Originator: Stephen I. Dains/sdains
Page 1
Date Issued: 2-16-04
guidebookcommon spring 2004.doc
DateRevised: 5/6/2004
D.
ELEMENTSOFANEFFECTIVEQUALITYPLAN
The key elements of aneffectiveQualityPlanused for this evaluationareManagement
Commitment, Employee Involvement, Engineering, ProcessControl, QualityControl, Documented
VehicleSign-off, Customer Support, andManufacturingEnvironment. This sectionevaluates the
manufacturer's ability to implement those key elements of anoverall QualityPlanandProcess
Control Documentation that works daily toensure continual improvement.
D0100 MANAGEMENTCOMMITMENT
This sectionevaluatesmanagement's commitment topromotinghigh levels of safety, quality,
reliability, and customer satisfaction. The eagerness of employees tobecomeactive in
developingprocess andquality control innovationon the shop floor is vital to continual quality
improvement. But enthusiasm canbe lost withoutManagement'swillingness todevote resources
for tools,materials, and training.
D0101
Management shouldhavewrittenQuality andProcessControl Plans.
AQualityPlan shouldarticulatean ideological visionof quality commitment andbepublished toall
employees. Theplan should includequality indicators tomeasureperformanceandestablish
targets. Refer to
QVMBulletinQ-25,WrittenQualityandProcessControl
, for further details
andexamples of effectiveplans. (Appendix IX)
Anorganizedapproach is needed to control quality and themanufacturingprocess.
Writinga
planpromotescommunicationandacommonunderstandingamongall peopleandhelps
demonstratecommitment
. Commitment from the topof the company to theproductionworker
is required for success. Management shouldbewilling todevote resources topromotehigh
levels of quality, safety, reliability and customer satisfaction. Additionally,management needs to
bepersonally involvedand lead the company in its efforts topromote continuous quality
improvement by adopting theapplicableprocess andquality control recommendations included in
this guide.
D0103
TheQualityPlan should consider such requirements as theFord IVM, FMVSSor CMVSS
regulations, and industry specific regulations or guidelines as found inNTEA (includingAMDand
MSBMA), KKK, NMEDA, RVIA, SAE, etc.
D0104
Oneperson shouldbe specifically designated as being responsible for the interpretationand
resultant incorporationof C/FMVSSandother government regulations.
D0105
ThedesignatedC/FMVSS representativemust possess ademonstratedengineeringexpertise
and retaina copy of the
IncompleteVehicleManual
andall C/FMVSS requirements. The latest
Codeof Federal Regulations, Title49, Parts400 to999
and
CanadianTransportationLaw
Reporter
shouldbe consulted. AC/FMVSS complianceanalysis, testingwhereapplicable, and
sign-off
must
be conducted for eachmodel manufactured in the currentmodel year and
documented inwriting. The results of the analysismust bedocumentedand remainon file.
Documentation should includea statement of thebasis for any engineering judgment used to
determine conformity toa requirement. Appropriate test results shouldbe included. C/FMVSS
compliancedocumentationmust beupdated yearly andwhenever anew or significantly revised
model is introduced.
As part of theC/FMVSS105 compliance representation, center-of-gravity calculations for
completedunits offered in the currentmodel yearmust be conducted, or C/FMVSS105 testing
must beperformed. Refer to the
IncompleteVehicleManual
. Refer toAppendix I for an
exampleof a typical C/FMVSS sign-off assessment. (Using theFord format is not required).
D0106
Companies areencouraged to joinand support their industry tradeassociations as away to keep
abreast of proposed legislativeactions and toprovide chassis designand featuredesires to the
OEMmanufacturers inaunited fashion.
