IATF16949 7.1.5.3.2 External Laboratory

[Doug Reed]

Hello Everyone

My company just received a finding in our IATF16949 surveillance audit for calibration reports provided by our external laboratories not having the accreditation stamp applied. We are in the process of informing our external labs whom are accredited that this is required. One lab, however, performs what they consider to be a preventative maintenance on a piece of our equipment. They are accredited to ISO/IEC17025 for calibration services but are insisting that the requirement for meeting the IATF standard is not applicable. They also use standards to check the equipment function during this PM activity and provide certificates of traceability for the standards used.

My question is....Are they correct in stating that they are not required to provide accreditation stamps on the reports?

Thanks
Doug Reed

 

[anneliesehuss]

Our company received the same NC. For us, it was just a matter of which check box was checked during the initial purchase of service.

I would say that it may not be required for PM, but is required for calibration cert.

 

[Ashland78]

I think they are correct, as I worked in or managed Metrology labs for over 20 years, the first thing we would look for in certs was the logo. We also had to verify the accreditation did not expire. It is like a seal of authentication (evidence).

 

[Funboi]

My company just received a finding in our IATF16949 surveillance audit for calibration reports provided by our external laboratories not having the accreditation stamp applied

Doug, what was the statement of non-conformity? This seems very odd to me.

 

[Bran]

They also use standards to check the equipment function during this PM activity and provide certificates of traceability for the standards used.

To me, this sounds like a verification activity is occurring at the same time as the PM.

ISO 9001 cl. 7.1.5.2 states:

When measurement traceability is a requirement, or is considered by the organization to be an essential part of providing confidence in the validity of measurement results, measuring equipment shall be:
a) calibrated or verified, or both, at specified intervals, or prior to use, against measurement standards traceable to international or national measurement standards; when no such standards exist, the basis used for calibration or verification shall be retained as documented information;

My interpretation: If performed by the External lab, this verification activity would need to meet the requirements of IATF 7.1.5.3.2, including the accreditation marking on the test report.

 

[Doug Reed]

Thank you all for the replies.

Doug, what was the statement of non-conformity? This seems very odd to me.

The finding was that multiple calibration reports were found to not have the stamp of accreditation. We had copies of their accreditation certificates but it is required that the reports themselves must have a stamp.

 

[Doug Reed]

To me, this sounds like a verification activity is occurring at the same time as the PM.

ISO 9001 cl. 7.1.5.2 states:


My interpretation: If performed by the External lab, this verification activity would need to meet the requirements of IATF 7.1.5.3.2, including the accreditation marking on the test report.

Very good point. I think the key phrase is "or verified". Their service would probably fall in to this. Thank You

 

[Doug Reed]

Thank you everyone for the replies. Much appreciated and very helpful.

 

[Doug Reed]

Our company received the same NC. For us, it was just a matter of which check box was checked during the initial purchase of service.

I would say that it may not be required for PM, but is required for calibration cert.

Yep. Same here. We weren't buying the upgraded report from most labs. Funny how they have found a way to make $ from this. I guess it relates to having more liability if they claim accreditation on the report but some want a pretty penny for the upgrade!

 

[Funboi]

but it is required that the reports themselves must have a stamp

Is it? I was not aware. Can you - or someone - direct me to the requirement?