Hi,

We have stumbled across a problem....

We are forced to stop production of certain automotive parts due to lack of demand etc.
We then thought of which impact this stop will have on quality when we start again.
We deal alot with subjective parameters
Does anyone have a similar problem/solution.

We will not do a complete new EMPB, validation etc.

Hi,
Due to a dissapointing take rate, we are now in a situation where we are forced to stop production of certain parts for a period.
We have no internal document or customer specification, (new EMPB after 12 month stop), for what activities are to be done before we start up again.

I have looked at this and seen that we risk the following when we start up again, (dependant on length of stop)-
Increased scrap costs
obsolete documentation
lost competance experience, (especially in subjective parameters inspection)
increased claims, claim costs
decreased customer satisfation.

Therefore we need a universal method to secure these points. I have the following proposal-
3-6 months stop
update process flow - update PFMEA/control plan - new MSA for sub. parameters - descision for other MSA's - update WI - reafirmal of operator competance
6-12 months stop
same as above + 100% measurement of 1 part - reduced cap. study

Does anyone have similar experience or suggestions?

This is just IMO based on personal experience (as I have no idea what kind of QMS you have in place)
In (my) logical order:

1.Raw materials - specifications, COCs, tests, inspections, work techniques for inspections
2.Change designs and drwaings - make sure all specs and drawings are up to date.
3.Equipments - maintenance updated.
4.Tooling and fixtures - verified and approved - up to date with drawings
5.Inspections and tests in process and final
6.Work techniques
7.Employees - re-cert and re-approved if needed/necessary.
8.FAI - no questions asked - this should be done without even thinking.
9.Pre-production run - if possible.
10.Packaging/labeling/COCs.

That's as general as it gets. I think. :D

Edit: Just realized the post is in TS forum. Mea culpa.

Thanks for your answer,

But do you, in your organisation, have a documented procedure for this, and if so how long is a stop before the process starts, what is the trigger, (is it SAP that triggers it for example?).

Hi,

We have no internal document or customer specification, (new EMPB after 12 month stop), for what activities are to be done before we start up again.

Therefore we need a universal method to secure these points. I have the following proposal-
3-6 months stop
update process flow - update PFMEA/control plan - new MSA for sub. parameters - descision for other MSA's - update WI - reafirmal of operator competance
6-12 months stop
same as above + 100% measurement of 1 part - reduced cap. study

Does anyone have similar experience or suggestions?

HI David
May be it depend on your production.
We have production runs for one-two months and after we stop for 3-4 months on most of the product (about 200).
Nobody of my automotive customers (most German) has required a new EMPB/PAPP even if they stated they may ask a resubmission of PAPP every year.
What is required to me it is usually to measure 10 parts on 100%, 25parts on critical dimensions to check range, sigma etc in order to re-start the X-R charts.
it is not required to do again MSA, control plan, or FMEA if no change has happened.

Thanks for your answer,

1.But do you, in your organisation, have a documented procedure for this,
2. and if so how long is a stop before the process starts,
3.what is the trigger, (is it SAP that triggers it for example?).

1.Yes
2.min 1 year stop
3.in house 'SAP' - specifically planning process is raising the flag if the part in question was not manufactured for min 1 year.

Thanks for your answer,

But do you, in your organisation, have a documented procedure for this, and if so how long is a stop before the process starts, what is the trigger, (is it SAP that triggers it for example?)

Statistical Analysis Plan ?

SAP stands for System Applications & Products

Edit:

Think
Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
and
Material Requirements Planning (MRP)

SAP stands for System Applications & Products

Edit:

Think
Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
and
Material Requirements Planning (MRP)


:topic: I fail to see what this SAP has to do with the original post.
SAP, started in 1972 by five former IBM employees in Mannheim, Germany, states that it is the world's largest inter-enterprise software company and the world's fourth-largest independent software supplier, overall.

Ask your SAP questions at ITKnowledgeExchange.com

The original name for SAP was German: Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte, German for "Systems Applications and Products." The original SAP idea was to provide customers with the ability to interact with a common corporate database for a comprehensive range of applications. Gradually, the applications have been assembled and today many corporations, including IBM and Microsoft, are using SAP products to run their own businesses.

:topic: I fail to see what this SAP has to do with the original post.
SAP, started in 1972 by five former IBM employees in Mannheim, Germany, states that it is the world's largest inter-enterprise software company and the world's fourth-largest independent software supplier, overall.

Ask your SAP questions at ITKnowledgeExchange.com

The original name for SAP was German: Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte, German for "Systems Applications and Products." The original SAP idea was to provide customers with the ability to interact with a common corporate database for a comprehensive range of applications. Gradually, the applications have been assembled and today many corporations, including IBM and Microsoft, are using SAP products to run their own businesses.

Maybe I am off-track/topic but I see SAP as a system to manage everything business related.

David mentioned/asked if this (action) was raised by something SAP-like.
Being that inside a SAP-like application you have a planning/scheduling module it is quite logical to assume that it could be raised from there.
The same as when you are managing stock using a SAP-like application the system raises the flag when your security/safety stock is approaching dangerous limits.

I fail to see why is off topic as one of the elements of the original topic was WHEN to start the action per se.

Thanks for your answer,

But do you, in your organisation, have a documented procedure for this, and if so how long is a stop before the process starts, what is the trigger, (is it SAP that triggers it for example?).

David could you enlighten us as to what SAP is short for. I would appreciate your answer. I think it maybe a language thing.:o

FWIW:
I ran a high-tech contract machining business successfully for ten years. We often had contracts which ran for multiple years, but the delivery schedules were dictated by the customer, NOT the production schedules. We made our own decisions (based on economics, requirements for other customers, machine maintenance or repair, storage space for excess product or excess material) WHEN we would produce any particular product.

It may seem relatively complicated at first, but in practice, scheduling everything associated with the production of a product was simply incorporated into a Control Plan for each product, agreed to by the customer as part of the Contract Review process.

Thus, if we were going to run the product on EXACTLY the same machine, just not consecutively, we would have a customer agree (or not) that we merely had to run a "first piece" to be checked and approved by someone approved by the customer (us, the customer, or a third party) and NOT have to perform a complete Production Part Approval Process each time we ran a particular product.

If the customer demanded a new PPAP, he paid a premium.

If, for our own purposes, we wanted to run a product on a different machine, then customer was notified and we performed a new PPAP (if one was part of the Contract) at our cost, since the change in machines was our choice. Either way, customer was notified of the change. We were very big on maintaining a constant stream of pertinent communication between us and our customers and between us and our own suppliers.

We NEVER let a machine sit idle, but always tried to keep every machine running as close to 24/7 as setup and maintenance would allow.

Obviously, every Control Plan had inspection protocols and SPC protocols in addition to computer programs for setup, material handling before and after processing, etc. Our sales pitch was that all that was ROUTINE for us and nothing out of the ordinary. We made it a part of the distinction which set us apart from would-be competitors.

I don't know exactly what it stands for, but it is an ERP system.
This could provide a trigger that say's this product has not been produced for Xmonths - therefore proceedure XXX is started and process flow, control plan subjective MSA's are to be reviewed