In the dynamic and complex requirements of the automotive industry, it is easy to allow critical processes to fail to meet the requirements of IATF-16949 and the respective industry reference manuals.
This is where auditing comes into play as a magnifying glass to assess compliance with requirements and often reveal failures, point out risks and identify opportunities for improvement and thus raise the quality standard of processes and products. But to reap these benefits, companies need to be organized, with accessible data, standardized processes, and trained teams.
From audits, it is possible to identify where the requirements of the standards are not being met. The IATF (International Automotive Task Force) publishes every month a compilation of the 10 largest non-conformities considered MAJOR and MINOR based on audits carried out by registration bodies in automotive companies around the world. In this way, it is possible to understand the challenges of meeting the requirements of the management system in the global automotive industry.
This statistic is especially useful because it identifies the items in the standard that auditors should focus on, demonstrating the greatest compliance difficulties for automotive companies in the world.
ISOQualitas uses these statistics to implement tools in its software to mitigate these potential non-conformities in its customer base.
How important are Management System Audits and what are the topics that we must ensure?
1 - Understand what will be audited
The first step to a good audit is to know exactly what is going to be evaluated. In audits of the IATF 16949 QMS or even in VDA 6.3 process audits, for example, the focus is on processes related to product and process quality, continuous improvement, failure prevention and compliance with customer requirements.
Tip: With the ISOQualitas system, you can organize all requirements into specific modules, with traceability and full documentation, making it easier to meet audit criteria.
2 - Ensure up-to-date and accessible QMS documentation
Nothing delays an audit more than misplaced documents. It is essential to have quick access to control plans, FMEA, training records, and corrective action reports.
With ISOQualitas PLM, all records and documents in the quality system are centralized, with automatic versioning and access control, providing security and agility when auditing.
3 - Train staff for audit time
Auditors don’t just evaluate documents; they talk to people. And your team must be prepared to respond clearly, demonstrate mastery of processes, and show how the company applies quality system guidelines on a daily basis.
Practical advice: promote audit simulations, using the system’s own data and flows. This helps the team feel more secure.
4 - Correct possible deviations before they become non-conformities
Ideally, the audit should not point to any serious non-conformities. Therefore, it is important to conduct internal audits regularly and treat all deviations seriously, prioritizing the root cause.
With ISOQualitas’ corrective actions module, you can record, monitor and validate each step of the action plan, with alerts, responsible parties and defined deadlines, all integrated with the other processes of the system, and prevent your company from having a poor performance in the incidence rate of non-conformities.
5 – Use technology to your advantage
The most modern audits are already performed digitally, and your business must evolve too. With a complete quality management system, you gain full control, reduce manual errors, and turn audits into opportunities for real improvement.
Audits don’t have to be a burden. With organization, preparation and technology, they become powerful tools to raise the standard of your operation and strengthen customer confidence. ISOQualitas is at the side of the automotive industry in this challenge, offering complete solutions that make the audit process simpler, more efficient and freer of surprises. Prepare better, offer more security, and show that your company is serious about quality.
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