Incoming Product Quality - Receiving inspection for chemical substance

Dear All
I am really need help from any of you who can show me the way. Right now, my company is under the qs9000 certified assessment.
One of the topics that the auditor comment is that we didn't have evidence to show that we had receiving inspection for the chemical substance that we use in our process. (Our process is aluminium melting and die casting, during the melting process we have to add a chemical into the molten aluminium)
I would like to know that is it neccessary to do so. Since we don't think so.
Anybody out there can help me out. It would be great if you can give me the
right answer for 4.10.2.4 Incoming Inspection.
Regards,
Narakorn Ratchapolsitte

[Kevin Mader]

Narakorn,

Are you using one of the other alternate bullets under 4.10.2.4? You need to be using atleast one of the listed bullets. My guess is that the auditor is following "traditional norms" if you will and is asking for your inspection records. You may not have them, nor require them, but you still need alternate documentation showing how you approve the materials used in your internal process (i.e. What is your Control Plan?".

Regards,

Kevin

Kevin is right, Narakorn. The QSR gives you several options to choose from in 4.10.2.4. But it has to be part of your written quality plan (control plan). It is especially important to show release of material into your production process, but just as important, you must have a back up (reaction) plan if something goes "wrong" with the receiving process - especially for the identification and release of material for "emergency" production purposes.

Dear Kevin and Mike
Thank you very much for your guide. Actually, at my company, we follow the incoming inspection requirement for all of our raw material but not for the chemical subbstance. Howver, the auditor accepted that and we now pass the certified auidit but have to improve the incoming inpsection to cover all the material that we use in our process.
BTW, Thanks again.
Ball