David Burns's Podcast
Based on 30 years of quality management expertise, David Burns provides management and technical support to all those business manager's tasked with developing and implementing quality management systems.
Free - don't you just love free! My podcasts are normally a short bursts of information to support your business compliance. The podcasts range from "how to manage auditing" through to "a full on auditor training program". Please contact me at info@davidburns.co.uk if you'd like a "quality management" podcast "specific to your needs"... more than happy to support your business - info@davidburns.co.uk
Thanks for listening.
David Burns's Podcast
THE IMPORTANCE OF TRACEABILITY - SUPPLY CHAIN INTEGRITY
What do we actually mean?
The importance of Traceability – Its all about providing “confidence” and “integrity” within the supply chain. Everything to support the product specification and of course user (consumer) confidence and ultimately "brand image":
From raw materials, such as – metals, alloys, carbon fiber, wood, packaging, food, etc. through to all matters of calibration – measurement integrity, standard reference materials for chemical analysis, legal metrology for trade, etc.
That Paper Trail – We traditionally underscore our confidence with “a paper chase” (or pdf's) from the supplier of materials or components, for example:
- Certificate of conformity (against a technical specification or part number)
- Declarations of performance (against a directive for CE / UKCA Marking)
- Mill certificate (from the – well… the mill)
- Test certificates (from those within the “process” responsible for inspection / testing).
However, remember…. just because you have the “paper trail” with a link to the “item” supplied, it does not mean that the material or product is correct or compliant.
No.... ISO 9001 and AS 9100 only require the management of "traceability" and not material or product compliance... for that, we must delve deeper!
Your customers are aware of the failures within the "supply chain" and that is why customer contracts state "supplying materials and components with certification from a quality assured and approved supplier - does not absolve you the supplier from the responsibility of ensuring material compliance".
This "podcast" will provide the necessary guidance for your consideration about how you manage your supply chain integrity - risk and mitigation.