Hi All, -I need some help here.

I am dong some work for a company that wants AS9100, the product is a stainless steel tube. I have read the other threads regarding whether or not a configuration management procedure is needed. Please review what I have put together.

This is draft, I am not asking anyone to do the work for me - just need expert opinions. I really need the feedback please.

MJones

Hi All, -I need some help here.

I am dong some work for a company that wants AS9100, the product is a stainless steel tube. I have read the other threads regarding whether or not a configuration management procedure is needed. Please review what I have put together.

This is draft, I am not asking anyone to do the work for me - just need expert opinions. I really need the feedback please.

MJones
FWIW: I think you are letting yourself get mired in trying to make "elegant language" for what is an essential and bare bones part of business and ought to be in plain English and straight to the point.

Sometimes, folks get a slightly skewed interpretation of Configuration Management. I have written about Configuration Management on several occasions both here in the Cove and in the ASQ Forums. Since even I am tired of clicking on links to other threads and can imagine what a drag it is for folks still using dialup access to the internet, here's just one of those posts. It may give you an idea of the extent of what has to be considered in Configuration Management, but also emphasize that effective CM is not merely a clerk's filing job, but requires some thought on the part of the Configuration Manager. The term for the process you are trying to get under control is
"Configuration Management." You should Google that term for other insight into the process.

The basis of Configuration Management is to do the following, more or less simultaneously:
go through a formal process of revision and approval when you change any aspect of the part or document
make a determination about the compatibility of the changed part or document with all the other Allied Documents (a specific term)
determine if any of the Allied Documents must be revised to be compatible in form, fit, or function with the original changed document
notify all parties who may be concerned about the change and get acknowledgment that change is implemented and obsolete documents or processes are withdrawn
monitor the process to ensure all the changes work togetherThat may seem overly complicated. Let's explore a very simple change and see how the steps above would fit in.

One of my favorite examples I frequently use (to carry a premise of saving on assembly cost) is switching from Phillips Head fasteners to Torx drive or square drive fasteners for more efficient assembly. (Form and Fit of thread profile and length are the same, fastener Function remains - service personnel may need notice to add Torx driver to kit, but can replace with current stock of Phillips head)

On the surface, this is a simple change, but consider:
organization needs to make a formal document change on the part, checking and approving the change.
We check the compatibility with the mating parts, but we also have to
change work instruction, assembly tools, inventory (use up old inventory first?), purchasing (same or different supplier? same or different price?), repair instructions sent to field personnel, pricing on the final product, advertising, etc.
notify all parties - quality inspectors, assembly workers, quality inspectors at customer, suppliers, inventory clerks, repair stations, decide whether repair stations can continue to repair with Phillips head in inventory or must implement new Torx, decide whether recall is necessary to change out old parts,
continue to monitor how all parties adapt to and implement change and decide whether further modification of any of the steps is necessaryAll of us go through these steps consciously or unconsciously. The key is to do the steps purposefully and consistently and to record the steps as they are completed to assure optimum efficiency. (It would be foolish to scrap or sell off all the old Phillips head fasteners and order in all new Torx ones, only to discover no one had thought to order new Torx drivers.)

Wes,

Thanks so much for your reply. I have updated the procedure - please review if you have time. Does this sound better.

Good afternoon there MJones!

Not to be the hyper-critical advisor here, but the procedure you has documented doesn't meet the intent of a "documented procedure" as being one that describes a specific method or process to complete an activity. It does describe responsibilities and authorities and references the related documents that are pertinent to the configuration management process. However I wouldn't rely only on those documents stated in Attachment A as the entire configuration management system.

One other aspect that piques my curiosity was on Attachment A of the procedure: Heat Identification -- the control method and acceptance standard would be one of my first targeted items to review during the audit. The acceptance standard cannot be an inventory tag per se, but is a specification stated either by the customer or the application. And the control method for heat identification cannot be a piece count --- the control method is more than likely the inventory tag and laboratory test results.

Just my humble $.02 as a peruse the forums today. Feel free to drop me a note if you have any questions.

Regards,

QualityPhD

Hi mjones2

Does you client make and sell tube or just sell it?

If they just sell it then they should be seeking registration to AS9120 which does not include Configuration Management.

If they make it then your CM procedure should refer to all aspects of the manufacture process that requires configuration (to the appropriate specification) including heat number, chemical composition, mechanical testing and material certificate.

Another important point to consider is this. Raw material by itself does not require CM because it is not a Configuration Item. A CI is a part or assembly that is based on an approved design. If you have no CI then you won't have any CM. Raw material is normally made to a specification with evidence of its conformity detailed in a material certificate

From your procedure it appears to me that your client is most likely a reseller of stainless tube. I suggest you recommend they seek AS9120 registration and ditch the CM procedure.

Cheers

Wes,

Thanks so much for your reply. I have updated the procedure - please review if you have time. Does this sound better.OK. See my comments below.

Good afternoon there MJones!

Not to be the hyper-critical advisor here, but the procedure you has documented doesn't meet the intent of a "documented procedure" as being one that describes a specific method or process to complete an activity. It does describe responsibilities and authorities and references the related documents that are pertinent to the configuration management process. However I wouldn't rely only on those documents stated in Attachment A as the entire configuration management system.

One other aspect that piques my curiosity was on Attachment A of the procedure: Heat Identification -- the control method and acceptance standard would be one of my first targeted items to review during the audit. The acceptance standard cannot be an inventory tag per se, but is a specification stated either by the customer or the application. And the control method for heat identification cannot be a piece count --- the control method is more than likely the inventory tag and laboratory test results.

Just my humble $.02 as a peruse the forums today. Feel free to drop me a note if you have any questions.

Regards,

QualityPhDYes. Some of this certainly applies.

Hi mjones2

Does you client make and sell tube or just sell it?

If they just sell it then they should be seeking registration to AS9120 which does not include Configuration Management.

If they make it then your CM procedure should refer to all aspects of the manufacture process that requires configuration (to the appropriate specification) including heat number, chemical composition, mechanical testing and material certificate.

Another important point to consider is this. Raw material by itself does not require CM because it is not a Configuration Item. A CI is a part or assembly that is based on an approved design. If you have no CI then you won't have any CM. Raw material is normally made to a specification with evidence of its conformity detailed in a material certificate

From your procedure it appears to me that your client is most likely a reseller of stainless tube. I suggest you recommend they seek AS9120 registration and ditch the CM procedure.

CheersYes. The document might lead you to believe that, but a little research shows the particular facility is, in fact, an actual manufacturerWhite Metals Group: Operates three manufacturing facilities: Hopkinsville, KY; Salisbury, MD; and West Monroe, LA
Products
Tubing: Cold drawn seamless stainless steel and nickel based alloy tubing Welded and bead conditioned stainless steel tubing
Extruded Shapes: Hot finished near-net extruded shapes in carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel alloy and titaniumOur business groups serve original equipment manufacturers, component producers, utilities, machine shops and the metal service centers that supply them. Our products are manufactured to meet the demanding requirements of a host of industries, including: aerospace and defense, transportation, power generation, boiler, construction, off-road, agricultural and industrial equipment, recreational vehicles, motor sports, semiconductor manufacturing, chemical and food processing equipment, marine construction, and oil and gas exploration.
Our goal is to meet or exceed our customer's expectations. We invite you to personally visit one of our mills and sales offices; meet the people and observe firsthand the high quality that goes into every product we manufacture for you.
OK. Short of writing the document for you (I and a host of other advisors, consultants, and technical writers with varying degrees of skill do such things for a fee), let's see if we can't make this process of Configuration Management a little less mystifying, using a tubing mill as the model.

I have a hunch your client makes mostly stock sizes of tubing in a wide variety of materials. It may keep some widely and frequently used tubing in certain materials in stock to sell off the shelf and also will make tubing to order in a variety of diameters and wall thicknesses in any material a customer may select.

The extrusions probably have some stock shapes, but I'm guessing customers may also design a shape and the company creates the tooling to produce such a shape from any number of materials selected by the customer.

IF such is the basic operation, then the Configuration Management system may be either one omnibus process or separate ones for
products sold off the shelf or ordered from a variety of stock designsand
products (extrusions) sold only to one specific customer according to the customer's unique design.CM must address initial design of any product and the various processes which combine to bring that product in finished form to a customer's dock. Such processes might include (these are the "Allied Documents" which include more frequently used "Associated Documents" referenced in ASME Y14.35M)
Design activity (original author plus the approval process) (customer's design for final shape,company's design of tooling)]
Control Plan for manufacturing the product (from purchasing ingots or bar stock to be fabricated into tubing or extrusions through final inspection and bundling for shipment to a customer.)
Change Management aspect of Configuration Management when a design is revised entails going through every step of the Control Plan to assure each successive step is compatible with those before and after. Important things to watch include correct material (how do you assure this?), applicable inspection lists and proper instruments (anybody need to be trained to do this or use the instruments?)

I feel you have confused the steps in a Control Plan with those in Configuration Management. What I think you have outlined in the most recent document (Attachment A) offered is probably what led kiwisfly to the conclusion your client is a service center, not a producer.

Essentially, you have outlined the steps some companies use in an "order traveler" for each order to assure the customer's order conforms to the specifications.

For the sake of example, let's say a customer ordered aircraft tubing,
AMS 5556 Steel, Corrosion and Heat Resistant, Seamless or Welded Tubing, 18Cr 11Ni 0.70Cb Solution Heat Treated, GRADE 347, in 100 foot lengths, 1 inch OD, 3/4inch ID, standard tolerances.

This would be a regular item for your client. There would be no special configuration management activity on this order, but there would be Control Plan activity to assure the product met the order specifications.

If, however, the customer ordered this in a material that was not part of your client's regular list of offered materials (perhaps a billet of specialty alloy supplied by your client's customer), configuration management would come into play as the client determines what effect this material might have on the drawing dies, heat treating process, inspection method and instrumentation. Perhaps the client would also have to create a special inventory holding bin to assure the specialty material did not get mixed or confused with other material and maybe a special Control Plan to clean and prepare dies and other production tooling to prevent contamination of the specialty material. And so on and so on.

Bottom line, configuration management activity addresses what the organization does to assure a change in one step is accounted for in every preceding and succeeding step.

I hope this helps you and other Cove readers. You understand the nature of a public forum like the Cove is that we can only go so far in giving answers to a query before we start to take bread out of the mouths of consultants, advisors, and others who make a living selling specific advice that exactly meets the needs of an individual or organization. Thus, our answers here in the Cove strive to provide a road map to the destination, but we don't supply the car and driver, too.