I would like to hear from anyone that is currently TS 16949 registered and uses, or has researched and is implementing, a 'dock to stock' system for incoming materials. We are conducting value stream mapping of our incoming vendor supplied materials and would like to significantly reduce incoming inspection activities. Our 'plan' is to [a] analyze past quality history of purchased product, [b] maintain incoming inspection for product/process critical components or components w/ a history of nonconformances, and [c] place remaining components on a dock-to-stock status. If nonconformance issues develop w/ D2S components, the components would revert to required incoming inspection. After a demonstrated compliance period, components could be reinstated to D2S. Do you see any 'holes' in the plan? Thanks

Do you see any 'holes' in the plan? Thanks

From your bare bones description: No.

But D2S increases inventory which the automotive industry is generally wanting to see eliminated as fa as possible. So you should consider also your order quantiies, demand and use levels and so forth but that, of course, moves you into other systems. One could say the very existence of a D2S system heralds overall waste.

Our company has been TS for 3 years (1999 version) and have our upgrade certification audit to 2002 version in May. We use the dock to stock method in the same way as you described. No problems at all from an auditing stand point. We also look at total tolerance ranges as part of our decision to inspect or stock. I.E. if a tolerance is +/-0.030", we dock to stock. If it is +/-0.003", we inspect. Just something else to consider.

No problems with dock to stock!

Hello:

I see one hole. I don't see anything about Supplier Quality Management System Development. Monitoring incoming product will not improve or maintain the quality of incoming material. It is only a monitoring program that may reduce non-conforming product from entering your system. Long term sustainability of acceptable incoming material can be attained by a mutually beneficial supplier relationship (Quality Management Principle #8).

Looking at the vendors as providing inputs into your QMS; looking at this from a process approach standpoint, one can reduce incoming inspection activites by ensuring that your requirements are clearly communicated and that the supplier has a process for accepting your requirements. Supplier development including analyzing the interrelations of the processes between you and your suppliers should allow your organization to design and implement processes that will allow you to reduce or eliminate incoming inspections of raw material.

Work on getting rid of the cause for inspections.

Regards, Dirk