Re: Remote Location - Design Responsibility - TS 16949 Certification - Join the debat
To all the experts contributing your views here, I would like to say thank you so much and seek your comment on my views:
Why can't we treat the external design plant (which is different company name from the manufacturing plant even though they may have the first name the same example: ZZZ Design Limited or ZZZ Manufacturing Limited; even they are related, they are separate legal business entity) as a subcon instead of remote supporting function/site? Because no matter whether the design plant is a subcon or a remote supporting function/site, the manufacturing plant must also be responsible for the product it supplies to its customer.
The requirement to treat the external design plant as remote supporting function would result in delays in having more numbers of companies certifying to TS, since the cost and time required to audit the external plants (no matter whether it is Product design or Mould design for making that Product) could be a headache to some companies!! Some companies may even drop the idea of being certified to TS, ultimately how can we expect increasing number of TS certified companies and how can TS help to improve the industry in a gradual and steady pace?
Clause 7.4.1.2 requires development of supplier quality management system with the goal of conformity with TS, and conformity with 9001:2000 is the first step in achieving such goal. This requirement already helps to control the external plant, and can also help to solve the cost and time problem stated above.
As long as the manufacturing plant could demonstrate that they manage, monitor and control the external plant properly and in compliance with 7.4; they still could provide good product meeting customer's requirement.
Also, I find that the only difference is certification scope:
1) If the externa design plant is treated as remote supporting function/site, then the manufacturing plant's TS cert should be "Desing and Manufacture of...."; and
2) If the externa design plant is treated as a subcon, then the manufacturing plant's TS cert should be without design but only "Manufacture of....". But still responsible for design of the product.
I appologize if my views are not correct or proper, a million aplogies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!