As you all are aware, the IATF is working on a revision to the TS standard.  They are working to try and accommodate all stakeholders, which is part of the reason it is taking so long.  They had a draft standard ready when they went to Italy to present it to certification bodies, OEM’s and suppliers on April 12-13, 2016.  They asked for input – and they got it.  There were over a 1000 individual inputs from a variety of stakeholders.  They also had about a dozen pilot audits to the revised standard around the world.  The received input from those, also.  I happened to participate in one of the pilot audits with the IATF in May.

A lot has changed in the automotive world since the last change was made to the standard back in 2009.  There is more scrutiny with regards to safety.  The OEM’s and tier 1’s have encountered penalties and fines for safety lapses.  Think GM’s ignition switch problem or the current Takata air bag issue.  There is more software in the cars than ever before.  Sub-suppliers have become more critical at all levels.  There are new benchmarks to drive improvement across the board.  The new standard will address each of these items.  The theme is much like when the Rules 4 edition came out back in late 2013.  The OEM’s stood up and said, “We think our suppliers are pretty good.  We just want them to all be better.”  The same is true with the new standard.

You will see the new standard aligned with the ISO 9001:2015 clause numbers.  Based on what I have seen in the revision and at the pilot audit, you will also see new things and a much more prescriptive approach.  They have also taken common OEM specific requirements and added those to the standard.  Some highlights from the revised standard in its current form:

  • Product Safety is a major topic, so expect to see enhanced documentation requirements and records for this topic.
  • As like ISO 9001:2015, risk mitigation is a concern, and you see this term pop up throughout the standard.  This should not be new thinking to anyone in the automotive chain, as we are used to doing FMEA’s, etc.  However, it does pop in some new areas (contingency plans, etc.).
  • Embedded software – you will see that term sprinkled throughout the design clause, as they are looking for control and validation of the software in the product.  You will also see this in the purchasing section.
  • Purchasing has been significantly changed.  More control is mandated over the suppliers.  For those suppliers of products with embedded software, the expectation is that an Automotive SPICE assessment be done.  Annual second party audits are required for any supplier who is not TS certified (CQI-19).
  • Maintenance is significantly enhanced with the requirement of Total Productive Maintenance and what the measurable objectives must include (OEE, MTBF, MTTR, etc.).
  • First off / last off parts retention.  First off parts are to be kept and compared to the last part of the run.  Last off part is to be kept and compared to the first part of the next run.
  • For variable measurements, actual test results are to be recorded and not just a pass/fail mark.

All of these may stay in the final version and some may change, but I thought it was important to share the current state.

The IATF did put out a timing update and some of the rules updates for the transition.  These documents can be viewed at http://www.iatfglobaloversight.org/docs/TRANSITION_16949_April_2016.pdf .  Upon successful completion of the transition process the organization shall be issued a new certificate with a three (3) year validity.

Once the standard has been released (expected in October), we will work with you and provide training via webinar and/or regional training events.  There will be quite a compressed timeframe to get every TS client converted to the new standard by Sept. 14, 2018.  The period between July 1, 2017 and July 2018 will be jam packed with recertifications.  This will strain our resources, so please work with your customer service professional to get dates locked in as soon as you can.

Author
Sara Gulo

Sara Gulo is the Marketing Specialist for DQS Inc. in the USA. She's been with DQS for 10 years in various roles, including Verification and Customer Service Professional. 

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