Getting IATF 16949 Certified in Salt Lake City, Utah (UT)
IATF 16949:2016 is the new standard that replaced ISO/TS 16949:2009. It defines the requirements of a quality management system for all companies in the automotive industry. Regardless of the position where you are in the supply chain, this standard applies to you. It was developed by the International Automotive Task Force to keep quality in the automotive industry on a check.
IATF 16949:2016 is based on the ISO 9001:2015 framework and requirements. There are just a few modifications that you need to do on the more generic ISO 9001 to fit in the automotive industry. No wonder all the organizations seeking IATF 16949 certification must first comply with the ISO 9001.
IATF 16949 Certification Steps
The certification procedure is not all about conducting the certification audit and issuing a certificate. If you want to be successful in the certification stage, then you need to invest the resources and time in the implementation process. Certification is part of the implementation and is one of the last stages. So, we are going to start from the very first steps that you need to follow to be IATF 16949 certified.
Step 1: Get support from the management system
Your IATF 16949 implementation is destined for doom is you don’t explain its benefits to the management. They first need to understand why it is necessary and agree with one voice to support it. So, it is the first step you need to make.
Step 2: Identify QMS requirements
You need to get hold of IATF 16949 documents and go through it to determine all the requirements that apply to your organization. In other words, you need to understand the document.
Step 3: Define the scope
In this step, you will be required to identify all the areas and processes that the IATF 16949 quality management system will cover. There should be no conflict with other standards and other regulations.
Step 4: Define your processes and procedures.
IATF 16949 has some requirements and procedures for handling different processes within your company. In this stage, you will have to define all those processes and lay down the procedure that complies with the IATF 16949.
Step 5: Implement these processes and procedures
This is the actual implementation of the procedures and the processes defined in the previous stages.
Step 6: Provide access to training and awareness programs
You need to train your staff members on the requirements of IATF 16949 and the new procedure defined for the quality management system.
Step 7: Operate the QMS and collect records
You let your system run for about three months as you collect data on the performance of the system. You then use these data to perform an internal audit followed by a management review.
Step 8: Take corrective action
This is where any nonconformities found are corrected. You need to do this to improve your quality management system.
Step 9: certification audit
You can now choose a certification body to conduct a certification audit and issue a certificate.
The above steps may seem very complicated, but not when you choose IATF 16949 implementation services offered by ISO Pros.