What Is the IATF?
IATF stands for International Automotive Task Force. The IATF is an association of automotive manufacturers. The IATF includes American car manufacturers like General Motors and Ford Motor Company. It includes international car makers, as well, such as Volkswagen, Renault, and Daimler AG.
Associations like the IATF work together to create common standards for their parts and products. This allows them to create parts that are universally plug-and-play and sets commonly understood standards for performance, safety and quality. The IATF had as one of its primary goals the creation of international, fundamental quality standards for vehicles from the materials used to finishing services. They set up a set of policies and procedures for any party that wants to work in the automotive industry, so that everyone is meeting the same industry standards. They coordinate the evolution of automotive standards with the changes in other industry specifications.
What Is IATF 16949?
The first version of the IATF 16949 standard came out in 2016. It replaces ISO/TS 16949 because IATF broke away from the ISO or International Standards Organization. This was in part due to the IATF putting more emphasis on customer requirements.
The goal of the IATF standard 16949 is to provide defect production, reduction of waste, improved quality and continual improvement for the automotive industry.
What Are the Benefits of Achieving IATF 16949 Certification?
It is a proven business credential for automotive suppliers. It may be required to be a supplier for major car companies. Meeting the IATF 16949 standard requires a firm to invest in continuous process improvement. This leads to ever-increasing quality. This may reduce material waste and save money. It often results in greater operational efficiencies. It certainly forces firms to regularly assess their operational workflows and ensure that any changes are controlled and quality maintained as things change.
What Organizations Should Meet the IATF 16949 Standard?
The standard is applicable to any business that makes parts, subassemblies and components for the automotive industry. These components range from bumpers to bass speakers sold as after-market upgrades. It includes items materials turned into final products and items assembled into the final vehicle as well as any assembled vehicle. IATF 16949 also covers finishing services for vehicles such as painting or plating operations.
How Does IATF 16949 Relate to ISO Standards?
The 2016 version of ISO 16949 incorporates the structure of the 2015 version of ISO 9001’s quality management system. This is aside from the fact that any automotive manufacturer could already have been using the ISO 9001 quality management system. ISO certification does require certification from a third party auditor, and that process is now done completely outside the IATF. If you need to get your organization qualified in order to meet the IATF 16949, click here to visit this website.
Note that IATF 16949 certification may lay the groundwork for meeting ISO quality management standards but does not guarantee it.
Are Organizations that Meet IATF 16949 Registered?
IATF 16949 certification is possible. Organizations that meet the IATF 16949 standard are registered by the IATF and added to the IATF organization. You can verify that an organization is IATF certified by visiting the IATF website.
