From: David Chappell - UK, [EMAIL PROTECTED] Hiya, I'm sorry, but I just have to add my two pence worth to this thread! One or two contributors have made reference to the ISO 9000 series as if they were some sort of guarantee of quality - They are not. ISO 9001, 9002 and 9003 (or the old BS 5750 parts 1, 2 & 3) are quality standards, but what they are not is manufacturing standards. The difference is whether you just provide a service, manufacture or design and manufacture. All that they mean is that you have a quality manual. Which describes (often in great detail), via procedures everything that the company does. Approval depends on the quality manual and audits to confirm that you are following it. This manual is followed, without deviation. It controls everything that is done. You can be turning out absolute useless crap, but it will be consistent crap, made the same way each time! If your quality manual says that in order to make proof rounds you take 30% of the powder from one cartridge and add it to another then thats fine. It doesn't make it right, but you are following your quality manual. Many companies obtain ISO 9000 approval and then claim that their products, or services are 'made to ISO 9000' - these are invalid and misleading claims. I hope this spreads a little enlightenment. David. (one time QA manager, who oversaw the implementation of BS 5750, then ISO 9000!) -- Mmm, I thought that the ISO 9000 standard had outside evaluations done to ensure quality, from I dimly recall of my TQM course in university. I know they rarely do it but if you go the whole hog (is that 9001 or 9003?), ISO may turn it over to someone familiar with the industry to make sure it is being done correctly, not just consistently. That was the idea at any rate. Everyone who has an ISO 9000 qualification has to have an independent evaluator show up once a year I think who does a review, I know that much. However if you have something really complex or potentially dangerous I was under the impression they had to refer to an expert from that industry. Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________________________ T O P I C A -- Learn More. Surf Less. Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose. http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01
