What do I need to comply with AS 9100 Clause 7.5.1.4

[QualitySysISOAdmin]

My company is trying to implement AS9100. In doing so we are updating our procedures and identifying what we need to address to comply. I know that a procedure is not required for this cluase, however, we would like to identify what we need to do.

Now, first of all we have interpreted this clause as taking our employees and doing work at a customer's facility or transfering work to a temporary building for whatever reason.

Our company does have instances where we send our employees to do work at our customer's facility. As far as I know we do not have a process to control and validate the quality of work aside from training of our employees to current industry standards (i.e. J-STD & IPC). Is that enough?

Or should we implement a planning process before going to a cusotmer's facility? Like what tools need to be taken, will tools be provided...etc?

Please let me know your opinions.

Thank-you
Candace

[D.Scott]

In Reply to Parent Post by QualitySysISOAdmin

My company is trying to implement AS9100. In doing so we are updating our procedures and identifying what we need to address to comply. I know that a procedure is not required for this cluase, however, we would like to identify what we need to do.

Now, first of all we have interpreted this clause as taking our employees and doing work at a customer's facility or transfering work to a temporary building for whatever reason.

Our company does have instances where we send our employees to do work at our customer's facility. As far as I know we do not have a process to control and validate the quality of work aside from training of our employees to current industry standards (i.e. J-STD & IPC). Is that enough?

Or should we implement a planning process before going to a cusotmer's facility? Like what tools need to be taken, will tools be provided...etc?

Please let me know your opinions.

Thank-you
Candace

Welcome to the Cove Candace.

First of all, you are on the right track with your thinking. Work done outside the facility has to be controlled and validated just as any work done in your facility.

The SAE AS9101 C questionnaire states for 7.5.1.4 -
(68) "When planning to temporarily transfer work to a location outside the organization's facilities, does the organization define the process to control and validate the quality of the work?"

The auditor would need objective evidence that these controls were defined and in place in such a situation. IMHO, I don't feel your normal training would satisfy the requirement. Including the controls and validation on the work order or having a written plan would be more in line of what I would like to see.

Additionally, my idea of a tool list wouldn't satisfy the requirement either. You may, of course, mean something entirely different to what I am thinking. I would look for a plan to address certain quality requirements and validation that those requirements were met.

For example - if your process in the facility uses a vision system for component measurement and a CMM for final validation, you wouldn't be taking those systems into the field with you. How will you control and validate those characteristics at another location? Does the work order define what will be done? Is there evidence that these requirements were met in the temporary facility?

I offer this only as my opinion and not as an official interpretation. I am sure others will offer opinions of their own.

Dave

[andygr]

With the referance to IPC and J standard I will guess that you are dealing with electronics.
When you send folk outside your facility to "work" what are they working to?
If is the same procedures that you use internaly then the validation should be the same as you do in house in order to assure the same quality of work. Depending on what the proedure/spec calles for you shuld have them using the required equipment and following the required process and performing the defined inspections.
This will also apply when you may "outsource" a process on a temporary basis due to strike or equipment failure. You need to validate the new facility and personel just like you did initialy for your internal work and set in place the correct inspection points ( sometimes at their location sometimes at yours based on test equipment use and avaliability) which may be nothing more than receiving inspection to a defined plan once the facility is "qualified".
IF they are out at your customers to address rework/repaire problems with delivered product then this is outside the scope of this clause in my mind and there is a more basic issue with your QA system not controling the process and allowing defective product to reach you customer.