Powering Performance

This year’s IMDS & Product Chemical Compliance Conference addresses those questions and many more, with a focus on the evolution of the International Material Data System (IMDS), and the specific reasons we use this global reporting tool. A member of the IMDS Steering Committee will be onsite to share further information on new enhancements for IMDS.

The South Carolina Automotive Council (SCAC) and AIAG Supply Chain and Quality Conference was a success! This 1-½ day event at the end of August took place in historic Charleston, South Carolina, after months of planning and collaborating between the organizing parties. 

If not, now is the time to check out AIAG’s newest eLearning, Essentials for Transition to IATF 16949:2016, which allows you to explore changes in the new standard without ever leaving your desk.

In acknowledgment of the need to consistently maintain standardized processes across global supply chains, the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) has updated an essential quality resource to be more internationally inclusive.

The automotive industry is expanding the use of 3D CAD systems and related technology from engineering and product design to tooling, process development, manufacturing operations, and many other downstream business areas.

With the release of the new IATF 16949 global quality standard, the scope now includes products with embedded software. Training is needed to support the new requirements for assessing the organization’s and suppliers’ software development processes.

AIAG recently announced the creation of a Core Tools Forms Software project. The second Voice of the Customer Survey was sent out, and the results show a strong international interest in a cloud-based application to complete several very technical forms related to product and process development (FMEA, Control Plan), measurement system capability evaluation (MSA), and product release (PPAP) that are part of the Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) process.

As an extension of our long-running popular series of “Why We Do What We Do” articles, this month we tracked down TAMA Executive Director Ashley Frye to get a perspective from outside Michigan — and even the Midwest. We’re still in the automotive industry, however, as Frye has more than 34 years of history in automobile manufacturing.

Last month AIAG announced the creation of a Core Tools Forms Software project.

In December 2016, the AIAG Quality Steering Committee approved the launch of a Core Tools Forms Solution Project. The Automotive Quality Core Tools are essential building blocks in the automotive quality body of knowledge. The current Core Tools are Advanced Product Quality Planning and Control Plan (APQP/CP), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Measurement System Analysis (MSA), Statistical Process Control (SPC), and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP). The methodologies defined in the Core Tools manuals are indispensable for quality planning during new product launch and necessary for continual quality improvement during on-going manufacturing.