Chapter 3 – Role, origins and application of ISO/TS 16949

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the history of quality-system requirements in the automotive industry that led to the creation of ISO/TS 16949, along with its role, its purpose, scope and its application. ISO 9000/TS 16949 is a Technical Specification (TS) that, in conjunction with ISO 9001:2000, defines the quality management system requirements for the design and development, production and, when relevant, installation and service of automotive-related products. The purpose of ISO/TS 16949 is to assist organizations, supplying product or service into the automotive sector to operate systems that not only ensure whether these products and services meet customer requirements, but also provide continual improvement, emphasize defect prevention, and reduce variation and waste in the supply chain. People produce the products and services supplied by organizations and standards that merely serve to guide these people in choosing the right things to do. It is the quality of leadership in an organization that creates an environment in which people do the right things right, without having to be told. The emergence of common certification scheme is explained. ISO 9000 addresses the business community and it was intended for purchasers as a means for them to obtain products and services of consistent quality from their suppliers. Taking the place of purchaser-specified general quality management requirements, ISO 9000 became the common requirement and hence, eliminated the need for such requirements. British, American, German, Italian, and French contribution towards the development of a sector standard that became ISO/TS 16949 is also explained. The ISO/TS 16949 certification scheme, ISO/TS 16949 certification criteria, applications of ISO/TS 16949, and anomalies in ISO/TS 16949 are also discussed.