Hi,
I am trying to drive improvements at Ssubcontractors providing Semiconductor Assembly and Test services. I would very much appreciate if anyone could share the strategies used to drive improvements amoung subcontractors. Sad part is the many of these subcons are already ISO/TS16949 certified but they continued to hv quality problems and escapees.

What are the strategies used by World Class companies to drive improvements?

Pls help.
Navajo

A lot of companies create a scorecard or report on the supplier's ratings and present them with the results.

If there are issues, are you advising the suppliers? Do you issue CARS and asking for root cause analysis?

Some companies also audit their suppliers to see how they handle complaints and CARS.

Danny

Hi Danny,
Thanks for your quick response.
Yes, we do hv CAR and Supplier Rating process and we do a qtrly review with each subcon.
I am looking for strategies to drive Cont. Improvement and to reduce quality excursions.
rgds

Hi Danny,
Thanks for your quick response.
Yes, we do hv CAR and Supplier Rating process and we do a qtrly review with each subcon.
I am looking for strategies to drive Cont. Improvement and to reduce quality excursions.
rgds

If u issue SCAR and have a Supplier rating process, drive it seriously. It can yield improvements.

Have a look at their Preventive Actions and suggest chaznges if required to drive for Continuous Imporovements.

navajo,

I moved your thread over to the supply quality board.

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you can see links to similar threads.

In response to your question - please be aware that ISO/TS certification does not mean you won't get bad parts.

You say you have a system for rating, and a supplier CA program. Your suppliers are performing sub assembly and test work. Is this a problem with all your suppliers - or just one? Are you supplying the parts for assembly, or do they purchase? Is their sytem automated or manual? Have you really looked into the root cause identified with the defects? Do the requirments exceed the capability of the process? What is the most common defect reason?

These are questions that you need to ask of yourself and your suppliers.

Hi CarolX,
Thanks for you advise.
The problem that i face is as follows:
I hv 3 main subcons providing Assembly and Test Services. They hv been in the business for more than 20 years. They are all certificated to ISO/TS, yet theor Quality Systems is not robust enough to detect gross quality excursions escaping their inspection gates. These quality issues are caught by the customer. In many cases these quality issues are recurring.
So, this is where i need help to really hv a strong strategy and drive improvements and prevent recurrance.

Here are some potential ideas:

- audit your suppliers to help them identify their QMS weaknesses
- provide technical & management expertise to help them improve
- implement performance-based contracts (e.g., payment to supplier depends on performance)