As a company trying to stay in business, testing every part number is not feasible or cost efficient.
A: This is a controversial area as all production parts that conform to TS 16949 must be PPAPed which is, in effect, an inspection of each part that is produced. If parts produced have different part numbers depending on whom they are supplied to, then one PPAP would be OK. Also, it would be OK if the supplier can get a variance from its customers to the requirement “A layout inspection and a functional verification to applicable customer engineering material and performance standards shall be performed for ‘each product’ as specified in the control plans.” The supplier may want to seek a sanctioned interpretation by the International Automotive Oversight Bureau.
Ron Berglund
Voting member of the U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 176
ASQ Fellow
Canton, MI
Dear Collegue.
I am rather confused as to what the expectation is on functional testing in relationship of TS verse CSR .
Our OEM do not approve our control plans, My colleageue tell me that based on TS requirements i am expected to do both Dimensional and Functional product testing, is this correct/ or not.
I personally think that the CSR in this case superseed the TS requirement .Pls Help..
1. ISO TS 16949 – cls 8.2.4.1 Layout inspection and Functional Testing. states ” A Layout inspection and a functional verification to applicable customer engineering material and performance standards shall be performed for product as specified in the control plan. Results shall be available for customer review.
2. Ford: A layout inspection (to all engineering dimensional requirements) shall be performed annually. Refer IATF Rules, relate to customer Specific Requirements. It does not say functional testing
3. GMH : Unless specified otherwise by GM procuring division, there is no customer established frequency for layout inspection after receiving production part approval (PPAP), reference is made to ISO TS 16949- 2009, cls 8.2.4.1
Auditing a “family” of parts at a reasonable frequency based on the importance and risk of the parts is actually Product Audit (clause 8.2.2.3). The 8.2.4.1 requirement above DOES apply to every part number. “As specified in Control Plans” is an oblique way of referring to flowing down the customer-specific requirement for Annual Layout into the Control Plan. Refer to Chrysler Customer Specifics, clause 4.13 and Ford Customer Specifics, clause 4.42. General Motors does not have an annual layout Requirement. Always consult your customer specific requirements. Make sure your third party auditor understand this too.
Denis J. Devos P.Eng – ASQ Fellow
Devos Associates Inc.
Advisors to the Automotive Industry
London Ontario