Why Do Manufacturing Certifications Matter?
Certifications
vary from industry to industry, and while they may not be a necessity to work
in the manufacturing industry, they help you stand out above the rest.
Matt Flowers
| May 18, 2017
You may
have seen tool and die, CNC, and injection molding manufacturers toting their
certifications adorned with seemingly random numbers and letters, and have
little idea what any of these distinctions really mean. However, these
recognitions are important for customers to understand as they pertain to a
company's supply chain and management process.
ISO 9001
The ISO
9001 is awarded to manufacturing companies that have a superior quality
management system. By meeting the requirements of the ISO 9001
certification, businesses demonstrate that their customers get consistent,
high-quality products and services.
International
experts in ISO/TC 176 have developed several quality management principles (QMPs) that
outline the prerequisites for achieving the ISO 9001:
Customer
focus. Meet and exceed client expectations.
Leadership. Create engaging work conditions that increase efficiency, reliability, and
quality.
Engagement
of people. Involve and respect the entire staff in
order to facilitate a high quality organization.
Process
approach. Develop a process that ensures consistent,
predictable, high-quality products and services.
Improvement. Manufacturers should demonstrate an ongoing focus on improving their
processes.
Evidence-based
decision-making. Proper reasoning through analysis,
evaluation, and data are critical for producing quality results.
Relationship
management. Sustain successful relationships with
all interested parties, from staff to suppliers.
Why is
it important to obtain an ISO 9001 and an IATF ISO/TS 16949?
The main
function of the ISO 9001 is to provide proof of a manufacturer’s quality
management standards from their production process to customer relations.
Companies with this ISO 9001 are vetted for excellence, making the choice
between a manufacturer that has certification and one that does not is a no-brainer.
In
addition to the ISO 9001 certification, the experts of ISO/TC 176 developed the
ISO/TS 16949 to further ensure quality management systems. While the
requirements for obtaining this certification are similar to other
distinctions, the demands are lengthier and more stringent. The following link
contains the 30-page PDF checklist for the ISO/TS 16949 issued
by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF). Among the criteria:
1.
The
organization will identify the processes needed for the quality management
system.
2.
The
organization will have documentation of their quality policy, objectives,
requirements, etc.
3.
The
organization will have an established quality manual.
4.
Engineering
standards/specifications and changes are based on customer schedules.
5.
The
organization will have an established documentation procedure that is
maintained appropriately.
6.
Management
will provide evidence of its commitment to developing and improving quality
management systems.
7.
The
organization has a strong focus on customer satisfaction
8.
Top
management is ensuring quality policy is met and appropriately outlined.
The timeline above shows how quality standards have developed for the last
60 years.
Why is
it important to obtain a Bureau Veritas / IATF ISO/TS 16949?
The idea
behind the ISO 9001 and ISO/TS 16949 certifications is to create a nationally
recognized standard for improving product and service quality in the automotive
industry. Clients of manufacturers that have earned these certifications can
count on consistency and high-caliber work. Additionally, implementation of
standards outlined in the ISO 9001 and ISO/TS 16949 have helped companies make significant
improvements in the supply chain process.
In order
to achieve this certifications of distinction in the automotive and motorcycle
industry, companies needs to demonstrate the ability to overcome a multitude of
challenges that are present in the manufacturing space.
Meeting
the above requirements is imperative for good business in general. However,
demonstrating your ability to meet each of these qualifications by obtaining
this certification provides legitimacy to your company’s competencies and expertise.
In fact, many manufacturers only contract suppliers that are ISO/TS 16949
certified.
Do Certifications Matter?
Is having
a certification the end-all-be-all of manufacturing? No. However, as a customer
it is a great way to narrow down your search. Look for companies such as
aluminum die casting manufacturers PHB Corp that have their certifications readily available. Knowing you are safe
right from the start can save you many headaches down the road. With proper
certifications come higher-quality products and services, better customer
service, and up-to-date solutions to the many challenges the manufacturing
industry can present.
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