Keeping up with industry requirements and regulations is critical if you’re an automotive supplier/manufacturer. If you don’t, you won’t be competitive for automotive business where compliance to ISO, and soon International Automotive Task Force (IATF), is a requirement not an option.

Automotive OEMs have identified too much risk in their vast automotive supply chains to consider suppliers who aren't compliant. However, becoming and staying compliant requires a significant amount of work and rigorous management but with the right tools and safeguards, it's much easier than you think.

Through inherent error-proofing that "operationalizes" your quality procedures, you ensure that your operations execute what is documented—and approved by customers—in your control plans. Automotive suppliers who have implemented the Plex Manufacturing Cloud are relying on the system to take the risk out of automotive compliance. They also gain peace of mind that regulations are being enforced including:

• APQP Standards – Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) quality documentation built to ISO/TS16949 standards and native support for the Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) standard processes.
• MMOG/LE Support – Supply chain processes outlined in the Material Management Operations Guidelines/Logistics Evaluation (MMOG/LE).
• EDI Support – F1, F2, and F3 criteria and compliance with Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

Precision Global Systems, an automotive supplier specializing in assembly services to the automotive industry, relied on Plex during initial certification for ISO 14001 and an annual surveillance audit for ISO/TS 16949—which came back with zero non-conformances and zero opportunities for improvement. This kind of result is a rare occurrence—even for the best suppliers.

The consistent workflow engine within Plex enforces procedures and approvals by routing to appropriate managers for compliant activities that have to be completed before any subsequent steps can begin. Throughout the system, “lockouts” provide automatic checks and stops to restrict sensitive processes like not allowing shipment of an automotive component until the required production part approval process (PPAP) package has been approved by the customer.

Keeping compliant with customer and industry regulations keeps your supplier rating high and reduces your risk of charge backs or penalties and especially lost business. Discover more ways to protect your manufacturing business from errors. Download the eBook: 6 Ways Error-Proofing Protects Your Manufacturing Business.