ISO/TS16949 In-House Non-Product Laboratory

[bluegene]

We are a company that is currently looking into the IATF 16949:2016 standard and certification.

Recently our internal quality team raised questions concerning the applicability of the standard (and ISO/IEC 17025 for that matter) to certain labs in our company which fulfill purely in-house support roles. These labs verify incoming materials from suppliers and provide development support. They have no external customers or regulatory exposures, they perform no calibrations for any customers, and they do no testing relating to the final product. Do such labs need accreditation or any mention beyond the scope of what was necessary for ISO/TS 16949?

 

[Golfman25]

Unless it's changed in the new standard, no.

 

[Sherry Gill]

We have interpreted this differently. Where our internal laboratories are performing verification/validation of materials that will be used in production realization, we adhere to the requirements of 7.1.5.3.2 and 7.1.5.3.2. The laboratories have no customers other than internal customers. Design and development requirements are treated in the same manner.

 

[howste]

I agree with Sherry.

These labs verify incoming materials from suppliers and provide development support.

Verifying incoming materials and development support are both relevant activities that fall under inspection and test. There is no text in the standard about "final product" in clause 7.1.5.3.1.

...capability to perform the required inspection, test, or calibration services.