Quality goes rail

Today, rail transport is the most environmentally friendly and, in the long term, also the most economically viable way of getting people and goods from A to B. An industry-specific quality management system in accordance with ISO 22163 in conjunction with the IRIS (International Railway Industry Standard) certification rules serves to further strengthen these advantages over other means of transport.

Competent supplier listing in the UNIFE database

Process and quality improvements

Significant reduction of liability risks

Internationally recognized proof of quality

Description of the standard
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What is quality management according to ISO 22163?

The international industry standard ISO 22163 is based on the requirements of the well-known quality management standard ISO 9001, supplemented by the specific requirements of the rail vehicle industry. It is intended to help ensure that safety and quality requirements for rail products are identified, evaluated, and implemented throughout the supply chain.

ISO 22163 forms the basis for an IRIS conformity procedure and the corresponding certificate. It was first published as an ISO standard for in July 2023 and is specifically aimed at companies in the rail industry.

ISO 22163:2023 Railway applications – Railway quality management system – ISO 9001:2015 and specific requirements for application in the railway sector

Each certification, which may only be carried out by certification companies approved for this purpose, is based on a uniform process. The "IRIS Audit Tool" software is used to evaluate the audit results. This evaluation model enables the representation of the continuous improvement process within the audited company.

The result is entered into the database of the Union des Industries Ferroviaires Européennes (UNIFE) as status (maturity level). In this way, quality managers, developers, designers, and buyers in the industry can access reliable information on this platform and reduce risks when selecting suppliers.

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Added value
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What are the benefits of IRIS (ISO 22163) certification?

The structured business processes, control metrics, and project and management assessments required by ISO 22163 serve as a helpful management tool for companies. Independent and expert certification also provides you with the assurance that your quality management system is compliant with the standard and that it is suitable for achieving the planned objectives. Further advantages for your company are obvious:

By obtaining a certificate in accordance with the IRIS railroad standard in conjunction with ISO 22163, you demonstrate a certain qualification. The associated registration in the UNIFE supplier database leads to a competitive advantage that cannot be underestimated.

Further benefits of IRIS certification by DQS:

  • Integrated auditing and certification according to IRIS (ISO 22163) and ISO 9001:2015
  • Internationally recognized DQS certificate as the industry standard
  • Ensures competitiveness in the rail vehicle industry
  • Publication in the DQS customer database 
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Target group
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For which companies is IRIS certification in conjunction with ISO 22163 suitable?

ISO 22163 is an industry standard for the rail vehicle industry. Certification, and thus listing as a certified company in the IRIS database of the Association of the European Railway Industry (UNIFE), creates a win-win situation for all stakeholders in the supply chain:

 

  • Railroad operators
  • Rolling stock manufacturers
  • Suppliers of original series equipment 
  • Suppliers of spare parts
  • Maintenance companies
  • Service providers in the field of 
  • o Research and development
    o Project management
    o Requirements management
    o Procurement
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Why is an IRIS certificate useful?

A key requirement of the rail vehicle industry is the risk-based approach as required by ISO 9001:2015. In addition, there is consistent process orientation and strong focus on the consideration of interested parties. Other core requirements of an IRIS certification include:

 

  • Railway project management
  • Management of offers/tenders
  • Obsolescence management
  • RAM (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability) and safety (ISO 50126ff.)
  • LCC Life Cycle Costs
  • Improvement of product quality and delivery performance
  • Process-oriented and interdisciplinary management approach
  • Business planning and cost management
  • Management of risks and opportunities
  • FAI First Article Inspection Process
  • Knowledge management

The ISO 22163 standard is based on the basic structure for management system standards, the so-called High Level Structure, which significantly simplifies integration into an already existing ISO management system.

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IRIS Revision 04

ISO 22163:2023 was published in the summer of 2023. IRIS Certification Rev. 04 includes the new ISO standard as well as the updated IRIS Certification® Performance Assessment 2023. Certification procedures are possible from January 1, 2024. They include a Stage 1 audit (Readiness Review) and Stage 2 audit. Existing certifications according to Rev. 03 may be transferred to Revision 4 as part of a transition audit as of April 1, 2024.

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How does an IRIS certification procedure according to ISO 22163 work?

In the first step of the process, we will discuss your company, your current quality management system and the goals of an IRIS (ISO 22163) certification. Based on these discussions, you will receive an individually tailored offer.

These steps prepare the actual audit for certification. Project planning can be useful for larger projects to plan schedules and execution of audits for locations or departments. In addition, a pre-audit provides an opportunity to identify system strengths and potential for improvement in advance.

IRIS certification requires that your company provide the auditor with process performance and customer satisfaction information, among other things, 60 days prior to each scheduled audit. Based on an assessment of these documents, audit focus areas are then determined and the detailed audit schedule is developed.

The IRIS certifiction process based on ISO 22163 starts with the so-called Readiness Review, an analysis and evaluation of your management system. This ensures that all prerequisites for the more extensive stage 2 audit are met and that any obstacles detected can be removed before the audit. With their holistic view of people, processes and results, our auditors then also identify opportunities and potential for improvement in the stage 2 audit.

After the certification audit, the results are evaluated by the independent certification board of DQS. Your audit result will be published in the UNIFE database, indicating the maturity level determined. If the requirements are met, you will receive an internationally recognized certificate. In contrast to other regulations, IRIS certificates not only show compliance with the standard, but also the maturity level of your QM system (bronze, silver, gold). The maturity level can only be increased by one level from one audit to the next.

Every year, key components of your system are re-audited on site to identify further improvements. The IRIS certificate is valid for three years and requires annual monitoring. To maintain the certificate, its adequacy must be confirmed by the so-called cut-off date (last day of the certification audit) in each case.

Recertification is carried out in good time before the certificate expires in order to ensure continued compliance with the requirements of the standard. Upon compliance, a new certificate will be issued to your company.

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How much does ISO 22163 certification cost?

The cost of IRIS certification based on ISO 22163 depends on several factors. For example, it plays an important role whether a certified management system according to ISO 9001, ISO 9100 or IATF 16949 is already in place. In addition, the size of your company and the complexity of your management system influence the duration of the audits and the price.

For these reasons, the costs for certification according to the proven IRIS conformity assessment procedure cannot be given as a lump sum. We will be happy to make you an individual offer.

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What you can expect from us

  • More than 35 years of experience in the certification of management systems and processes
  • Industry-experienced auditors with a high level of expertise
  • Value-adding insights into your company from our experts
  • Accredited certificates with international acceptance

 

  • Personal, smooth support from our specialists - regionally, nationally and internationally
  • Individual quotes flexible contract terms without hidden costs
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We would be pleased to provide you with an individual quote for ISO 22163.