Outsourced Manufacturing - Making Subcontractors comply with TL9000

[Paulad]

This question applies equally to an ISO9001 registration I guess. We have had our TL9000 registration for six years now, as "the design and manufacture of telecommunications equipmnet. At the close of 2010 we had to close our factory and outsource our production. I have kept the same scope, but am not having a lot of luck making our subcontractors comply with TL9000 adders. Anyone out there who outcources all production? How do you handle it in your scope and in your quality system?

 

[somashekar]

... Welcome to the Elsmar.com Paulad ...

This question applies equally to an ISO9001 registration I guess. We have had our TL9000 registration for six years now, as "the design and manufacture of telecommunications equipmnet. At the close of 2010 we had to close our factory and outsource our production. I have kept the same scope, but am not having a lot of luck making our subcontractors comply with TL9000 adders. Anyone out there who outcources all production? How do you handle it in your scope and in your quality system?

Your scope will certainly remain the same as you are responsible for production activity performed in-house or now out-sourced.
The handling of this is by the application of necessary controls on the out-sourced production service provider. While you are responsible for all the TL9000 requirements, your out-sourced organization must be accountable for the requirements that applies to him and this must be blended into his quality management system. Ensuring that this is done and maintained regularly is all about the controls you exercise.

Here is one such control that you have to establish with your out-sourced organization (your contract manufacturer)

From TL9000 FAQ's
I am a contract manufacturer and I don’t get return rate information from my customers. How should I report the FR data?

A contract manufacturer is dependent on their customers supplying the data needed to report ERI and YRR, since the contract manufacturer typically does not have visibility to the return information and, unless they are directly shipping to the customer, the original ship date information. If no customers are providing the data to the organization, then the correct entry in the data is "EXEMPT". The "na" designation was eliminated with the release of the R4.0 Measurements Handbook. One other change in the R4.0 Handbook that may help contract manufacturers is a new requirement for any TL 9000 certified organization to provide to their suppliers the data needed for the TL 9000 measurements. Any of your customers who are TL 9000 certified must provide you with the data needed for your return rate measurements. If they do not, then they are not in compliance with the R4.0 Measurements Handbook.

 

[sowmya]

Hi,

Your outsourcing process will include production in the manual. TL does not say that, your contract manufacturers to be TL certified. you need to strengthen your CM in such a way that, they are consistently producing quality products as per your standard. Because this will affect your NPR and FR and OTD. All these measurements you need to continue to calculate and report quest.

Other than that, it does not affect your measurements. you need to redefine your system for the processes outsourced and controls you have put in.

Regards
Sowmya