IATF 16949:2009
WHAT IS IATF 16949?
IATF 16949 specifies the requirements of a quality management system for automotive production. Born from the need for a globally harmonised quality management system requirements document, IATF 16949 was published in October 2016. It supersedes the automotive standard ISO/TS 16949, which is no longer valid. IATF 16949 requirements include the following key aspects:
- Product safety
- Risk management and contingency planning
- Requirements for embedded software
- Change and warranty management
- Management of sub-tier suppliers
WHY IS CERTIFICATION TO IATF 16949 IMPORTANT?
Obtaining the IATF 16949 certification demonstrates that your company has met extensive requirements to create a process of continuous improvement with an emphasis on defect prevention and reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain.
The technical specification obtained from an IATF certification is implemented for all branches of manufacturers and suppliers of products or production materials, services such as heat treatment or galvanising, and other products specified by automotive customers such as the constituent parts of vehicles.
Certification to this technical specification is recognised by leading automotive manufacturers and OEMs. Most leading manufacturers will only work with companies that hold IATF 16949 certification, as they insist that suppliers adhere to the strict technical specifications laid out in the standard.
STEPS TO GET YOUR IATF 16949:2016 CERTIFICATION
An internationally accredited Certification Body for IATF 16949, Realcare Certification Pvt Ltd provides the expertise and experience to assess your organisation to the requirements of IATF 16949 and other relevant industry standards.
During the certification process, Realcare Certification Pvt Ltd independent and qualified auditors apply the following techniques:
STEP 1: Audit (Readiness Review):
It is the first stage in the certification process, wherein our auditor verifies an organisation's preparedness in the quality management system documents. It includes assessing the quality manual, procedure manual, work instructions, test procedures, and relevant records (including records on process performance, internal audit, management review, and other documents identified in the QMS).
STEP 2: On-site audit
In the stage-2 audit, the audit team performs the compliance conformance against the requirements of IATF16949, customer-specific needs, and core tool requirements. At the end of compliance assessment, the audit team shares the audit observations in the form of a SWOT analysis - Strengths (positive observations), Opportunity/ies for improvement, Weakness/es (Minor non-conformity if any), and Threats (Major non-conformity if any) related to QMS
STEP 3: Non-conformity management
In case of Non-conformity identified, the organiSation has to complete the closure of non-conformity as per the timelines and method specified in the latest revision of the Rules for achieving IATF recognition (Automotive certification scheme for IATF16949)
STEP 4: Certification Issuance
Once the non-conformity identified is closed, Realcare Certification Pvt Ltd issues the IATF 16949 certification and certification mark and enters the certification into the IATF 16949 database
STEP 5: Surveillance Audits
An annual audit is required to maintain certification validity as per the timeline specified in the latest revision of the Rules for achieving IATF recognition (Automotive certification scheme for IATF16949)
WHY IS IATF 16949 A GOOD IDEA FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION?
The benefits of IATF 16949 cannot be overstated; companies large and small have used this standard to great effect, discovering and securing tremendous cost and efficiency savings. Here are just a few of these benefits:
Improve your image and credibility – When customers see that you are certified by a recognized certification body, they will understand that you have implemented a system that is focused on meeting customer requirements and improvement. This improves their trust that you will deliver what you have promised.
Qualify to supply the automotive industry – This is one of the main drives for companies to get certified against IATF 16949. In order to get big customers from the automotive industry, you have to demonstrate that you are able to provide high-quality products with no defects, and an IATF 16949 certificate will prove it.
Improve customer satisfaction – One of the key principles of the IATF 16949 QMS is the focus on improving customer satisfaction by identifying and meeting customer requirements and needs. By improving satisfaction, you improve repeat customer business.
Fully integrated processes – By using the process approach of IATF 16949, you not only look at the individual processes in your organization, but also at the interactions of those processes. By doing this, you can more easily find areas for improvement and resource savings within your organization.
Use evidence-based decision making – Ensuring that you are making decisions based on good evidence is a key to the success of an IATF 16949 QMS. By ensuring that your decisions are based on good evidence, you can better target resources to the best effect to correct problems and improve your organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
Create a culture of continual improvement – With continual improvement as the main output of the QMS, you can attain ever-increasing gains in savings of time, money, and other resources. By making this the culture of your company, you can focus your workforce on improving the processes they are directly responsible for.
Engage your people – Who better than the people working within a process to help find the best solutions for improving that process? By focusing your workforce on not only managing, but also improving the processes, they will be more engaged in the outcome of the organization.
