Supplier Audits - How far do we have to go? How much detail?

[Randy Stewart]

Thorough?

It sounds more like your auditor had insider information that made their audit easier. But that's beside the point - you let the cat out of the bag and now you're in recovery mode. Check out the QS-9000 QSA in there you will see questions with the * by them. Those were label to be used as a base for a supplier audit. In all actuality, you not your auditor, decide what is necessary for your suppliers to be deemed "approved". I don't care if you have to do 2 hours of rework per supplied part, that is your choice (not a good one but yours to make) as long as they made it on the as you have documented. The auditor is comparing you to a standard and by what your documentation states. It is not their responsibility to make you more profitable nor is it to set company policy. ISO doesn't require a supplier audit, however if you choose to do one it still doesn't make the results auditable.

 

[kspurling]

Correct, we are very forthcoming with our auditor because we haven't had any problems for years. Our auditor won't consult us but they will suggest something is or isn't a good practice. Ok, thank you very much for your suggestions. I will be training for full implementation of 9000 - 2000 and perhaps I will close whatever hang up they have and will let our mgmt. know that the auditors need only the information they ask for, no less and no more. We want the Quality System to be a good one and have always went along suggestions by our auditors. Thanks

 

[kspurling]

I am also looking for great suggestion of the flowdown of requirements to suppliers. Do you use P.O.s or Blueprints to let suppliers know the rev. levels of piece parts or assemblies. We send the P.O. on the up assembly part but the piece parts may have had a rev. change that was communicated to them with an effectivity date but it doesn't show on the PO or the Up-assembly print. How do you flowdown the piece part revs?