Control of Documents of External Origin - Reference manuals and standards

[Cheryl]

I have read many of archieved posts regarding control of external documentation, however, I was wondering how the majority of us are controlling our external doc's.

My question, how does your company control your External reference manuals and standards essential to the effective functioning of the quality system?

While the availability of customer documents is increasing via the internet (eg. specs) we still maintain numerous manuals. Presently we maintain all manuals etc in their respective department with one document controller assigned to maintain the master listing. This system is working for us (most of the time) but I would be happier with a tighter and more controled arrangement.

Cheryl,

We have used an Access database that included a section that listed external documents, current revion, responsibility, location etc... Mainly it contained the phone number or web site that was used to verify the validity of the external document on a yearly basis.

I think the hard part is to define which expernal manuals really do affect the working of the quality system.

These documents can run the gamut from say, QS-9000 manuals to a price list from the local tool distributer. (large leap)

ASD...

I have three questions about external document control:
1. How do I contol prints (supplied by customers) when customers don't keep us updated with current prints?
the second two questions are likened to the first
2. How do I get customer cooperation to keep us updated with current prints?
and 3. How do I perform internal print reviews when I am not really sure if I have the current rev. level (since my cusotmer won't keep me current) but requires that my products meet current rev. level?

[This message has been edited by cag45 (edited 27 July 2001).]

[tomvehoski]

Originally posted by cag45:
I have three questions about external documnet control:1
1: How do I contol prints (supplied by customers) when customers don't keep us updated with current prints?
the second two questions are likened to the first
2. How do I get customer cooperation to keep us updated with current prints?
and 3. How do I perform internal print reviews when I am not realy sure if I have the curent rev. level (since my cusotmer won't keep me currnet) but requires that my products meet current rev. level?

I used to be a supplier quality engineer for a company that could not control its prints. Our wire harness supplier implemented a procedure to call me (or the buyer) prior to building an order to verify in our system that they had the latest print. They did this on every order and we still had about 10% wrong - engineering would not even update the computer system, so I had no idea things had changed. Once the supplier had a later revision print than we did.

Another method would be to send a purchase order confirmation for each order with a statement that "product will be manufactured to print number xxxxxxxx revision yyyy unless further instructions are received within 24 hours." This could be quite cumbersome if you process many orders from them.

Tom

TV,

Good commentary. We all know that we can't control the customers systems so we have to enact our own systems of verifying customer specifications.

In my experience the big 3 are lacking in a system for print control. Many times we have received revised prints without even a request for quote. I guess the best documentation id the signed warrant that notes the print level.

As I say all the time, document all activities!!!!!!!