Materials mix-ups

Buildings must be designed with regard to the needs for manufacturing with minimum risk of contamination. There must be demarcation of areas for different activities. Such segregation reduces the possibility of contamination and materials mix-ups. 

Summary This chapter describes a four-component program of a program to avoid materials mix-ups on your site 1) effective identification of materials and parts in your procurement database. 2) selection of competent suppliers. 3) organization of efficient receiving inspections, and 4) implementing field audit before parts are used. The regulatory background that drives us to avoid materials mix-ups is also described. 

A quality control system to prevent costly materials mix-ups consists of the following parts 1) effective materials description in procurement database, 2) selection of competent suppliers, 3) receiving inspections performed at a mutually agreed level, and 4) field verification just before the materials are put to use. See Figure 1-2. 

Figure 1-2. Four main steps are required in a quality control system to prevent materials mix-up.

Approved suppliers must be audited from time to time to verify they are maintaining their systems in preventing materials mix-ups. As a minimum requirement, approved suppliers should be ISO 9000 certified. Non-approved suppliers must also be audited, initially to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their quality program. Those suppliers who fail must improve their weak areas, or be dropped. See Figure 1-5. 

Excellence in materials management requires continuous effort at all levels of the organization. Management s duty is to set up and sustain systems that avoid materials mix-ups through adherence to the following ... 

The following types of receiving inspection steps help minimize materials mix-ups ... 

---