ISO 9001 - What’s It All About

If you are familiar with quality standardization, you should have an idea about the International Organization for standardization or ISO. It is composed of a series of numbers which is a code; 9001 being the code that specifies the procedural and documentation requirements for quality management system or QMS. Organizations accredited under ISO 9001 use this standard as their yardstick of quality in manufacturing products or in performing services in order to meet customer demands and comply with regulatory requirements.  The ISO 9001 is adopted by more than one million organizations from over 160 countries all over the world. Companies use its standards which they find helpful in:

·         Structuring processes

·         Improving the efficiency of existing procedures

·         Continuous improvement

The ISO 9001 has ha broad scope. It is applicable to all companies regardless of size and industry. Its benefits to business organizations include:

1. It enables a business to meet customer requirements.

ISO is a benchmark of quality. A company that it certifies has passed a periodic quality audit that checks its compliance to the organization’s procedural and documentation requirements. Many companies seek ISO certification not only to improve the quality of its products but because it is a customer requirement.

2. It works to increase revenues and attract business from new customers.

An ISO certification is a very good marketing angle that you can use to promote your business. It can also expose your business to markets of non-certified companies are cannot penetrate.

3. ISO 9001 improves the quality of your product and improves company reputation.

As a promoter and authority of quality, ISO can certainly raise the level of quality in your organization. This gives your company a good reputation which becomes an advantage to your marketing programs.

4. It increases the number of satisfied customers.

Quality is producing products customers expect. It means fewer complaints and lesser product returns. It all boils down to customer satisfaction which can mean more business for your company

5. ISO Works to Make People in the Organization How Your Business Works

ISO is a system that documents the procedures and processes of each department in an organization. It makes everyone involved in all stages of the production process aware of how things are done, making it easy for them to spot a discrepancy especially when they conduct an internal audit. An ISO 9001 certification is solid evidence that your company is compliant to the international standards of quality.

6. It develops a culture of professionalism and boosts employee morale

An ISO certification is an end result of employee efforts, discipline and sacrifices. It will not happen unless there is change in certain practices and work habits. It is an outcome of collective efforts to comply with ideal standards. The interaction, training and discipline relative to standardization foster professionalism.

7. It promotes consistency

Quality is achieved only by following specific procedures and work instructions. Any deviation can mean non-conformance which can result in a major discrepancy. If you want your company to consistently produce quality products, you must follow procedures consistently – and you must be strict about this on your workers. Remember, when quality diminishes, your customers and revenues will surely diminish.

8. ISO helps to Improve Efficiency, Reduce Waste, and Boost Productivity

A structured system identifies unnecessary steps that can only lead to delays and waste of time and resources. With the introduction of a standard, procedures are optimized, every process is documented and results are easy to check. Documentation makes people accountable. This makes people efficient as it reduces errors and back-jobs. All of these translate to better productivity.

ISO 9001 is a standard of quality that is recognized by the whole world. It does involve an investment but it works to keep your business on top of its game which means more customers and additional revenues. If you want your business to excel, you should consider getting an ISO 9001 certification. To ensure that your employees are able to comply with the qualification and skill set requirement, you may send them for training in their respective fields. A Blackfox certification can help your workers get on the right track.

The 3 Levels of IPC Certified Trainers

The product development in the electronics manufacturing process involves multiple stages including initial design, production, and final testing. The complexity of these processes combined with the objective to achieve uniform standards prompted the IPC to set criteria for product acceptability and establish training courses to produce IPC-certified training professionals, which it has classified into three different levels.

1. Master IPC Trainers (MIT)

These are the trainers authorized by IPC to conduct training and grant IPC certification to certified IPC trainers. IPC has also authorized MITs to conduct Certified IPC Specialist Training to qualified individuals. On top of this, MITs are also given the authority to conduct IPC training for any organization that wants such training for its employees as long as these are conducted in accordance with IPC policies and procedures.

This level is open only to employees of IPC training centers that are licensed and authorized by IPC. MITs receive their certification from the IPC director for certification.

2. Certified IPC Trainers (CIT)

Certified IPC Trainers earn their certification through the training and testing conducted by Master IPC Trainers. Individuals that are qualified to take this level of training include employees of companies, faculty members of schools and training institutions, or independent consultants who work with electronics manufacturing companies. Certified IPC Trainers are authorized to issue certification credentials to Certified IPC Specialists who have successfully completed their training program or pass the program's minimum skills measurement criteria.

3. Certified IPC Specialists (CIS)

Certified Training Specialists are a product of an IPC program that is designed to train and test individuals regarding the correct application of product classification. They are trained and certified either by a Certified IPC Trainer or Master IPC Trainer. The training for Certified IPC Specialist is appropriate for managers, supervisors, inspectors, operators, technology students and individuals who can benefit from a good understanding of IPC standards.

Getting an IPC certification for key personnel can give your organization a sense of awareness of the importance of product standardization. But these are not all there is to IPC. There are different levels of individual certification, but it has only one goal: To streamline workmanship in electronics manufacturing through training and certification of key personnel. You should not allow your company to be left behind in electronics manufacturing standards of workmanship. Get your staff certified by a duly authorized IPC training center now.