Hi all...

During a recent supplier survey I was asked whether we have a "dock-to-stock process based on the historical quality performance of a part and supplier?".

After a failed attempt to locate effective information on the internet or in here I'm obligated to ask the question...what is a "dock-to-stock process"? The only thing I could find was that it took inspection away from the customer and placed the emphasis onto the supplier...but that's the way it should be IMO. :frust: Is this Certificate of Conformance stuff?

Please advise! :)

Dock-to-stock simply means that you unload the truck/railcar, whatever and move the raw material right into inventory without inspection. A supplier is given this designation after a prescribed period of incoming inspection where the low number of nonconformances has demonstrated capability.

A certificate of conformance may or may not be involved.

As far as inspection goes, if the supplier's process is really, really good, their inspection may be minimal as well.

Hope this helps.

Dock-to-stock simply means that you unload the truck/railcar, whatever and move the raw material right into inventory without inspection. A supplier is given this designation after a prescribed period of incoming inspection where the low number of nonconformances has demonstrated capability.

A certificate of conformance may or may not be involved.

As far as inspection goes, if the supplier's process is really, really good, their inspection may be minimal as well.

Hope this helps.

Immensely!! In essense, our potential customer is asking how well our suppliers perform which ensures accurate components used in the customers' final product.

There is an important marketing, economic, and psychological aspect to a "dock to stock" and in today's fast paced world of Just-in-time manufacturing, even "dock to production line" ranking for suppliers.

As stated, the basis is approval of a supplier's methods of production and inspection which give the buyer confidence the incoming product will be conforming. There are several methods, depending on buyer, to do this on a systematic basis. We might explore these later in the thread.

All things being equal, a buyer gets a big economic advantage in eliminating or reducing the soft costs of incoming inspection.

Members of the supply chain gain a strong psychological bond when suppliers are trusted and repay the trust with conforming goods.

"Dock to production" schemes are a valuable aspect of Lean manufacturing and further allow buyers rapid changeover when there is a design change by not having to sell down or scrap existing inventories.

Marketing emphasizes the "trusted high quality" of components which transfers to each subsequent link in a supply chain. Obviously, the entire scheme depends on "building quality in" versus "inspecting nonconformity out." One is "value added," the other is just "cost."

what about in a medical device (contract MFG) setting.. we do reduced samples with a starting AQL or 1.0 Level II, 10 successful recipets, then reduce again, (following the same cycle we will continue to reduce again). Currently however there isn't a provision for doc to stock, and am not confident in previous performance of any vendor. Is there any guidence from ISO / FDA on this topic??

Tata347 :read::frust:

what about in a medical device (contract MFG) setting.. we do reduced samples with a starting AQL or 1.0 Level II, 10 successful recipets, then reduce again, (following the same cycle we will continue to reduce again). Currently however there isn't a provision for doc to stock, and am not confident in previous performance of any vendor. Is there any guidence from ISO / FDA on this topic??

Tata347 :read::frust:Definitely no guidance from ISO on this topic. I am not aware of any guidance in FDA medical devices, but that only means if you are desirous of a concrete answer, go directly to FDA and ask.

thanks Wes,
I'm hoping one of the other posters that have been FDA auditors can chime in too.

tata

We implore a dock to stock program based on delivery and quality. How does dock to stock benefit my supplier? What should I tell my supplier their reward is for becoming dock to stock? What disciplinary action do I implement if their dock to stock status changes due to late deliveries or quality?

We implore a dock to stock program based on delivery and quality. How does dock to stock benefit my supplier? What should I tell my supplier their reward is for becoming dock to stock? What disciplinary action do I implement if their dock to stock status changes due to late deliveries or quality?I'm pretty sure you mean "implement" and not implore
Compare the meanings of the two words.

Benefit for the supplier - he usually gets paid faster, since the receiving company does not wait for product to pass receiving inspection before processing payments - this can mean getting paid 15 to 30 days sooner.

Implied benefit - good suppliers get business; suppliers who cause buyers expense do NOT get business.

"Disciplinary" action is a bad psychological term. Rather, we usually say that the receiver will take the following action if NC product is encountered in processing, at assembly, or downstream at end user, etc.:
1) Supplier will be charged back an inspection fee for sampling remaining product in inventory
2) If sampling discloses a nonconforming rate over X per cent, supplier will have choice of reclaiming balance of inventory at receiver at supplier's expense and replacing with "good" inventory OR paying to have his own or third party inspectors perform a 100% sort of the remaining inventory at receiver for product with the identified nonconformance.
3) Depending on the outcome of the root cause investigation, supplier may remain on dock to stock or be removed and relegated to all product undergoing receiving inspection (implies slower pay and lower chance of getting repeat orders.)

Good suppliers who cause little muss and fuss for customers are the ones that get repeat, profitable business.