Manufacture Smarter Blog

7/14/2023 - BY: ANDY NICHOLS
Now that we’ve covered the cost of ISO certification, what the audit process entails and how to choose a conformity assessment body (CAB) let’s dive into non-conformities! It is important to know what they are, how they can be reported and what to do post non-conformity. At some point in the ISO 9001 certification process, the CAB auditor may observe and report a situation they deem to be a non-conformity. If this happens, it shouldn’t be viewed by anyone as a failure. Because it isn’t.

6/16/2023 - BY: BOB JENKINS
To strengthen designs and decrease failures, IATF 19649:2016 requires design engineers to be competent in Design for Manufacture (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA). This standard has greatly improved manufacturing with an increase in mistake-proofing features. Consistent third-party audits of the standard’s section 8.3 and questions about a designer’s background in DFM and DFA have continued to improve the process.

6/2/2023 - BY: ANDY NICHOLS
Third-party certification of organizations was initiated a few years after ISO 9001 was first published in 1987. In those early days, ISO 9001, 9002 and 9003 were intended to be used to help ensure the quality of products being purchased. Note that ISO 9003 was discontinued.

5/19/2023 - BY: ANDY NICHOLS
In part one of my blog series, we looked at the costs associated with obtaining an ISO 9001 certification and revealed the actual cost of obtaining a certificate. This is often the “entry ticket” to being asked to quote new business. It’s typically not a huge sum of money, especially when compared to marketing/sales budgets for lead generation. In this article, we’ll look at the certification audit process which provides the details behind the costs previously discussed.

4/28/2023 - BY: ANDY NICHOLS
Many organizations do a good job of satisfying their customers’ need for quality products and continue to meet the challenges of the markets they serve. Often, their (larger) customers have hinted at wanting their organization or supply chain to become “ISO certified” – for example, lower tier automotive suppliers are required to be ISO 9001 certified by higher tier customers. Some organizations may have seen their competitors are certified and question why. After all, doesn’t it cost a lot to be certified?

4/7/2023 - BY: ANDY NICHOLS
ISO certification is often expected of manufacturers to ensure quality management is in place. Certification also gives companies a competitive advantage and the discipline needed for future growth. This discipline becomes evident in all aspects of the company by creating an environment ready to thrive in today’s competitive market.

3/10/2023 - BY: ANDY NICHOLS
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.

2/10/2023 - BY: BOB JENKINS
In my last blog, we discussed the importance of being a proficient problem solver in your quality role. So, after learning the problem-solving process and exercising it to effectiveness, stop and ask yourself, “What else makes me the most effective in my role?” That’s an easy one…

1/20/2023 - BY: ANDY NICHOLS
As 2022 was ending, I reflected on our end-of-year celebrations and realized they have a great deal in common with how organizations prepare and conduct internal, quality management audits.

12/9/2022 - BY: BOB JENKINS
When it comes to working in the quality industry, a wise man once told me, “In quality, we don’t have jobs. It’s our responsibility to help everyone else around us do better.” Over the years, I have found that to be incredibly true. So, we must ask ourselves, if we are to be successful in the function of quality, what is important for us to understand and what skills do we need?