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Omnex, Inc. Introduces ISO 9000:2000 Series and ISO/TS 16949:2002 to the Semiconductor Assembly Council

Quality Management

Omnex Inc. and the Semiconductor Assembly Council have a lot in common. At the core of their philosophies and practices, is the quest for and maintenance of best business practices. Both organizations also strive for continuous improvements and consider themselves as leaders in industry.

In this spirit, they have been watching and participating in the formation of new standards for quality.

Even as the 20th century was closing, Chad Kymal, the President of Omnex Inc., and the board members of SAC began planning for the roll out of these new standards. To the first membership meeting of the 21st century, Chad offered two days of training to be held immediately prior to the May gathering in New Orleans. Entitled "Integrating ISO 9001:2000 and ISO/TS 16949, this class was not for the weak of heart. The attendees were amazed at how much information was assembled and very appreciative of the dynamic presentation. The following is a synopsis highlighting key concepts.

• ISO 9000:2000 cancels and replaces ISO 8402:1994, Clauses 4 and 5.
• It specifies terminology for quality management systems (QMS), which form the subject of the ISO 9000 family, and describes the related fundamentals.
• This standard is informative and NOT subject to audit.
• ISO 9001:2000 cancels and replaces ISO 9001:1994, ISO 9002:1994 and ISO 9003.
• It specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that meets customer and applicable regulatory requirements.
• It addresses customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual improvement and the prevention of nonconformity.
• Monitoring of customer satisfaction by evaluation of information relating to customer perceptions of whether or not requirements have been met is mandatory.
• ISO 9001:2000 may be used by certification bodies and internal & external parties, to assess the organization’s ability to meet those requirements.
• It is emphasized that the QMS requirements in this standard are complementary to technical requirements for product.
• ISO 9004:2000 cancels and replaces ISO 9004-1:1994. It is one part of the consistent pair of quality system standards, the other part being ISO 9001:2000. They are designed to be used together.
• ISO 9004:2000 gives guidance to organizations for overall performance improvement.
• It is to assist an organization in establishing and improving its quality management system.
• It is not a guideline for implementing ISO 9001:2000.
• It is not intended for certification or contractual use.

ISO/TS 16949:2002 is an ISO Technical Specification prepared by the International Automotive Task Force (IATF). It harmonizes the supplier quality system requirements of the US, German, Italian, and French automakers. The purpose of this standard is to have a single document and registration scheme that the European and US automotive industry would accept. When the ISO 9000:2000 family has been ratified, ISO/TS 16949:2002 will be revised to align with them. QS-9000 will not be revised.

Looking at this list and at one’s company, industry and business partnerships that link us from raw materials to finished product, we can see that a lot of work has already been done by forward looking individuals and organizations. This work reflects what has been learned in the past decade and tries to prepare us as responsible companies in the global market place for the pace and challenges we all face.

As the Approved Trainer for the Semiconductor Assembly Council, Omnex INC. looks forward to another year with this business partner. Training materials affecting ISO, SAC and automotive customers are updated as standards are released. Schedules and contact information are published on our web site and by various other means for open enrollment and on site sessions. We are very sensitive about our international impact and are strategically located around the globe to provide our services to other global industries.