Production lines HAVE to be dedicated to only automotive products for TS 16949?

We have been informed that our production lines HAVE to be dedicated to only automotive products for TS 16949 certification. Considering the cost of capital equipment, I cannot believe that some companies who produce into a variety of industries will have millions of dollars of equipment - waiting - for only automotive production runs or programs, or being idle between programs. After all, the motor industry is all for cost reduction.
Anyone else had a similar issue and if so how doyou work around it?

Who told you that? It is completly wrong.

TS audits will only look at automotive products being produced, but there is no requirement that the equipment cannot be used to make non-automotive components. You will have too coordinate to make sure you are running the automotive parts on the day(s) of the assessment, but you don't have to go out and buy new equipment!

tomvehoski said:

Who told you that? It is completly wrong.

TS audits will only look at automotive products being produced, but there is no requirement that the equipment cannot be used to make non-automotive components. You will have too coordinate to make sure you are running the automotive parts on the day(s) of the assessment, but you don't have to go out and buy new equipment!

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Ditto above, plus you will doing set up and start up inspections and documenting the results after you change over to automotive parts.
Whoever told you that doesn't know what their talking about. Wouldn't it be crazy for every one to buy double equipment. We run both on some of the same equipment as necessary, and some is dedicated, and received TS16949 certification.

Hi Tony, my response is basically the same as Ralph & Tom's. We're a TS registered bulk material supplier (level 2) to the automotive industry. The same equipment is used to produce both automotive and non-automotive materials. We had no issue from our registrar or customers regarding this fact of life. With the automotive emphasis on cost efficiency and added emphasis on reduced pricing to the automakers annually having to set-up a dedicated line just for them that would not be used 100% of the time just doesn't make sense.
Good luck with trying to achieve TS registration.

Dedicated Lines

Thanks for the response. I guessed that the auditors that we spoke to had possibly not understood the standard, and thanks for the confirmation.

Tony,

We have been TS registared for 2 years. We make material for automotive and non-automotive. We even make stock material and don't know who it may go to at the time of production. We follow the same procedures for all customers. I would not worry about who you were making proucts for during an audit, just as long as all the procedures are the same.

Welcome to the Cove, Tony

I don't have anything to add - just agreeing with everyone else. We were one of the first die casting companies registered to TS and had our auditor even thought of saying that we needed dedicated die cast machines, he/she/they would have been laughed right out of the building.

tony wardle said:

Thanks for the response. I guessed that the auditors that we spoke to had possibly not understood the standard, and thanks for the confirmation.

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Ralph, and the others, answers are completely correct. There is absolutely no such requirement in TS or QS or ISO. It would shut down a significant number of automotive suppliers, to boot.

(for the record - I am a Sr. Lead Auditor with 2 registrars, with 800+ audits (TS, QS, EMS, and ISO). Even had 6 very successful witnessed audits). The auditor who told you that completely misunderstood and misinterpreted the applicability requirements. I would appeal it to the registrar for clarification.

This reply of mine is also based on my experience related to Aluminum Foil manufacturing Industry.

We are making Aluminum Foil majority of which is being used for Non Automotive application about (90 % applications are Non Automotive) while we make and supply the foil for Raditors also.
We decided to go for TS2 in 2003. We have dedicated one setup for Automotive application. All the equipments (Rolling Mills, Heat Treatment Furnaces, Slitters, Packing Machienes etc) were enhanced and made to suit TS 2 requirements. That is a seperate matter that the same capability equipments are being used for Non Automotive products also.
TS Auditors audited that setup as well as our common systems such as Purcahsing, HR and Training, Invetory Control etc.
We were awarded TS 2 Certification for manufacturing and Supplying Aluminum Foil for Raditors.