Engineering Compliance

[StJudas]

I'll start by saying I'm a young engineer and have only been with my current company for 1.5 years or so full time. Almost a year of that time we have been without a full time Engineering Manager. The interim manager is a fellow engineer and he sent me to a meeting quite a while back that in effect put me on a committee that oversees mistakes that happen throughout the manufacturing process and tries to ensure we are AS9100 compliant.

Through this I realized that there were ways that our department was not compliant and that we'd been written up for it in audits for a number of years running. With the interim manager's consent I updated some documentation to a more user friendly format that would bring us to compliance and went through the necessary channels and approvals to ensure it met all the requirements. The other engineers were asked to participate in the development and told that they would have to comply with the end product, but after release a number of them do not and claim it's unnecessary paper work when asked about it.

Since then there have been a number of issues in our department relating to communications with the manufacturing facility and engineering errors that have come up through the committee and observation. From there I developed possible solutions, presented to the interim manager who thought they were good solutions but when it comes to implementation there is never much in the way of enforcement. When these issues continue to surface I am then subjected to pressure from this committee to correct them. I know that the interim manager has a lot on his plate, which is why I have done my best to assist in any way I can but am I wrong to feel a little annoyed and discouraged that approved solutions aren't followed through with?

As the youngest engineer in the company I'm hesitant to push harder, but I also know that these issues cast a negative light on our department and I really would rather not throw my fellow engineers under the bus during these meetings.

 

[GregLocock]

Without serious management buy-in you'll struggle to get anyone to conform to a plan that defines anything different to business as usual (BAU).

So don't take it personally.

If you recast the policies and procedures so that they reflect BAU in all its glory, then you may get conformance. Bear in mind that ISO 9000 is just document what you do, then do what you document. If you forget the first part of that sentence then you failed.



Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[Latexman]

Was there buy-in from the folks that are not following the new procedure, or was the new policy "shoved down their throat" or "thrown over the fence" to them? This also may be showing that the interim manager isn't/doesn't want to be the permanent manager, as he may one day need to come back into the fold, so he doesn't ruffle any feathers.

Good luck,
Latexman

Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529

 

[graybeach]

I have been trying to get my engineering department (utility) to get better at documenting what we do then doing what we document (as Greg puts it) and really feel your pain. I have been able to implement a good system for the people I supervise, but we are just a supporting discipline. The management above me does not take any meaningful action to get the other disciplines on board. I try not to get too frustrated and figure that eventually there will be a major screw up due to our lack of documentation. When that happens, hopefully eyes will open. Meanwhile I try to lead by example and accept that my power to change anything is limited.

 

[PSE]

Judging from the assertion that you are being tasked with helping to assure AS9100 compliance that it means the company is not registered by an independent registrar at being AS9100 compliant (certified). As Greg indicates, without buy-in from top management it is highly unlikely that "grass roots" efforts will be sustainable. There are $ tied to registering and certifying a Quality Management System. If you have customers that are pushing for your company to get registered/certified, you might get somewhere. If there is no incentive either internal or external you won't find much support. Do your best and try not to get frustrated. In my current position in working with medical products there are regulatory requirements that provide the "stick" portion of the incentive to have a compliant/certified QMS. I am not sure the same holds true to AS9100 with regards to any FAA or other regulatory bodies.

Regards,

Bruce Youngman

http://www.dynamicsolutions-mi.com

 

[StJudas]

Our company is currently registered as AS9100 certified but as far as the engineering department goes we've been written up for the past 2 years for non compliance with the documentation side of things. Unfortunately, if we don't document it properly it doesn't seem to matter that we're performing the tasks up to standard. Or else that may be why they have only been deemed "Minor" violations. Before the document was released 3 meetings were held and various emails were sent asking for input as to what would make it easiest for the engineers so I don't know that it can be thought of as "shoved down their throats" other than the fact that we do have to do the documentation. The other preventative measures never move past the interim manager and I suppose you guys are correct, it will take actual management buy in to make much of a difference. I found out the yesterday that my name came up in a discussion with upper management as to why I haven't helped the engineering department reduce the number of issues as a member of the committee. The individuals asked about it, luckily from the way it sounds, knew that I have been trying and just don't have the authority to make things happen. There now talk of using some departmental error analysis I went through for engineering in other departments to minimize scrap and rework. HOpefully this will help enforcement in our department but until then I'll just have to stick it out and do what I can until there is some management push behind the measures, as you've said.

Thank you for all of the input. I do feel better about it now.

Mold Design: Pro Engineer
Product Design: Solidworks
Aircraft Tooling: Catia V5

 

[berkshire]

St Judas,
You need a mentor, or at least somebody in senior management who has bought into the system, who can support you.
One other way I hate to say it, is a customer who will write you up and threaten to remove work from you, this will usually get senior management's attention.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[MikeHalloran]

>>> non compliance with the documentation side of things. <<<

In XX9000 and in a Florida mudhole, there is no other side.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[GregLocock]

1) Does the actual workflow system, as is being used, produce reasonable results, and is it sufficiently well understood that you could write it down with a straight face?

2)Do you have the authority to write new procedures or modify old ones?





Cheers

Greg Locock


New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376

http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?

 

[StJudas]

Berkshire, I agree. It's going to take senior management buy
in to change things. I've now submitted my corrective actions and analysis that lead to them to senior management to see what will come of them. Half compliance isn't compliance as Mike said.

The problem with the current system is the thousands of dollars in errors that happen. Last week was the first week in 16 that there hasn't been one. We could do things in a more efficient manner, of that I'm sure. I currently have a number of things in the works now to reduce the number and magnitude of errors. I'm not as worried about stepping on toes now. If it hurts my career there because I want my company to do as well as it can then I'll adjust accordingly.

Mold Design: Pro Engineer
Product Design: Solidworks
Aircraft Tooling: Catia V5

 

[berkshire]

St Judas,
In a case like yours you have to use the water dripping on a stone system. Just keep documenting the shortfalls and corrective actions.

The problem with the current system is the thousands of dollars in errors that happen. Last week was the first week in 16 that there hasn't been one.

This may be something you can turn to your advantage, if documentation you reviewed or produced, was the cause of it,
The other thing that can get management action is an external audit , or the threat of it by a big customer. Make friends with your auditor.
B.E.





You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.