ISO/TS 16949:2002

In the year 1999, ISO/TS 16949 was developed, which set globally standardized measures for a Quality Management system in the automobile industry. It details the fundamental, sector-specific, quality systems requirements that sustain continuous improvement and emphasize defect prevention while simultaneously reducing the magnitude of variation and waste in the supply chain.

ISO/TS 16949:1999 was based on ISO 9000: 1994. In March 2002, ISO/TS 16949:2002 was released, which is aligned with ISO 9001:2000.

ISO/TS 16949 is recognised by all major automotive companies in the world including General Motors, Ford, Daimler Chrysler, Volkswagen, BMW, Fiat, Peugeot-Citroen, Renault, and many Japanese and Korean OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers. The Japanese vehicle manufacturers association, JAMA, have also been involved in the development of ISO/TS16949: 2002.

ISO/TS 16949 replaces AVSQ, EAQF, QS-9000 or VDA 6.1 registration requirements. However, OEM's will accept ISO/TS 16949 certification in place of the above standards. Some European manufacturers also recognize VDA 6.1. However, TS is the most widely accepted standard world-wide.

The Technical Specifications ISO/TS 16949 combines all previous and published requirements of the U.S. and European automobile industry (QS-9000, VDA 6.1, AVSQ, EAQF 94) on the basis of the ISO 9001:2000. They are supplemented by the customer requirements of the automobile industry.

Area of operation The ISO/TS 16949 should be implemented for all branches of manufacturers and suppliers of products or production material services such as heat treatment, galvanising or other surface treatments other products specified by customers It can be implemented in the entire automobile industry supplier chain. Certification to these technical specifications can only be awarded for a specific location. Remote locations, e.g. development, purchasing, sales and storage must be considered in the primary audit and in all following audits.

Advantages/benefits of ISO/TS 16949

Globally uniform and recognised automobile regulations with:

1. A comprehensive management approach
2. Integration of company processes
3. Strong focus on process approach
4. Strong focus on effectiveness.
5. Team thinking in the foreground

A systematic approach for targeting, company code system and a continuous improvement process Regular proof management of all company and process related codes Regular detection of customer satisfaction, and benchmarking Strong emphasis on prevention and planning Consistent error detection and consequently increased client trust Recognition as an attractive and reliable partner of the automobile industry Stronger concentration on internal and external customers Targeted display of strengths, weaknesses and improvement potential. As stronger emphasis is placed on the proof of the code and productivity improvement in the annual audit, the return on investment (ROI) is set at an earlier stage Better understanding of the automobile and supplier industry issues.