Planes, Trains, Automobiles & Quality?

3/10/2023
 
BY: ANDY NICHOLS
Depositphotos_41367457_L.jpg
 
Oddly enough, the famously hilarious movie, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, starring John Candy and Steve Martin, has a lot in common with quality management! It hit the big screens in 1987. In the same year, ISO 9001 was launched and then became the base requirement for AS 9100D and IATF 16949. The automotive industry found that ISO 9001 did not include many tools that have helped produce the quality products we drive today. As a result, “Core Tools” were developed and added to the basic ISO requirements. The Core Tools include:
 
  • Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP)
  • Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA)
  • Production Part Approval Process (PPAP)
  • Statistical Process Control (SPC)
  • Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA)
CORE TOOLS IN AEROSPACE
With the advent of AS 9100D, aerospace primes have realized the benefits of adopting AS9100 and the Core Tools (APQP, FMEA, PPAP, SPC, MSA) modeled from the automobile supplier requirements. In recent years, the aerospace versions of the Core Tools, specifically APQP and PPAP requirements, are gaining recognition, along with AS 13000 – 8D Problem Solving and AS 13004 – FMEA.
 
AS 9145 documents the processes and tools used when designing new aerospace products. This is done by adopting a five-phase, cross-functional, multi-disciplined approach, which culminates in proving the manufacturing process(es) through the production part approval process (PPAP). At various points in each phase of the APQP process, tools such as design FMEA, process flows, process FMEA, control plans, SPC and MSA are deployed to ensure the resulting products are manufactured exactly to specification by capable processes, and results in a PPAP packaged documentation of the evidence.
 
CORE TOOLS AT THE CENTER
Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center’s (The Center) experts are here to help. Our team has more than 20 years of experience helping automotive and aerospace suppliers with their Core Tools. Register for an upcoming course here and contact our quality team to see how they can tailor a plan to fit your needs.
 
MEET OUR EXPERT: Andy Nichols, Program Manager
Nichols_A.jpgTo The Center’s clients, Andy Nichols, CQP FCQI, brings 40 years of expertise in a wide variety of roles and industries, with a particular focus on quality management systems in manufacturing organizations. Prior to joining the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, he was the East Coast Regional Sales Manager for NQA, a “Top 5” Global Certification Body, responsible for significant sales growth in a highly competitive marketplace. He has authored three books, “Exploding the Myths Surrounding ISO 9000 – A Practical Implementation Guide” (published by ITG in April 2013) and “A Guide to Effective Internal Management Systems Audits" (published May 2014) and “Implementing ISO 9001:2015 – A practical guide to busting myths surrounding quality management systems” (published October 2022).
 
 

Since 1991, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center has assisted Michigan’s small and medium-sized businesses to successfully compete and grow. Through personalized services designed to meet the needs of clients, we develop more effective business leaders, drive product and process innovation, promote company-wide operational excellence and foster creative strategies for business growth and greater profitability. Find us at www.the-center.org.

Categories: Quality Management