I ask because there was a V.D.6.3 audit and one of the negative feedback I saw was that the work instructions are not physically displayed with pictures.
VDA6.3 is a process audit.
TS16949 is a system audit.
They are totally different. It is not a requirement to show pictures in a 16949 system audit. But in a process audit, it is different. If your process shows weakness due to the absence of a picture, then you can actually lose points for that. Process audit requires the process auditor to possess knowledge of the process audited.
For example:
In a Drilling process where a drill has to be positioned at a particular spot before it drills, words itself will not be able to properly convey where to position the drill. This is where the pictures/illustrations will come in handy.
I will award 6 points or 4 points depending on the severity of the communication breakdown in the work instruction for P6.2.1 which is a star question. This can cause an overall downgrade from A to B even if you got >90 points in total.
Process audit is precise and auditors cannot say anything they want. They have to prove it and be prepared to defend their reports should the process owner dispute it. You could have explained to the auditor that the W.I. does not need picture because ... ... (but better make sure your explanation holds truth as some process auditors are previously Product engineers or production planners, they have probably already tried the stunts you were about to pull on them before
.)
What was the question number you got hit and how many points did you get? What was you final grade?