IATF 16949- Introduction

IATF 16949:2016 is a standard in the automotive industry that is recognized world-wide. This standard has significantly contributed to the harmonization of the requirements placed on management systems in the automotive industry. IATF 16949 is recognized by all automobile manufacturers globally and is required in the supply chain. IATF 16949:2016 was published in October, 2016 by the IATF and supersedes and replaces the current ISO/TS 16949, defining the requirements of a quality management system for organizations in the automotive industry..

IATF 16949 requirements include the following key aspects:

• Product safety
• Risk management
• Contingency planning
• Requirement for embedded software
• Change management
• Sub-tier supplier management

IATF 16949-Benefits

There are numerous benefits of implementing IATF 16949. These include: 

• Ability to supply to automotive industry: This can be one of the main drives for companies to become registered to IATF 16949. In order to get large customers from the automotive industry, organisations need to demonstrate their ability to provide quality products with no defects.
• Creditability and company repetition: IATF 16949 is an internationally recognised standard; it has become the basis for creating a Quality Management System (QMS) around the world and has replaced many previously published requirements. When a customer is looking for a supplier the requirement to have a QMS based on IATF 16949 is often a major consideration if you are competing for work in the automotive industry.
• Process approach: Identify improvements in efficiency, ensure product's quality and safety and drive cost savings
• Promoting sound quality management which becomes a means of doing business and not an end in and of itself.
• Positioning the organization as a quality leader and providing a framework by which to respond to quality inquiries from customers.

IATF 16949-Clauses

• 1 Scope
  2 Normative references
  3 Terms and definitions
  4 Context of the organization
  5 Leadership
  6 Planning
  7 Support
  8 Operation
  9 Performance evaluation
  10 Improvement
• It is the automotive industry’s most widely used international standards for quality management, ISO/TS 16949 is evolving with the publication of a new global industry standard by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF). ISO/TS 16949, a technical specification for automotive sector quality management systems, has become one of the most widely used international standards in the automotive industry, harmonizing the different assessment and certification systems in the global automotive supply chain.