Asset / Tooling Management - Two Questions

[QualityGTR]

Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to inquire with you about some questions and thoughts I had regarding asset/tooling management, specifically tooling that is owned by the customer, but resides at the supplier.

First, what department is typically the process owner of asset management (AM)? If we view customer-owned tooling at a supplier as a subset of asset management, my thinking is that Finance generally owns the AM process, with Purchasing managing this specifically with each supplier, and then feeding back to Finance for periodic status and tracking. Does this sound like a typical way this is done (bench marking)?

Second, what is generally the quality department's role within the AM process? At the supplier, it seems an SQE might be responsible for periodic tooling audits and product inspection, to assure tooling is not worn, shot-life is monitored, and product is meeting specs. Quality would then feedback key data (# of shots, condition of tool, etc.) to Purchasing for ongoing tracking. Is there anything else that should be considered?

I appreciate any feedback and guidance on this.
Regards,
Danny

 

[optomist1]

Hi QualityGTR, pls clarify, in the above are you referring to "departments" as in customer departments? If yes, then usually Purchasing or Finance is the "owner", wrt, QAs role...many large OEMs for example have a group known as TAG or Tooling Analysis Group, these are the tooling experts wrt tooling life, when to execute a tooling mod or rework to extend tool life, usuallly base upon number "hits/shots", these folks perform the detailed nitty gritty assessement...their input/output feeds other customer departments. Hope this helps...

 

[QualityGTR]

Hi QualityGTR, pls clarify, in the above are you referring to "departments" as in customer departments? If yes, then usually Purchasing or Finance is the "owner", wrt, QAs role...many large OEMs for example have a group known as TAG or Tooling Analysis Group, these are the tooling experts wrt tooling life, when to execute a tooling mod or rework to extend tool life, usuallly base upon number "hits/shots", these folks perform the detailed nitty gritty assessement...their input/output feeds other customer departments. Hope this helps...

Hi optomist1, thank you for the reply, this is good info. Yes I was referring to the customer's department for overall process ownership, so your response helped answer that. Appreciate it!

 

[optomist1]

Youre welcome....my direct experience with TAG when with an OEM and then with a Tier 1, is the TAG group is really rigorous wrt approving tooling changes, helping deterimine tool end of life, etc....all their data is fed into and in part drives the OEM IT infrastructure/users. hope this helps....another bit of insight again with both perspectives in mind...Tier 1s typically (not all) tend to give short shrift to CFT re: marking, use and storage requirments...UNTIL its time to invoice and process payment...then there is a sinking feeling...are the tools marked stored etc., as specified by the OEM...tools as you know are not inexpensive...so care and diligence must be used