During the pre-launch phase and current production, the customer representative reserves the right to perform the process audit. Production is the area where the most non-conformities are found. Therefore it should be properly prepared.
Trained personnel
The customer representative audit for this area is one of the key elements proving the supplier’s readiness to produce the parts. It consists in checking the matrix with the assigned skill level of production operators first. The customer representative will then verify that the workers who are currently working on the production line have the required authority with respect to the skill matrix records.
Additional tip during customer representative audit
First of all, we should check the employees from the production shift that will be available during the customer’s visit. Therefore, if you verify the second shift on Friday, check whether this shift will work on the first shift or the third shift on Monday.
What to check about measurement and control devices during customer representative audit
When I was working as a customer representative, I always checked this activity in production. The description of the procedure is very simple, because it consists in taking a control and measurement device from a given operation and checking its calibration date.
The next step is to confirm compliance with a given calibration label directly in the measurement laboratory in a proper database, whether the dates are correct.
First good part approval witness
More experienced customer representatives can also get a first good part approval witness on this occasion. It’s a finished product, which is a kind of certification of the production line release both in terms of the process parameters and the dimensionally and / or material-compatible product manufactured with the release of the above parameters.
Customer representative audit and management of gauges
Gauges are another element verified by the client. What should you pay attention to before the client’s visit? A few examples are given below:
Do all gauges correspond to the current revision of the change level for the manufactured part?
Do all gauges have adequate weather protection?
For gauges owned by the customer: Do the gauges have a plate / label that their owner is the customer
Components identification failure – the easiest way to escalate
When preparing for the customer’s visit to the production area, it’s worth checking all components for without proper identification. It includes the correct marking of products intended for scrap, selection, shipment, first good part approval witnesses and work-in-progress (WIP) products.
Error proofing – client says “I check”
When working in the automotive industry, you can very often meet with devices or specially crafted parts. They are referred to as error proofing.
For example, if fuel lines are manufactured, such an device would be a fuel line with a corresponding hole. Before production, it is used to validate the leakage tester in which the pressure drop is measured as a function of time. They are also named as “red rabbit or” pezzo trappola “(it) for example.
Customer representative audit also applies to this area. As a result, the client may ask for such a test to be performed in his presence. The goal, of course, is to confirm the effectiveness for its proper functioning (no leakage). For the fuel line, it will of course be a confirmation that the tester “caught” a leaky fuel pipe.
Adequate communication provided to production operators
The last thing I wanted to mention in this article relates to proper communication. It’s important that production operators, leaders and managers are well informed in advance about the customer’s visit.
It’s also worth considering selecting an employee who will not be stressed by presenting individual steps performed at a given workstation.
You can download an automatic, editable Excel form for free on the Free Quality Tools
Document name: Check List – 50 activities to be verified before the customer’s visit – Excel form
Dariusz Kowalczyk
