Quality concerns are integral to an ISO 9001 or IATF 16949 audit, but they’re not just of interest to the auditors—you should know them as well, and be able to speak to your company’s efforts in addressing these concerns.
Whether you manage quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) processes yourself or work with an outside firm, it’s important to know these five top quality concerns so you can put your best foot forward when faced with an audit.
1) Incoming goods
Incoming goods are one of the most critical quality considerations for a company. If you have high-quality incoming goods, your final product will be of high quality. It’s important that you check all incoming goods before purchasing them, and make sure they meet the requirements of your standards such as ISO 9001 and IATF 16949.
2) Storage
It is important to store promotional goods with the necessary precautions. You must be mindful of the type of storage you use, as well as how often your items are used. Items that are heavily used should be stored closer to the front, while less used items can be stored towards the back so they don’t get mixed up with other items. Storing your promotional goods in bins will help keep them organized and prevent them from getting lost.
3) Shipping
Quality control is a key component of every industry and has been an important focus for decades. With the rise of global trade, it’s now more critical than ever that manufacturers maintain strict standards.
In order to ensure quality control, there are many steps that need to be taken including developing a quality system, training personnel on quality control principles, implementing policies and procedures, conducting audits, and documenting findings.
There are also different levels of certification that can help give your company peace of mind by verifying they have a high-quality system in place. One of the most popular certifications is ISO 9001Audit which ensures that a company’s management systems produce products and services consistently at an acceptable level of quality.
4) Production
The number one concern that must be addressed during an audit is the lack of a quality management system. A quality management system includes all the measures that are required to maintain and continually improve product and service quality. By having a formalized system, such as ISO 9001 or IATF 16949, an organization can be assured of continuous improvement in the production process. Other key concerns include training and competency of personnel, inspection, maintenance controls, documentation and records review, communication with suppliers and customers, corrective action plans (CAP) review procedures, control charts reviews, and final inspection processes.
5) Final inspection
The final inspection is the culmination of your quality control efforts and the time you get a chance to show your customer that you are committed to fulfilling their needs and meeting their expectations. A thorough examination of every aspect of your production process will help ensure that what you produce is safe, functional, and meets the quality standards set out by relevant regulatory agencies. For example, during an audit by an international safety standard organization like ISO 9001 or IATF 16949, inspectors will assess a wide variety of items including:
-Materials -Production processes -Factory facilities -Inspection methods and procedures -Quality records -Management system
Wrapping up
There are many quality concerns that should be at the top of your mind when preparing for an ISO 9001 or IATF 16949 audit. Fortunately, there are also many resources out there to help you ensure that your company has a quality management system in place. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the first resource and is available online with free access. The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) provides a list of accredited auditors on their website, along with audits and consulting services, and they too provide free resources on their site. If you have any questions about which route would be best for your company, contact an expert!
