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Quality Management System (QMS). Manufacturers must be able to imme- diately produce real-time records and documentation. Also, the manner in which records are stored must be secure and well-documented. Auditors will seek to identify what each compa- ny documents, how it documents infor- mation, how it retrieves records, who has access to records and how the com- pany protects its QMS when data and records of external origin are introduced into the system. This includes records created or maintained by suppliers.
Rev. C also requires that manufac- turers be able to identify and trace all steps in their manufacturing process- es, from start to finish; record any issues that occur at any step of the process; and prevent problems before they cause nonconformances or require rework.
With Rev. C, the manufacturer must be able to identify the steps involved in every manufacturing process, such as the inspection of tooling, materials and machinery. For example, suppliers must be able to identify steps describing how tools are inspected, maintained and replaced at prescribed intervals.
Customer Satisfaction a Focal Point
Rev. C is more demanding than Rev. B when it comes to documenting and measuring customer satisfaction. For example, Rev. C requires aerospace suppliers to develop, deploy and main- tain a customer-satisfaction improve- ment plan; track its performance to that plan; initiate corrective actions in response to negative trends; and report on the results of any corrective actions.
The plan must measure critical cus- tomer-satisfaction data, such as:
• Delivered part quality performance;
• Customer disruptions, including field returns;
• Delivery-schedule performance, including incidents of premium freight; and
• Customer notifications related to quality or delivery issues.
Solutions in the Cloud
While many aerospace and defense companies already had, prior to the introduction of Rev. C, transitioned from paper-based to electronic docu- ment-management processes, this transition is now an urgent need for those who have not. Cloud-based ERP systems that automate data collection and maintenance provide immediate accessibility to real-time data. Many systems can be deployed quickly and without significant upfront cost.
Aerospace suppliers should seek cloud ERP systems that integrate tra- ditional ERP functions with plant-floor functions, the company’s QMS, sup- ply-chain management capabilities
and other critical business and opera- tional functions. A fully integrated sys- tem eliminates the need for redundant data entry, patches between systems and any delays in pulling and sharing real-time reports and documentation.
Burden or Opportunity?
Manufacturers often view new reg- ulations as a burden that will consume time and resources. While it’s true that, for those companies that have relied on paper-based processes and disparate or out-of-date systems, the changes needed to meet Rev. C will require a great deal of work, the long-term benefits should outweigh the short-term investment.
Those that use the latest cloud- based ERP technologies experience streamlined operations, increased pro- ductivity, reduced scrap and other ben- efits. Not only does it make it easy for manufacturers to meet the tough requirements of Rev. C, but they’re also well-positioned for improved compet- itiveness and growth. MF
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Francis Louis Charbonneau and John Lundy have produced a series of webinars discussing the impacts of Rev. C. The webinars have been recorded and are available from Plex Systems, on demand, at http://erp.plex.com/forms/ operational-impacts- revc-charbonneau.
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