Tag: IATF 16949

IATF 16949 Rules is here!

IATF 16949 Rules 5 “Automotive certification scheme for IATF 16949, Rules for achieving IATF recognition” has been released.  You’ll use this new publication to better understand how you’ll meet the IATF 16949 2016 Edition certification requirements.  The Rules include the criteria for certification body recognition, the audit process, auditor qualifications and information on the certificates.

What is the IATF 16949?  This new 2016 Edition provides the requirements for quality management system certification for the automotive industry.  You’ll use this document to find the requirements you must meet in order to get your certification.

What are the IATF 16949 Rules?  These are the criteria that certification bodies must meet in order to provide you with the auditing and other services needed for your certification.  It is used by the IATF and sister organizations (IATF Global Oversight) to qualify companies as “third party” certifiers.  In other words, IATF provides the requirements for quality certification.  It then sets up the criteria for auditing to those requirements in the Rules.  An oversight scheme authorizes 3rd parties to assess whether or not companies like yours meet the quality requirements.

Why purchase a copy of the IATF 16949 Rules?  If you are a part of a third party certification organization, the need is clear.  There is a new edition of the IATF 16949 and of course that means new auditing responsibilities.  But if you are in an organization that gets audited, the need is still there.

Reviewing the IATF 16949 Rules document if you need to get your certification provides you with a clearer understanding of what to expect in your audit and from your third party certification company.  You’ll get a better understanding of contractual issues, like what will be included in the contract, change notices, and so on.  It lays out the certification cycle, which is a 3-year scheme.  It shows how many days you should expect your auditor to be on site.  And it gives you insight into how your auditing team will be established.

A number of other areas are covered as well.  You’ll get a clear view of the reports that are generated in this process.  This includes such things as reporting and correcting nonconformities. There are 4 pages of terms and definitions.  The audit activity flow is spelled out.  And special audits are addressed.  The document ends with a number of samples for audit day calculation, shift verification of audits, audit planning output, and eligibility criteria for the certificate structure.

As you can see, this document is a useful companion to the IATF 16949.  You’ll want to get a copy soon and you’ll want to use an authorized standards distributor like Document Center Inc.  Search for and order standards at our webstore, www.document-center.com.  Here’s a direct link to the order page for the IATF 16949 Rules.

Document Center also has a number of services to help you meet your compliance requirements.  Check in with our staff about notification services and enterprise access solutions.  Our Standards Online service, for example, can provide your organization with 24/7 cloud access to the standards you use in your business.  Find out more by reaching out to us by phone (650-591-7600) or email (info@document-center.com).  We’re your Standards Experts!

IATF 16949 replaces ISO/TS 16949

IATF 16949, “Quality management systems — Particular requirements for the application of ISO 9001:2015 for automotive production and relevant service part organizations,” has just been released.  This new standard will replace the ISO/TS 16949, which is scheduled to be withdrawn 10/1/2017.  It represents the move to a more agile standardization environment for this important QMS publication.  The transition coincides with the update of the standard’s data to meet the requirements of ISO 9001:2015.

Why is the 16949 moving from ISO to IATF?  IATF is an industry association for the automotive industry.  Like other industry-specific ISO 9001 QMS standards (AS 9100, for example), maintaining the document at a lower jurisdiction allows for a number of benefits.  First and foremost is the concept of agility.  IATF will be able to ensure that the standard meets industry needs more quickly than ISO can with its larger membership.  And in many ways, the document and compliance is already overseen by the IATF and its regional partners anyway.

For example, certification bodies for the 16949 must already meet IATF requirements.  There will be no change to your auditors, other than the need to prove expertise in the new 2016 requirements in order to continue to be registered.

When will you need to be certified to the new IATF 16949?  All ISO/TS 16949:2009 certificates will be invalid as of 9/14/2018.  So you should start to prepare now to make the transition by that date.  Further, after 10/1/2017, the audits for ISO/TS 16949:2009 will no longer be allowed.  So if your certificate will be up for renewal you’ll need to use the new IATF 16949 after that date.  The earliest you’ll be able to transition is 1/1/2017.  There is other relevant transition information in the IATF 16949 Transition Strategy document.  Check in with our staff to get a copy (details below).

What will a transition audit be like?  IATF states that it will be similar to a recertification audit.  Please note:  Pre-audits and gap assessments by certified bodies are not allowed.  Only a half day on site prior to the start of the audit to review the audit planning information is permitted.  Of course, detailed information on audits is found in the IATF Rules document.  And a new 2016 Edition of the Rules will be published 11/1/2016.  Please let us know if you’d like to pre-order this publication.

Now to get a copy of the new document and the transition guide.  Order IATF publications at the Document Center Inc. webstore, www.document-center.com.  Here is a direct link to the order page for the IATF-16949 for your convenience.  Copies are available in paper format only.  However, we would be happy to provide you with a pdf copy of the Transition Strategy at no cost to you.  Please email our staff at info@document-center.com and mention this blog.  Your copy will be attached to their reply.

For those of you in the automotive industry, this transition should be similar in many respects to the transition for any other updated QMS standard.  Should you have any questions on the required documentation or other compliance standards issues, please get in touch.  We’re your Standards Experts!