Evaluation of a Contract Manufacturer

[1Noob]

Hi Almighty Quality Guru's

I was asked to go look at a CM that builds one of our products.
This was due to my testing of 150 units and 3 failures DOAs.

This actually the first time and I am unsure what to ask of them.
can anyone help me with a general line of questions I should ask?

So far this is what I have:
I will ask them for there test procedures.
How they track there failures & passes.
Ask them how the product is built and go through the line to see how they build it.



Thanks for the help!

 

[ScottK]

Re: Contract Manufacture

This doesn't appear to be a full audit so I think you are on the right track.
As you are going through the process you might want to ask about work instructions that their people use in the manufacture.

Can you give us an idea of the part and what industry you are in? we might be able to give you specific things to look for.

 

[1Noob]

Re: Contract Manufacture

We build Satellite receivers

 

[DannyK]

I would try to track the process from when they receive your company's PO to shipping.

I would try to track any specific requirements that are on or referenced on the your PO to see how they manage it and incorporate it into their system.

I would then proceed to planning and to manufacturing.

If they purchase parts, I would look for compliance to your bill of materials and how they perform receiving inspection.

Afterwards I would look at the manufacturing process and the controls in place.
Are there ESD controls ( if required)?
How does the company record nonconformances and failures?
Is the test and measuring equipment calibrated?

 

[somashekar]

This was due to my testing of 150 units and 3 failures DOAs.

Not knowing the 3 failure types, and the focus being this., I would ask to look at their inprocess inspection and final inspection and their yield rates, corrective actions and traceability records. As an added area, I would ask to see their process validation plan, validation records and how these validation outputs gets into their work instructions. Competecy of people at areas that matter would be an other area to look in.

 

[harry]

......................... This actually the first time and I am unsure what to ask of them. can anyone help me with a general line of questions I should ask? .............................

Before you do anything, I think you need to know where you stand. Take a look at the agreement/contract between both parties.

When you see them, check if they had fulfilled their obligations as stipulated, If not, where, why? Ask them what's their proposal to overcome the issue.

 

[Golfman25]

I would start with their corrective action and response to the failures. Otherwise you're just going fishing. Could be a simple visit where you hope to understand their process and confirm the implementation and effectiveness of their corrective action. Use it as a relationship builder, not a "gotcha." Good luck.

 

[Wes Bucey]

I've done this lots of times.
Some basic questions:

1. do they provide components or assemblies?
2. are n/c due to component failure or mis-assembly?
3. if components, who supplies components?
4. is there traceability of components? (sometimes suppliers do not maintain lot control)
5. what documentation is available from supplier BEFORE your visit regarding the n/c and supplier's root cause and corrective action activity?

Once at the site:

1. first impression - clean, neat, organized? or "the opposite?"
2. your attitude - there to help find a solution or fix blame?
3. their attitude - glad you came or distrustful and fearful?
4. when you walk through the process from acceptance of order to delivery, does it seem logical and efficient or disorganized with lots of opportunities for distractions to the staff?
5. what does the general attitude of workers seem - cheerful and efficient or harried and stressed?
6. are the physical facilities comfortable or is it cold, hot, dirty, smelly?
7. are the staff suitably dressed or does the apparel seem inappropriate to the task each performs?
8. what's the in-process documentation of activity like - timely and accurate or filled in at the end of the shift by someone who was not part of the activity?

Details of a root cause analysis or corrective action are specific to the product and process - we need more detail than just the general industry of "Satellite receivers" - what, exactly, is supplied?

 

[Jim Wynne]

Hi Almighty Quality Guru's

I was asked to go look at a CM that builds one of our products.
This was due to my testing of 150 units and 3 failures DOAs.

This actually the first time and I am unsure what to ask of them.
can anyone help me with a general line of questions I should ask?

So far this is what I have:
I will ask them for there test procedures.
How they track there failures & passes.
Ask them how the product is built and go through the line to see how they build it.



Thanks for the help!

Do you have the technical knowledge and experience to understand (a) the product failures (b) the probable causes and (c) the supplier's manufacturing processes and how they might have contributed to the failures? If the answer to any of the three is "No," you probably shouldn't be doing this alone.

This is not a knock against you personally, because everyone has to start somewhere, but if your management thinks it's a good idea to send inexperienced people by themselves on troubleshooting missions, this will probably be, at best, a wasted trip. If there's an experienced engineer in your company who might be available, there would be no shame in telling your boss(es) that you'd feel better having someone like that along. You'll have a valuable learning opportunity and there's a much better chance that the problems will be properly identified and solved.

 

[Wes Bucey]

Do you have the technical knowledge and experience to understand (a) the product failures (b) the probable causes and (c) the supplier's manufacturing processes and how they might have contributed to the failures? If the answer to any of the three is "No," you probably shouldn't be doing this alone.

This is not a knock against you personally, because everyone has to start somewhere, but if your management thinks it's a good idea to send inexperienced people by themselves on troubleshooting missions, this will probably be, at best, a wasted trip. If there's an experienced engineer in your company who might be available, there would be no shame in telling your boss(es) that you'd feel better having someone like that along. You'll have a valuable learning opportunity and there's a much better chance that the problems will be properly identified and solved.

Personally, I would prefer to send someone with technical expertise on product or process or both, but only if the supplier has kind of "thrown in the towel" and admitted an inability to resolve the situation on its own. It is one of the reasons I mentioned "attitude" in my previous post.

Third party auditors do not need technical competence in the product or process to determine if there is sufficient process and adherence to the process and thus decide if the process needs tweaking or if the operators need tweaking to follow the process.

The primary questions which seem to be missing from this thread are whether

1. supplier acknowledges the n/c as valid
2. supplier agrees the n/c originated in his shop, not in shipping or at customer or at one of his suppliers
3. supplier has presented a cogent description of his efforts to date in trying to resolve the situation and has no solution

I absolutely agree that if the OP or any SQA feels out of his depth (needing more than just a tip in the right direction), he should be looking for more direct help than a couple of guys throwing random comments on an internet forum. As brilliant as those folks may be in person with hands and eyes on the situation, it is nearly impossible to convey the breadth and width of that knowledge and experience in a few pithy lines in an internet forum for an unseen situation.