Title: Overview on the application of ISO/TS 16949:2009, in a worldwide leader company in the production of stainless steel tubes for automotive exhaust systems

Authors: M. Bevilacqua, Filippo Emanuele Ciarapica, Giancarlo Giacchetta, Barbara Marchetti

Addresses: Dipartimento di Energetica, Universita Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche 12, Ancona 60131, Italy. ' Facolta di Scienze e Tecnologia, Libera Universita di Bolzano, Piazza Universita, 5, Bolzano 39100, Italy. ' Dipartimento di Energetica, Universita Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche 12, Ancona 60131, Italy. ' Facolta di Ingegneria, Universita degli Studi eCampus, Via Isimbardi 10, Novedrate (CO) 22060, Italy

Abstract: This paper presents an overview on the quality approach of a company that is at the leading edge in the sector of stainless steel-based products and represents an example of best practice in pursuing a continual improvement and the customer satisfaction. In this study, the attention has been focused on the application of the technical specification ISO 16949:2009 in accordance with the ISO 9000:2008, for the quality control of stainless steel tubes produced for automotive applications in one of the company plant devoted to the realisation of welded tubes for mufflers and exhaust pipes. The case study examined demonstrates how the effective adoption of the standards can help in reaching the highest level of performances in the production process, giving high-quality products and consolidating the company position on the market.

Keywords: technical specifications; automotive exhaust systems; APQP; advanced product quality planning; PPAP; production part approval process; FMEA; failure modes and effect analysis; MSA; measurement systems analysis; GR&R; gauge repeatability and reproducibility; ISO 16949; quality standards; International Organization for Standardization; stainless steel tubes; leading edge; best practice; continual improvement; customer satisfaction; ISO 9000; quality control; automotive applications; automobile industry; mufflers; exhaust pipes; production processes; high-quality products; market consolidation; multinational corporations; MNCs; productivity; quality management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2011.040542

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2011 Vol.7 No.4, pp.410 - 439

Published online: 02 Jun 2011 *

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