Powering Performance

By now you have probably heard about Industry 4.0 and what it’s all about. The term refers to the fourth wave of the Industrial Revolution. Each wave of the revolution has been driven by advances in technology. The most recent wave has been precipitated by the rapid and concurrent maturation of advanced technologies such as robotics, AI, VR, big data and visualization. Industry 4.0 technologies allow business to move at a never-before seen pace.

Several sections of IATF 16949:2016 now specifically reference the Core Tools, including:

To achieve operational excellence, especially in quality risk management, organizations are expected to have three elements in perfect balance: their people, processes and technology. A focus is needed not only on the skills of those who perform FMEAs, but the processes, procedures and tools used by the team. These elements are part of a continuous process of risk identification, analysis, and mitigation aligned to their corporate objectives of improved process throughput and quality, as well as reduced product scrap and rework.  

The AIAG Core Tool Software (CTS) Project is making great progress with the help of several dedicated volunteers. The project team is focused on improving the former XLS based Core Tools Software Disc with an “Excel like” front end supported by a robust database backend.

Special process components’ quality, reliability, and durability can be compromised by variation in the process itself – and since the resulting defects aren’t easily detected prior to use, faulty components can get passed on to the end user, resulting in field actions and warranty claims.

If you’re one of those auto manufacturers who’s using ad hoc, spreadsheet-based collaboration, you’re not alone. According to a survey conducted by Ventana Research in November 2015, 7 out of 10 midsize companies use desktop spreadsheets for a range of business planning processes. Yet nearly half (48 percent) of those surveyed admit that spreadsheets make it difficult to manage business processes.

In 2012, AIAG introduced its free online Core Tools Self-Assessment (CTSA) as a way to measure an employee’s competency with the Automotive Core Tools and identify areas that require improvement.   Available in eight languages, the CTSA is a timed (75 minutes) open book self-assessment that covers APQP/PPAP, FMEA, MSA, and SPC. When completed, each individual receives an e-mail detailing his or her scores for each Core Tool. These results are confidential, and shared only with the participant. The CTSA can be taken every 30 days, allowing individuals time to address any knowledge gaps, and monitor their improvement in the Core Tools. 

AIAG proudly announces that the Call to Action for the new 3D Technical Data Package (TDP) Exchange Guideline project will occur on 9 May 2018 at 10:00 AM at AIAG in Southfield, Michigan. This project, which is a subset of the larger Model Based Enterprise (MBE) platform, will develop a guideline for the exchange of technical data that is traditionally shared on a part print (i.e. data that is not included in the math data exchange). The work group will initially focus on technical data exchanges between organizations for co-designed products, but products designed by one organization will be added if there are enough group volunteers.

No department is more aware of customer requirements than the quality department. This is why quite often the quality department is tasked with International Material Data System (IMDS) reporting. For every manufactured part, a Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) must be completed. PPAP can only be completed if there has been an accepted IMDS report. 

Change isn’t just coming – it’s here. With fewer than six months left to complete the transition to IATF 16949:2016, now is the time to ensure your organization has the tools and training necessary to successfully implement the new standard.