Our specialized services include:

   ISO 9000 Certification
   QS 9000 Certification
   Laboratory Accreditation
   Internal Auditor Training
   Internal Audit Management
   Electronic Document Management
   Additional Training Courses

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ISO 9000 Certification
CSC can help your company upgrade your current quality system to the new ISO 9000: 2000 revisions. For more information please contact us.
Why Should we become ISO 9000 Certified?

ISO 9000 is recognized as the quality management standard by 130 countries worldwide (that's more than are in the United Nations!). The US Department of Economic Development has forecast that by 2006 there will be 1,000,000 registered to ISO 9000 in the USA, today there are approximately 30,000. But what are the reasons you should be implementing the standard?

Organization - The first step to improving a process is to gain complete control over it. When you have control, you have a baseline from which to work. ISO 9000 achieves this control by documenting exactly what is supposed to happen. An additional advantage of the ISO 9000 process is that it provides specific targets for employees to meet. These targets motivate employees to achieve, therefore maximizing their productivity.

Ease of Training - The importance of properly defined training cannot be overstated. Using the documented procedures laid down by the standard, new employees can grasp the requirements of each task from the beginning. In this regard, training is made easier and can be focused toward more specific roles.

New Markets - With the technological advances made in the last two decades, the business world has truly become a global marketplace. The potential to increase your market by exporting is massive. ISO 9000 certification is your passport to international markets.

Competitive Advantage - As an internationally recognized symbol of consistent and dependable quality, ISO 9000 provides a substantial competitive advantage. It stands to reason that registered firms would receive preferential consideration. Large corporations and Government departments have already begun to specify ISO 9000 as a prerequisite to contract bidding. Look at your industry. Are your competitors already certified or working toward ISO 9000?

Legal Liability - With product liability becoming an increasingly important consideration, demonstrating "Good Practice" is advisable. ISO 9000 provides:   external evidence of control over all processes, traceability of product, complete records of production and efficient mechanisms for product recall. In addition, if your company has ISO 9001 its design process for new products will also be fully documented.

Cost -The most important factor in considering ISO 9000 is this:   companies who have implemented ISO 9000 standards have shown savings averaging from 10-15% per annum. These savings result from better work practices, more efficient time management and the reduction of direct quality costs such as remakes. There will also be hidden cost savings such as the time and energy currently invested in external audits conducted by customers and suppliers. In addition, by determining these customers and suppliers' individual specifications, you will impress upon them the importance of their needs to your company.

A recent ISO 9000 press release from the International Organization for Standardization provides the following information:

* At the end of 1998, more than 270,000 ISO 9000 certificates were issued; an increase of 48,500 over 1997.
* 143 countries had ISO 9000 certificates issued, up from 128 at the end of 1997.
* The USA and Italy showed the highest growth rate in 1998, with 6,406 and 5,961 certificates issued respectively.
* Europe accounted for 83% of certificates issued for ISO 9000.
* The Far East, which accounted for 2% of all certificates in 1997, is now at 14%.

Key Benefits of ISO 9000 Certification

Many experts believe that the driving factor to become "Quality Certified" is market pressure. Very simply, organizations that can demonstrate higher quality will out-perform those that cannot, or will not.
The reason is obvious: quality, in products, services, practices, and procedures is a competitive asset; and a variety of private and public sector facilities are actively developing formal quality programs.

Organizations that become Quality Certified are able to:

  Improve business efficiency
  Ensure quality and repeatability of results
  Ensure timely, accurate, accessible information
  Develop "best practices" and eliminate costly surprises
  Save administrative costs
  Facilitate the organization's ability to obtain contracts
  Enter new markets that may have been previously closed
  Enhance credibility for procurements requiring teaming
  Enhance credentials for professional publications and research
  Facilitate patent filings

Why should we choose CSC as our partner?

CSC offers comprehensive services that will help you achieve your Quality goals. We can:

Help you select a Registrar that has experience in your industry
  Conduct an initial company review
  Help you establish policies and objectives
  Identify documentation requirements
  Make assignments and prepare MS project plans
  Prepare documentation
  Manage implementation schedules, training and follow-up actions
  Conduct training on Internal Auditing, SPC, Gage R&Rs, FMEAs, etc.
  Identify and implement electronic tools to better manage these systems
  Conduct internal audits
  Complete corrective actions
  Conduct vendor and supplier audits
  Help you maintain your quality program

As part of our normal approach we complete a full assessment prior to the registration audit. All members of our team are trained Lead Auditors, so assessments are carried out in the same way, and to the same standard, as the Registrar.

For more information on ISO 9000 certification programs please contact us.

Why Should we become QS 9000 Certified?

Ideally, for the same reasons that you would become ISO 9000 Certified. But more likely, because your current and/or potential customers are requiring it.

Why should we choose CSC as our partner?

CSC has developed a proven implementation method that will document your system, train key personnel to manage it and prepare you for your QS 9000 registration assessment.

Whether your company is large or small, we can help you implement a QS 9000 based Quality Management System. Many of CSC's customers are small companies (2-30 employees) where resources are limited but who need a QS 9000 registration.

CSC offers comprehensive services that will help you achieve your quality goals. We can:

  Help you select a Registrar that has experience in your industry
  Conduct an initial company review
  Help you establish policies and objectives
  Identify documentation requirements
  Make assignments and prepare MS project plans
  Prepare documentation
  Manage implementation schedules, training, follow-up actions
  Conduct training on Internal Auditing, SPC, Gage R&Rs, FMEAs, etc.
  Identify and implement electronic tools to better manage these systems
  Conduct internal audits
  Complete corrective actions
  Conduct vendor and supplier audits
  Help you maintain your quality program

As part of our normal approach we complete a full assessment prior to the registration audit. All of our team are trained Lead Auditors, so assessments are carried out in the same way, and to the same standard, as the Registrar.

For more information on QS 9000 certification programs please contact us.

What is QS-9000?
QS-9000 is the shorthand name for "Quality System Requirements QS-9000." It is the common supplier quality standard for Daimler-Chrysler Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and General Motors Corporation. QS-9000 is based on the 1994 edition of ISO 9001, but it contains additional requirements that are particular to the automotive industry. These additions are considered automotive "interpretations" by the ISO community of accreditation bodies and registrars.

What is ISO 9000 vs. QS-9000?
ISO9000 is a set of standards created by an international body to help manufacturing companies produce quality products (ISO has since been adapted for the service industry as well). The first version of ISO9000 came out in 1987. QS9000 is a more stringent set of standards developed by the Big Three (Ford, Chrysler, GM) and some truck manufacturers as a set of standards for the tier one suppliers to Ford, GM and Chrysler. QS9000 incorporates ISO9000 and aspects of each of the Big Three's quality systems.

To whom does QS-9000 apply?
QS-9000 applies to suppliers of production materials, production and service parts, heat treating, painting and plating and other finishing services. It does not, therefore, apply to all suppliers of the Big Three.

Have any other organizations adopted QS-9000?
Several heavy truck companies have adopted QS-9000 and are signatories to the document. These companies include Navistar International Transportation Corporation and PACCAR, Inc. Other companies in the automotive industry are also adopting QS-9000 as their supplier quality requirement, and non-automotive industries are watching the implementation of QS-9000. They are considering using it as a model to develop ISO 9001-based requirements for their industries.

Who is responsible for developing and maintaining QS-9000?
The Daimler-Chrysler/Ford/General Motors Supplier Quality Requirements Task Force is the responsible body that oversees QS-9000. It is made up of representatives from each of the Big Three companies, along with several members who are liaisons to relevant organizations. Because QS-9000 was a new approach to the application of the ISO 9001 standard, the Big Three, together with several accreditation bodies and registrars, initiated the International Automotive Sector Group (IASG) early in 1995. This group issues official interpretations of the process connected with third-party registration to QS-9000, as well as revisions, clarifications, and expansions to QS-9000.

What about a document called "TE-9000"?
TE-9000 was an internal shorthand for a supplement to QS-9000. Properly called the "Tooling and Equipment Supplement", this document has been developed and is being implemented. It applies QS-9000 to suppliers of tooling, equipment, and related products. This document replaced the Daimler-Chrysler TESQA (Tooling and Equipment Supplier Quality Assurance) manual after it was released.

Does QS-9000 apply to external suppliers only, or do the Big Three also have to comply with it?
QS-9000 applies to external and internal suppliers of the products and services explained above. An external supplier is a company not owned by the Big Three. This includes most of what is thought of when considering the "supply base." However, many divisions of Big Three companies supply their competitors as well as their own plants. For example, it is not unusual for a Ford plant to sell component products to Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors divisions. In all such cases, these Big Three plants are external suppliers to the other companies and QS-9000 applies to them. In addition, within the Big Three companies, QS-9000 is being required of many of the internal supplying divisions. The timing requirements for internal divisions are the same as for external suppliers.

Is QS-9000 worldwide?
Yes. QS-9000 is truly a worldwide, common supplier quality requirement for Daimler-Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. It has been released throughout North America, in several countries of South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

How does a company comply with QS-9000?
For suppliers to Ford, compliance may be demonstrated by internal audits, customer (or second-party) audits, and third-party audits by qualified ISO 9001 registrars. For suppliers to Daimler-Chrysler and General Motors, compliance must be demonstrated through third-party audits by qualified ISO 9001 registrars.

What is a qualified registrar?
Qualified registrars are ISO 9001 registrars recognized by accreditation bodies (such as RAB, RvA, UKAS, etc.) who have agreed to abide by the Code of Practice for QS-9000 registrars and have passed a qualification process administered by a recognized accreditation body. Not all registrars for the ISO 9000 series are qualified to conduct third party audits to QS-9000. Any company seeking certification to QS-9000 must deal with a QS-9000 qualified registrar for the certificate in order to attain official recognition by its customer.

What is a recognized accreditation body?
Just as all registrars are not qualified to conduct audits to QS-9000, not all accreditation bodies are recognized by the Big Three to qualify registrars. QS-9000 contains "Accreditation Body Implementation Requirements."

Looking for a competent calibration laboratory?

You may want to look beyond whether the laboratory is ISO 9000-certified and, instead, ask whether it is ISO/IEC Guide 25 (soon to be ISO 17025) accredited. Accreditation to ISO Guide 25 requires that a laboratory have a quality system similar to ISO 9000. More importantly, it requires that a lab facility have adequate equipment to perform its testing or calibration tasks, as well as laboratory personnel with the competence to perform the testing.

The purposes of ISO/IEC Guide 25 are to:

*   aide the assessment of laboratory competence
*   set up requirements for laboratory compliance in calibrations or tests
*   and assist in laboratory quality system implementation.

The ISO Guide 25 lab-accreditation movement will benefit the clients of testing and calibration labs. Now, manufacturers who require outside testing and calibration services can rely on the accreditation process for assurance that the lab they choose meets minimum standards of competence. In recent years, several factors have contributed to an increasing need for an accreditation program for testing and calibration laboratories. Many manufacturers are getting accreditation for their in-house test and/or calibration labs. The automotive industry is requiring that sub-tier manufacturers calibrate their measurement devices using accredited laboratories. The recent adoption of the Fastener Quality Act has also increased the demand for services from testing laboratories.

In 1998, the 3rd edition of QS-9000 was released with a new requirement that all automotive suppliers must use commercial / independent calibration facilities that are accredited to ISO/IEC Guide 25 or national equivalent. This new requirement took the automotive and metrology industries by surprise. There are currently not enough qualified calibration facilities to meet the demands of the automotive industry. Therefore, achieving ISO/IEC Guide 25 accreditation can lead to significant new business for any calibration or testing facility.

Laboratories in the United States can receive ISO Guide 25 accreditation through either the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP), or the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA). Certain Quality System Registrars are also recognized by the "Big Three" as being competent to perform compliance assessments to ISO Guide 25.

ISO 9000 vs. ISO Guide 25 - What's the Difference?
The ISO 9000 standards provide guidance for the development of an organization's quality management system, irrespective of the company's function. ISO/IEC Guide 25 provides guidance to owners and operators of laboratories on both quality management and technical requirements for proper operation of a testing laboratory. There is a widespread misunderstanding that the ISO 9000 standards assure validity of specific test results at a level equivalent to accreditation to ISO/IEC Guide 25. The purposes of the two standards are very different and certification against them provides different forms of assurance in the quality of the delivered product or service to the recipient of the product or service. In other words, laboratories that attain ISO 9000 certification only may not meet the needs of the end user of the lab's test results.

What is laboratory accreditation?
Laboratory accreditation is a process for the recognition by a third party that the laboratory meets requirements for developing, implementing, and maintaining a quality system, and that it can demonstrate proficiency in conducting laboratory analyses. Recognition is usually in the form of a certificate and listing in a register published by an accrediting body. International recognition is achieved through mutual recognition agreements among accrediting bodies of various countries.

How does a laboratory benefit from being accredited?
The listing in a register provides external third-party recognition to the customer. Internal benefits are many and include the following:

  Clear definition of roles, responsibilities, and authority provide for greater efficiency in operation of the laboratory.
  Audit and assessment activity by laboratory customers can be reduced through third party recognition.
  Increased efficiency will lead to a reduction in operating cost.
  Increased efficiency will result in less re-analysis of samples. This, too, effects the cost of operation in a positive way.
  Increased efficiency and reduction of re-analysis will decrease customer complaints and should contribute to decreased turnaround time for analyses.
  Increased efficiency should also free-up capacity to increase throughput and provide for increased business.
  Strong quality control, qualified processes, and demonstrations of competence will provide a greater degree of data defensibility.

CSC has successfully guided clients through their ISO Guide 25 registration process. Please see the testimonial of the United Radio Metrology Laboratory.

CSC has extensive experience with laboratory quality systems and Guide 25 compliance. For more information please contact us.

Interested in Training your Internal Auditors?

Internal Auditing is one of the elements assessed in the Quality System audit. The better your audit team the better your system. CSC has developed an internal auditing course for companies going through registration, as well as for registered companies who want to expand their audit team.

We customize each program to fit your needs. If you have an existing documented system, we can integrate your own procedures and audit forms into the program so that the training will be conducted on processes and procedures familiar to those being trained.

All courses are generally 3 days and are provided at a location of the customer's choice.

Each participant receives a comprehensive internal auditor training package that includes one of the most detailed interpretations of the ISO 9001 standard ever produced as well as auditing tips for each ISO requirement and standard audit forms.

Finally, what makes our course so effective is that we include a supervised internal audit on the final day of the course so that the participants get some immediate hands-on training.

CSC has performed many auditor training courses. Please see the testimonial from Performance Technologies Inc.

For more information on Internal Auditor Training please contact us.

Interested in Training?

CSC offers several different quality management training programs specifically directed to ISO 9001/2, QS 9000, ISO/IEC Guide 25, and ISO 9000-3 certification. We provide quality system awareness training for organizations thinking about developing an approved quality management system. We also provide staff and management-level training for firms that have already begun the process to become quality-certified.

We also possess many attributes above and beyond the implementation of Quality Management Systems. Here are some examples of programs we can provide:

Other programs have been customized to the clients' requirements. If you have a quality-related problem and are not sure how to handle it, we will give you an honest answer.

For more information on these training programs please contact us.