The question posed in your TC 176 ruling is, "Does 6.3 require maintenance records?" The answer from TC 176 is precise and correct: no. Although 6.3 requires maintenance, it does not contain a record requirement. From this we cannot infer that ISO 9001 never requires records of maintenance. (Well, apparently some can . . .)
4.2.4 requires records to provide evidence of conformity to requirements. IF management has established records requirements for maintenance (and many do), then these records must be maintained as evidence to conformity of requirements. That way, management can tell whether maintenance is being done as required.
To more directly address the "in your face" comment, I am fully aware that TC 176 wrote the standard; for you to assert that your cited reference means that TC 176 says records of maintenance are not required is not being precise. All your reference says is that records of maintenance
are not required of 6.3. If management requires records--including maintenance records--ISO 9001 requires them to be maintained per 4.2.4 to provide evidence of conformity to requirements. Also, to address your concern that I overlooked the fact, I am keenly aware that there is no reference to 4.2.4 in element 6.3. In fact, that's what I stated in the very quote you took from my posting: "Correct, there is no requirement for records in 6.3".
