Wes Bucey
Prophet of Profit
Quality Standards - not your father's Oldsmobile
Several answers and a couple of questions:
First, you should add the following link to your favorites
http://www.acronymfinder.com/
It's a great place to start when all those durn acronyms start flying.
The ISO standards (9001, 14001, 13485, 17025) are available from either the International Organization for Standardization (www.iso.ch) in Switzerland or American Society for Quality (ASQ) (www.asq.org) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which are also the sources for ISO/TS 16949:2002 (for automotive.) They are available in hard copy or electronic versions (pdf format.)
QS9000 is available from Automotive Industry Action Group (www.aiag.org) the document is free to AIAG members. I'm not sure how nonmembers get a copy. You should be aware QS9000 is being phased out in favor of TS16949 by the automotive "primes." QS9000 was originally a "tailored version" of ISO9000 which applied specifically to the automotive industry.
6 Sigma is a "sometimes" controversial amalgam of various quality theories and tools currently embraced under the umbrella name "6 Sigma" which refers in part to a theoretic measurement of how close a manufacturing process stays within its specifications. Use the Search feature in the Cove to read many interesting comments about the subset of Quality tools.
APQP = Advanced Product Quality Planning
PPAP = Production Parts Approval Process or Program
These were originally defined in the QS9000 standard and refer to the planning that goes into bringing a product to the point of being manufactured by "fine tuning" processes to assure the product will conform to the designer's or customer's specifications. There is a separate pamphlet available from AIAG on PPAP. You can use the "search" feature here in the Cove to read comments about implementing these.
Questions:
Are these questions about Quality Standards pertinent to your job? How?
Do you have any background in formal training about quality methods? What?
On behalf of the more senior members of the Cove, Welcome!wwllcc said:
Several answers and a couple of questions:
First, you should add the following link to your favorites
http://www.acronymfinder.com/
It's a great place to start when all those durn acronyms start flying.
The ISO standards (9001, 14001, 13485, 17025) are available from either the International Organization for Standardization (www.iso.ch) in Switzerland or American Society for Quality (ASQ) (www.asq.org) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which are also the sources for ISO/TS 16949:2002 (for automotive.) They are available in hard copy or electronic versions (pdf format.)
QS9000 is available from Automotive Industry Action Group (www.aiag.org) the document is free to AIAG members. I'm not sure how nonmembers get a copy. You should be aware QS9000 is being phased out in favor of TS16949 by the automotive "primes." QS9000 was originally a "tailored version" of ISO9000 which applied specifically to the automotive industry.
6 Sigma is a "sometimes" controversial amalgam of various quality theories and tools currently embraced under the umbrella name "6 Sigma" which refers in part to a theoretic measurement of how close a manufacturing process stays within its specifications. Use the Search feature in the Cove to read many interesting comments about the subset of Quality tools.
APQP = Advanced Product Quality Planning
PPAP = Production Parts Approval Process or Program
These were originally defined in the QS9000 standard and refer to the planning that goes into bringing a product to the point of being manufactured by "fine tuning" processes to assure the product will conform to the designer's or customer's specifications. There is a separate pamphlet available from AIAG on PPAP. You can use the "search" feature here in the Cove to read comments about implementing these.
Questions:
Are these questions about Quality Standards pertinent to your job? How?
Do you have any background in formal training about quality methods? What?
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Claes Gefvenberg
Admin
I think Randy & Wes already gave you good replies, so I have nothing to add but:
Hello wwllcc, and welcome to the Cove
/Claes
Hello wwllcc, and welcome to the Cove
/Claes
wwllcc said:
Ahhh...yet another Canuck in this place. Have you had your poutine today?
And welcome to the Cove!Have you tried the online CSA store for the items in (1)? Hope my link works...if not, I suggest you go and play in the online CSA store at www.csa.ca .
And, in honour of buying Canadian, go check out www.sixsigmacanada.net on getting some help in that area.
Last, but not least, I like going to the Productivity Improvement Centre when I need to learn about a topic relevent to my job. And they share a campus with Durham College in Whitby.
Hope some of these links get you off to a good start!
Added afterwards....
I see you're a Ph.D candidate with a skill set focusing on manufacturing practices. Would it be safe to assume that you're getting into standardization of processes within a manufacturing environment for your paper? Just curious.
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You can get the TS 16949 and QS-9000 related documents from the AIAG website. The TS 16949 standard, guidance document, etc. is here:
http://www.aiag.org/publications/quality/iatfquality.asp
The QS-9000 standard and all of the automotive reference manuals (such as APQP and PPAP) can be found here:
http://www.aiag.org/publications/quality/dcxfordgm.asp
http://www.aiag.org/publications/quality/iatfquality.asp
The QS-9000 standard and all of the automotive reference manuals (such as APQP and PPAP) can be found here:
http://www.aiag.org/publications/quality/dcxfordgm.asp
W
wwllcc
Thanks all
Thank you, all!
I feel this forum is so warm and encouraging. I checked all the resources you mentioned and found that most of my previous questions are answered there. I really appreciate it.
Regarding some of your questions about me, why I need all these materials? I would say I don't need all of them, but since I am a beginner in the field of quality management system, I want to get a general sense/big picture of these available resources first, then I will focus on a specific aspect.
The second question, are these quality standards pertinent to my job?, and how? Well, these standards are not so obviously related to my current project. But since my work is in the study of automotive materials (TPO: thermoplastic polyolyfin ), I want to understand what is the position of my work in the whole automotive industry. I believe the Quality Standards are a best channel to show me the "forest".
The third question, do I have any background in formal training about quality methods? What? No.
Thank you, all!
I feel this forum is so warm and encouraging. I checked all the resources you mentioned and found that most of my previous questions are answered there. I really appreciate it.
Regarding some of your questions about me, why I need all these materials? I would say I don't need all of them, but since I am a beginner in the field of quality management system, I want to get a general sense/big picture of these available resources first, then I will focus on a specific aspect.
The second question, are these quality standards pertinent to my job?, and how? Well, these standards are not so obviously related to my current project. But since my work is in the study of automotive materials (TPO: thermoplastic polyolyfin ), I want to understand what is the position of my work in the whole automotive industry. I believe the Quality Standards are a best channel to show me the "forest".
The third question, do I have any background in formal training about quality methods? What? No.
Wes Bucey
Prophet of Profit
"Ah! I see," said the blind man.
IMO, a person really needs the kind of grounding and background to be had from reading some of the bellwether texts on Quality by Juran, Crosby, Deming, and others to be able to really appreciate and use the theory behind the various Standards.
Without that background, dealing with the Standards is like trying to assemble a kid's bike on Christmas Eve with no assembly drawing, no idea of what it is supposed to look like, no tools and no idea of the difference between a Crescent wrench and a Stillson wrench. (Both might be able to do the job, but one is a lot easier to handle than the other.)
I'm sure some of my favorite mavens, Rob Nix, and Kevin Mader, as well as others, will weigh in with some good ideas on good book titles to get you up to speed in the Quality World.wwllcc said:
IMO, a person really needs the kind of grounding and background to be had from reading some of the bellwether texts on Quality by Juran, Crosby, Deming, and others to be able to really appreciate and use the theory behind the various Standards.
Without that background, dealing with the Standards is like trying to assemble a kid's bike on Christmas Eve with no assembly drawing, no idea of what it is supposed to look like, no tools and no idea of the difference between a Crescent wrench and a Stillson wrench. (Both might be able to do the job, but one is a lot easier to handle than the other.)
W
wwllcc
MBA and Quality Standards
One day, I asked a MBA graduate if he has known something about quality standards and management systems such as ISO9001, TS16949, QS9000, Six Sigma, and Lean Manufacturing. He was totally lost. I believe quality monitoring is one key in good management. How can a MBA manage a company/group without knowlwdge of quality standards? Can anyone input some thoughts here? Thanks, /wwllcc
One day, I asked a MBA graduate if he has known something about quality standards and management systems such as ISO9001, TS16949, QS9000, Six Sigma, and Lean Manufacturing. He was totally lost. I believe quality monitoring is one key in good management. How can a MBA manage a company/group without knowlwdge of quality standards? Can anyone input some thoughts here? Thanks, /wwllcc
Wes Bucey
Prophet of Profit
Having a degree does NOT equal competence
This query about MBA knowledge may belong in a completely different and new thread. Please think about getting some good books about Quality in addition to the Standards.
I think an MBA without at least awareness of the existence of Quality Standards is readily understandable, depending on the field of concentration within the MBA program. An even bigger finger should be pointed at the school from whence the MBA was derived.
Just like all 6 Sigma certificates are not equal, so is the reasoning with degrees from various schools. We have some other threads about determining competence of employees to perform certain tasks. Some have argued that the mere fact of a degree or "certificate" automatically qualifies someone to perform a task. wwllcc gives us an example of an MBA who doesn't even make himself aware of terms frequently bandied about in the pages of Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Forbes, Barrons, and similar business publications. Even if the topic isn't covered in an MBA specialty (marketing?), that shouldn't exempt a guy from reading the papers. I sure saw a lot of articles about the Mercedes/Chrysler people (Daimler-Benz) putting a strongarm on Tier 1 suppliers to move (up?) to TS16949. I skipped the sidebars describing TS16949, because I already knew about the Standard. That doesn't excuse a casual reader with an MBA from informing himself about them.
Like grandpappy sez, "Trust everybody, but count the cards!"
wwllcc said:
This query about MBA knowledge may belong in a completely different and new thread. Please think about getting some good books about Quality in addition to the Standards.
I think an MBA without at least awareness of the existence of Quality Standards is readily understandable, depending on the field of concentration within the MBA program. An even bigger finger should be pointed at the school from whence the MBA was derived.
Just like all 6 Sigma certificates are not equal, so is the reasoning with degrees from various schools. We have some other threads about determining competence of employees to perform certain tasks. Some have argued that the mere fact of a degree or "certificate" automatically qualifies someone to perform a task. wwllcc gives us an example of an MBA who doesn't even make himself aware of terms frequently bandied about in the pages of Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Forbes, Barrons, and similar business publications. Even if the topic isn't covered in an MBA specialty (marketing?), that shouldn't exempt a guy from reading the papers. I sure saw a lot of articles about the Mercedes/Chrysler people (Daimler-Benz) putting a strongarm on Tier 1 suppliers to move (up?) to TS16949. I skipped the sidebars describing TS16949, because I already knew about the Standard. That doesn't excuse a casual reader with an MBA from informing himself about them.
Like grandpappy sez, "Trust everybody, but count the cards!"