ISO 9001 accreditation allows cable harness manufacturers to demonstrate proof of quality to their customers. It’s a very important indicator that customers can trust the process used during wire harness assembly and every process used to create products.
This form of accreditation is recognized worldwide as being an indicator of top quality manufacturing, so it’s well worth cable and wire harness manufacturers chasing this. Customers will be looking for this when choosing a manufacturer and it could be the difference between securing them and not doing so.
What is ISO 9001 accreditation?
ISO 9001 is an international standard of manufacturing quality, which focuses on the process used to create products, rather than the quality of the products themselves.
It is part of a group of standards published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which is often collectively referred to as the ‘ISO 9000 family’. As such, you might hear businesses referring to themselves as ‘ISO 9000 certified’. In spite of this, it’s important to remember that ISO only certifies specific processes, not businesses as a whole.
The ISO 9001 standards were last updated in September 2015. There were some small changes in approach detailed in the ISO 9001:2015 standards, although the core objectives remain similar to the 2008 edition. If a business is only compliant to ISO 9001:2008 standards, it really shouldn’t put you off too much.
How can a business achieve ISO 9001 accreditation?
To achieve ISO 9001 accreditation, a business has to prove its conformity to the standards laid out in the ISO documents. It can prove its conformity to these standards in one of three ways.
- Self-declaration: A company can perform its own internal audit and self-verify based on the ISO 9001 standards.
- Second-party assessment: A company can be assessed by a customer or another supplier with a high-quality reputation for manufacturing standards.
- Third-party assessment: A company can hire an impartial third party (known as a ‘certification body or a registrar’) to conduct an assessment and verify its conformity that way. This third party is qualified to issue a certificate confirming the conformity to ISO 9001 standards.
All three approaches require a qualified assessor. Have a look for this proof of conformity. It means the business has a proven approach to providing a reliable manufacturing process. You can feel more comfortable about this business complying with all necessary manufacturing regulations and meeting your needs and expectations as a result.
Tags: Cable Harness Manufacturers, Wire Harness Manufacturers
