Most appropriate ISO Standard for Design & Integration company

[tpr2007]

I was recently hired into a firm (15 years old but still in the start-up mode) that designs Air Pollution Control Systems. The product is used in coal fired power plant applications. The initial design for a specific application of this technology takes about one year and the installation and commissioning of the systems takes at least 3-4 years. We do not yet have an established commercial development process. We instituted an ISO-9001-200 QMS about one year ago.

I have an extensive milspec DOD/AS-9100 Background and experience. I think that our QMS that we use should have controls more like AS-9100 than ISO-9001:2000. I state this because we have to guarantee the operational results of our systems with per diems fines that oculd spiral up into the $M's. However, at the same time, we have to be sure that the resulting system QMS is cost effecient because we are still small and essentially still in the start-up mode of operation.

Does anyone have an suggestions on what standard to use, or are we using the correct one (ISO-9001:2000).

Thanks

 

[AndyN]

I was recently hired into a firm (15 years old but still in the start-up mode) that designs Air Pollution Control Systems. The product is used in coal fired power plant applications. The initial design for a specific application of this technology takes about one year and the installation and commissioning of the systems takes at least 3-4 years. We do not yet have an established commercial development process. We instituted an ISO-9001-200 QMS about one year ago.

I have an extensive milspec DOD/AS-9100 Background and experience. I think that our QMS that we use should have controls more like AS-9100 than ISO-9001:2000. I state this because we have to guarantee the operational results of our systems with per diems fines that oculd spiral up into the $M's. However, at the same time, we have to be sure that the resulting system QMS is cost effecient because we are still small and essentially still in the start-up mode of operation.

Does anyone have an suggestions on what standard to use, or are we using the correct one (ISO-9001:2000).

Thanks

For your industry, ISO 9001-2008 is appropriate, I believe that you wouldn't be able to achieve 3rd party certification for any other standard like AS9100...

 

[tpr2007]

Thanks AndyN. I do not think that AS9100 is appropriate for this industry either. I only mentioned it because it has a more strenuous design V&V element to it than ISO 9001-2008. I am attempting to find a standard that I can use as justification to develop to a more formalized Design development process. That process would be driven by a requirements management process that will help us ensure that we develop our systems using our Customer requirements and develop verification and validation testing to ensure that compliance. If there is not a more applicable standard, I can still pursue this avenue. I will just have to use a different justification for this solution to our product development issues.

Thanks

 

[AndyN]

Thanks AndyN. I do not think that AS9100 is appropriate for this industry either. I only mentioned it because it has a more strenuous design V&V element to it than ISO 9001-2008. I am attempting to find a standard that I can use as justification to develop to a more formalized Design development process. That process would be driven by a requirements management process that will help us ensure that we develop our systems using our Customer requirements and develop verification and validation testing to ensure that compliance. If there is not a more applicable standard, I can still pursue this avenue. I will just have to use a different justification for this solution to our product development issues.

Thanks

I'm not sure you can use - effectively - the requirements of a standard to drive a more effective Design and Development process! Because the flaw in your approach is that you can't be registered to that standard, like As or TS 16949...

I'd strongly recommend that you look internally at the costs associated with an less than effective process. That's your driver. Then you can recommend using the tools, like FMEA, DVP&R etc to improve the costs...

 

[JaneB]

I'd strongly recommend that you look internally at the costs associated with an less than effective process. That's your driver. Then you can recommend using the tools, like FMEA, DVP&R etc to improve the costs...

Good advice. Me too.