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Ford Q1 Second Edition

Ford Q1 Second Edition suggests that a supplier's facility or manufacturing site has achieved excellence in five important areas: capable systems, high performance, superior manufacturing process, and satisfied customers. The Q1 mark is considered worldwide as an indication of exceptional quality. The new Q1 Second Edition has improved on former Q1 guidelines. It has been more closely associated with customer satisfaction outcomes. The Supplier Improvement Metrics (SIM) is now directly linked to the Q1 status. Q1 Second Edition incorporates the learning of numerous years of supplier quality deployment with regard to Ford. As a supplier, achieving the Q1 status would be a milestone in the pursuit of quality. Q1 serves the basic function of ensuring that the manufacturing facility performs on time, as well as delivers high quality products for ultimate customer approval.

The Q1 metrics not only detect quality defects at early stages, but they also promote continuous improvement. Every supplier site is individually assessed, and improvement plans initiated accordingly. All Q1 suppliers without exception are expected to achieve a certain quality level in their functions, and improve on it in the ensuing years. They should identify, and ideally deploy the right tools/methods to realize this target. In attaining the Q1 Second Edition certification, suppliers are entitled to receive the required technical assistance, and additional help from Ford.

A Q1 manufacturing site is greatly benefited by the extended process of self-assessment, along with periodic re-evaluations by Ford STA. Suppliers have to validate their Q1 status every six months. The method also includes a manufacturing site self-assessment. Further more, Ford STA re-evaluates on-site, a supplier's Q1 status qualifications. The manager will provide a final recommendation based on demonstrated capabilities, performance metrics, manufacturing site assessment, and the Q1 Second Edition points gained during the preceding six-month period.

When suppliers obtain the Q1 certification mark, they naturally advertise to the whole world that they are definitely on the route to quality improvement. The Q1 series of basic manufacturing guidelines is sure to prove beneficial to any facility that aspires for superior Quality achievements.

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