How to Control CAD Drawings provided to Suppliers?

[QAMTY]

Hi everybody

Could someone share experiences in controlling CAD drawings provides to suppliers?

In my system QMS documents I have the control by stamping in the footer "Electonically controlled document, Once printed is uncontrolled" and have been working OK so far.

Now I have to define how to control cad drawings sent to Supplier (workshops), for my internal people is ok, because all have access to the server and see the electronic documents.

For them, I can deliver the drawings electronically including the same message, and if they print out the drawings will obtain the printout with said message, thus is a controlled document

Someone with the same scenario could share some experiences?

Thanks for your help.

 

[JaneB]

Re: How to control CAD drawings?

Hi everybody

Could someone share experiences in controlling CAD drawings provides to suppliers?

In my system QMS documents I have the control by stamping in the footer "Electonically controlled document, Once printed is uncontrolled" and have been working OK so far.

Now I have to define how to control cad drawings sent to Supplier (workshops), for my internal people is ok, because all have access to the server and see the electronic documents.

For them, I can deliver the drawings electronically including the same message, and if they print out the drawings will obtain the printout with said message, thus is a controlled document

Someone with the same scenario could share some experiences?

Thanks for your help.

OK, you 'control them electronically', but what does that electronic control actually consist of? Do you have any standards for version/revision numbering for example? I assume/presume that you do? Do you have a standard box/area where you put the drawing/part number and its revision number? And do you have clearly defined areas (ie, folders) for current drawings, drawings being updated, and superseded drawings? And are those standards/requirements included in your written procedure/s?

When you're sending things out to the supplier, as a quality professional I am really not interested in whether there's a message in the footer or not. That's quite trivial.

What I do care about is that your system is robust enough, so that you could for example demonstrate:

• This is the ID including the version of the drawing we sent (eg, Drawing xyz-123 rev B)
• How many drawings you sent in total (1? 3? 5? etc)
• if any changes were subsequently made (by you/by a customer/by whoever) you can demonstrate that you passed those on too *eg, 'Please remove Drawing xyz-123 rev B and replace it with this version: Drawing xyz-123 rev C)

Can you?

 

[Jim Wynne]

Hi everybody

Could someone share experiences in controlling CAD drawings provides to suppliers?

In my system QMS documents I have the control by stamping in the footer "Electonically controlled document, Once printed is uncontrolled" and have been working OK so far.

Now I have to define how to control cad drawings sent to Supplier (workshops), for my internal people is ok, because all have access to the server and see the electronic documents.

For them, I can deliver the drawings electronically including the same message, and if they print out the drawings will obtain the printout with said message, thus is a controlled document

Someone with the same scenario could share some experiences?

Thanks for your help.

Your control of drawings (in any medium) sent to suppliers should consist of making sure that suppliers have the relevant versions, that they can readily discern the revision status of the drawing and product in question, and that your "purchasing information" cites the relevant version. After that, once the supplier has the drawing, it's the supplier's responsibility to control it within its own document control system.