We have a number of products that were designed 10-20+ years ago before ISO/TS was in place. The products are going to be transferred to a new modernized production facility that will soon be audited for IATF 16949. The products were originally designed for industrial applications then at some point in time marketed for automotive application but continued to be manufactured at the original plant. In most instances, the automotive customers, at the time, were not prescriptive about ISO/TS or APQP. In transitioning these products, we are reviewing the customer requirements manuals and learning that many of the customers will require formal notification before we make this change to the manufacturing facility. We will have to go through a PPAP process with many of the customers.
These are automotive fluids so the designs consist of raw materials, formulations, manufacturing instructions, and equipment. Because this is a new facility with new/modernized equipment I can see where R&D will need to work with manufacturing to tweak the process based on the new equipment. Will our R&D group be required to go through an exercise to repeat the design work to demonstrate the designs were done according to IATF 16949 and APQP or can we state that the products were grandfathered from earlier design projects?
These are automotive fluids so the designs consist of raw materials, formulations, manufacturing instructions, and equipment. Because this is a new facility with new/modernized equipment I can see where R&D will need to work with manufacturing to tweak the process based on the new equipment. Will our R&D group be required to go through an exercise to repeat the design work to demonstrate the designs were done according to IATF 16949 and APQP or can we state that the products were grandfathered from earlier design projects?
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