TÜV SÜD has performed its first combined audit in the field of additive manufacturing (AM) for Sauber Engineering AG, a company specializing in the development of innovative methods and manufacture of high-quality components. This audit has now resulted in the issue of two certificates, ISO 9001 and DIN SPEC 17071 for metal and plastics production.
While most everyone is familiar with ISO 9001, DIN SPEC 17071 is the first guideline for quality-assured processes which defines standardized requirements for additive manufacturing (AM). It assesses all quality-relevant aspects, such as personnel, documentation of workflows, infrastructure and qualification of systems, materials and processes. Standardized quality control supports the achievement of risk-minimized industrial maturity of production. It also minimizes the number of necessary supplier audits, facilitating the selection of manufacturers for contract manufacturing and component purchasing. The guideline serves as the precursor of future ISO/ASTM standards.
“We are delighted that a TÜV SÜD audit team comprising additive manufacturing (AM) and quality management (QM) experts completed a combined audit for the first time, delivering maximum customer benefits”, said Christophe Blanc, audit team leader for Industrial AM Production Site Certification at TÜV SÜD. The new service, Industrial AM Production Site Certification, combines expertise in 3D printed products and additive manufacturing methods with knowledge of the organisational and system-related requirements that AM productions sites need to fulfil for long-term business success.
Manufacturing on Demand
According to Matthias Herrmann, ISO 9001 lead auditor at TÜV SÜD, manufacturers and suppliers in the field of additive manufacturing (AM) need two things: good product quality and an effective management system. “In my view, the business success of manufacturers in the field of additive manufacturing can only be ensured where these two components can be combined smoothly. With precisely this in view, TÜV SÜD now offers a new combined, fully integrated and interlocked service which confirms to manufacturers in AM that they are experts in their field.”
Proof of an effective QM system, audited and certified by an auditor appointed by an accredited certification body, is one of the basic requirements for certification according to DIN SPEC 17071. Sauber Engineering, headquartered in Hinwil, Switzerland, thus opted for a combined audit during which additive manufacturing processes were assessed efficiently from the QM and AM expert viewpoint at the same time.
Sauber Engineering, part of the Sauber Group of companies, will be able to make use of its newly gained certificates as it develops its offering and expands its client base in a wider spectrum of fields.
Christoph Hansen, Director Technology & Innovation, Sauber Engineering added: “Receiving these two certifications is an important step for Sauber Engineering. It is an acknowledgment of the high level of quality of our work and of the consistently high standards to which our whole production process, from design to manufacturing, sticks. To undergo a combined audit in this field was a challenge Sauber Engineering successfully tackled, the smooth process demonstrating our technical expertise in this field.”
You might also like:
Carmaker installs three more high-speed VJET X 3D printers for metal parts production: Dr. Ingo Ederer, founder and CEO of voxeljet commented: “With this order, we reached a significant milestone in our mission to bring 3D printing into high-volume industrial production. This is extremely exciting, as it not only highlights the significance of our technology, but also the confidence this leading German carmaker has in the new solution and the players behind it.”
* This article is reprinted from 3D Printing Media Network. If you are involved in infringement, please contact us to delete it.
Author: Davide Sher
Leave A Comment