English (UK) 
简体中文 Why are some factories able to produce steering wheels one day and bumpers the next like Transformers?The secret lies in the "IATF16949 flexible production line" set of combinations.! To put it bluntly, it is to make auto parts factory can be flexible to change production, but also can be stuck in the quality of the "intelligent sinews". Today, we will break open the rubbing, look at this system from zero to build the whole process, novice white can also understand in seconds!
🔧I. Preparatory stage: don't rush to start, the foundation has to be firmly laid!
- Leaders must be personally in charge!
It's not something the quality department can handle on its own. The boss has to give the go-ahead, pay the money, give the people, and yell at the conference, "Quality is the lifeblood!" Why? Why? Because it involves cross-departmental co-operation (production, purchasing, technology have to be moved), without the top management to hold the field, it can not be pushed!personal viewpoint: I've seen too many companies stuck in this step, the quality manager runs through the legs, other departments "um and ah" do not move, and finally the system has become a paper article. - Form a "special forces" unit.
Don't just keep the quality department busy! Pull together a multi-purpose team of production backbones, technical gurus, and purchasing veterans.put the emphasis on: It would be better to have the General Manager as the leader of the team, or to have someone who can "shout down" all the departments to take the lead. The first task of the group?Develop detailed day-to-day operational plans! For example: 1 month to get the first draft of the document done and 2 months to get it ready for commissioning. - Look in the mirror and see how much you weigh.
Forget about how lofty the standards are for now, and honestly map out the current state of your home:- How far is the existing process from IATF 16949? (e.g., is special feature management a mess?)
- What is the level of staff? Are the machines and equipment smart enough?
- What are the most common customer complaints? Where are the links where suppliers keep dropping the ball?
It's like going to the doctor, you have to diagnose before you can prescribe!
📝II. System design: twisting "flexibility" and "standards" together
- Process identification: Drawing an "octopus diagram" to clarify the chain of command
Flex line is not a chaotic change, there has to be a chapter and verse! Draw the whole process from order taking to shipping like an octopus (the centre is the core process, the tentacles are the supporting processes).The key question to ask yourselfWhat must be rigidly controlled (e.g. welding parameters)? What can be flexibly adjusted (e.g. production sequence)? The requirements of IATF 16949 (tools like SPC, FMEA) are precisely "injected" into the critical joints. - Documentation: Speak human! Don't book all day!
Documents are not written for auditors, they are for frontline staff!Personal experience in the pit: Don't copy the template of foreign companies and make a whole lot of paperwork out of it.- Quality Manual:: Clarify "what are our quality objectives and what is the scope".
- programme fileLike "how to do product design" and "how to manage suppliers", it is better to draw a clear flow chart than to write 10,000 words.
- operating instructions:.Top priority!Use photos + arrows + large letters to highlight key actions, e.g. "change model".mandatoryThree-coloured identification cards: red = special features / yellow = error-proof points / green = routine operations".bear in mind: The more the document resembles an instruction manual for dummies, the less likely it is to run off the rails in execution!
- Getting the "Big Five" tools right.
IATF16949 in the flexible line to play around, all rely on the support of these five professional tools: APQP (product pre-planning), FMEA (Failure Mode Analysis), PPAP (Production Part Approval), SPC (Statistical Process Control), MSA (Measurement System Analysis).Don't panic!You don't have to drill too deep at first, make sure that the core processes (e.g. those involving safety features) are used first, and then slowly spread them out.
🏃Thirdly, floor running: don't let the documents eat dust in the cabinet!
- Staff training: translating standards into "human language"
Here comes the hardest hurdle! The teacher is used to operating based on experience, you suddenly ask him to fill in the records, do point inspection, he must be confused.How do I break it?- tiered teachingLeaders learn the strategic significance, engineers learn the tools and methods, and operators learn the "pocket manual" (A6 size, illustrated with "three checks on the power-on", "abnormal three-step report"). (A6 size, illustrated with "three checks on start-up" and "three-step report of abnormality").
- scenario practice: Mock audits by the production line, unannounced quizzes for employees: "What should I do if the error-proofing device goes off?" Points are awarded on the spot for correct answers and saved up for rewards.
- bring in the old and bring in the new: The master teaches the apprentice to operate in compliance, and the two are rewarded together! The use of "social acquaintances" pressure is more effective than the system.
- Internal Audit: "Finding fault" with yourself in order to make progress
Don't wait for the customer or certification body to hit you in the face! You can "find fault" in three levels first:- Team Leader Daily Patrol: Keeping a close eye on field operations for compliance (e.g., did the spot check tick?). :;
- Quality Engineer Monthly Survey: To see if the process is "selling the dog" (e.g., has the FMEA been updated? Does the control plan match the actual production?) :: See if the processes are "flimsy" (e.g. FMEA updated?
- Management quarterly review: To seize the loopholes in the system (such as customer special requirements to cover all?). The following is a list of the most common loopholes in the system.
centre: Problems identifiedIt must be traced back to its roots.! For example, if a workstation always misses inspections, is it because of poor training? Or is the process design anti-human?
- Trial run: fix it as you go, don't go for a one-step solution
Flex lines are most afraid of downtime! That's why commissioning should be done "in small steps":- Pick a line or a product family to pilot first;
- Allow for poor initial documentation and process jams, butMust be reviewed every dayWhat's stuck? How do I change it?
- The compliance rate of each shift is made public with a visualised Kanban board, green (compliance)/yellow (warning)/red (lighted rectification), so that progress can be seen!
🎯Fourth, the certification sprint: the doorstep to be stable and accurate
- Pick a certification body: don't just go cheap!
Look for an organisation with a reputation in the automotive industry that understands your process. Ask ahead of time: auditor background? How soon can you schedule? Does the fee include travel?lesson learnt through blood and tearsThe wrong organisation, an auditor who knows nothing about production, can make a factory vomit blood. - Mock external audits: a "stress test"
Before certification, consult the company or sister factory experts, pretending to be an auditor to "find fault". Focus on checking:- Whether the documentation is "consistent with what is said and written" (e.g., the work instructions require double signatures, but are they actually signed?). (e);
- Sudden anomalies (e.g., device parameter drift) have not been contained according to process;
- Special Customer Requirements(e.g. Volkswagen VDA clause) Enforcement evidence all or nothing?
- Dealing with formal audits: candour + speed = the secret to passing the test
Don't hide when auditing! The auditor asked what to answer, the site can not find the record? Immediately transfer the system to check.most critical: For non-conformities (NC items) issued, don't bullshit about reasons, come up with a rectification plan within 24 hours, and take care of the evidence within a week! Good attitude + fast action, get the certificate is basically stable.
🔄V. Continuous improvement: getting a licence is the beginning, not the end!
- Data mining
Flex lines generate huge amounts of data every day (equipment parameters, quality control records, downtime...). Don't just store it! Analyse it monthly:- Which product is the slowest to change models? Where are the bottlenecks?
- What quality issues are bubbling up over and over again? Has the FMEA not been updated?
- personal experienceThe factory that uses data to drive improvements is truly "smart", otherwise it's just an automated assembly line.
- Management review: the owner must be present!
Every quarter, I pull up the top brass and use the data to say, "Look! This month, customer complaints dropped 20%, but the changeover time exceeded the standard, we have to invest money to buy quick-change tooling ... ...".bear in mindThe system is alive, the market has changed, new customer requirements, technology upgrades, the system must also follow the change! - Making improvements "addictive"
In the workshop to engage in the "Golden Idea" tournament, who puts forward suggestions for improvement were adopted (such as optimising the location of the error prevention device), will be posted on the honor roll photo + bonus.The essence of the flex line is that everyone uses their brains and gets smarter!
And finally, a little bit of truth.IATF16949 Flex Line: Don't expect to buy a software package and write a bunch of documents. It is the test ofCan the whole factory's "brain circuit" be flexible and disciplined at the same time?. Seen too many factories, equipment millions of robots placed, the results are stuck in the staff do not follow the process of point inspection, data sleep in the computer.True flexibility is allowing standards to grow into the muscle memory of employees and data to become a navigator for improvement. Doing so is not just about passing the test, it's about living hard in a rolled-up automotive supply chain!
