Keys To Quality Audits

Tips for performing effective quality audits and support from simpleQuE’s certified auditors for internal audits, gap analysis, supplier audits, certification readiness and verification audits.

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SimpleQuE's crossword of audit terms

Reference Guide of Audit Terms and Definitions to Know for Any QMS Audit

March 24, 2023

Quality Management Audit Terms and Definitions Take the confusion out of audit terms and verbiage when preparing for your internal audit or external quality management system audit.  Review this helpful and comprehensive list of common audit terminology with definitions. LIST OF AUDIT TERMS AND TYPES OF AUDITS What is an Audit? An audit is a…

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ISO recertification cycle infographic

Ten Questions to Consider When Preparing for IATF 16949® Recertification

February 1, 2023

Preparing for your organization’s IATF 16949® recertification  In addition to being a transformational year for the automotive industry and its supply base, 2023 may also be an IATF 16949® recertification year for many companies.  The IATF 16949® standard has a three-year certification cycle with a recertification audit at the beginning of a new cycle.  A…

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ISO recertification cycle infographic

Preparing for Your ISO Recertification Audit and 8 Questions to Consider

February 1, 2023

Preparing for the Recertification Process Three-year recertification cycles are approaching for many companies that are certified to the ISO quality management system (QMS) standards. A question we are often asked is, “How should we prepare for recertification?” Realistically, for companies with a mature and effective QMS, it shouldn’t matter whether a surveillance audit or recertification…

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How Will AS9104/1A Affect Companies That Are AS9100, AS9110 and AS9120 Certified?

November 14, 2022

How AS9104/1A and Supplemental Rule 004 (SR004) Affect AS9100, AS9110 and AS9120 Certified Companies Recent changes affecting AS certified organizations are implemented through AS9104/1A (also referred to as AS9104-1:2022) which was released on January 7, 2022. (The previous version of the standard was published in 2012.) “Requirements for Certification of Aviation, Space, and Defense Quality…

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simpleQuE Blog - Maintain QMS

Maintaining Your QMS and ISO Certification

May 13, 2022

Achieved ISO 9001 Certification, Now What? Now that you have achieved ISO 9001 certification, you must maintain your Quality Management System (QMS) and make improvements. It is more important now, that the QMS doesn’t fall apart. Internal ownership by the process owners must be maintained, and buy-in needs to continue past the initial certification audit.…

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Auditing checklist using a process approach

33 Questions for Auditing – Utilizing a Process Approach

February 18, 2022

ISO 9001 Process Approach Auditing These questions for auditing utilize a process approach. Whether facing a surveillance audit from a certification body or preparing for an internal quality audit – knowing what you face and being prepared puts you a step ahead.  Process-based audits are tools companies can use to evaluate the effectiveness of their…

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The risks of performing your own internal audits vs. the opportunities of outsourcing

Preparing for Your Internal Audit – Points to Consider to Minimize Risk

February 2, 2022

The beginning of each new year is a good time to take a look at your internal audit process and how well you are monitoring your company’s performance. Do you have a robust audit process? Here are some points to consider to minimize your risk. To prepare for your internal audits, do your auditors have…

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Ken-tron Manufacturing – An ISO 9001 and AS9100 Certification Case Study

December 7, 2021

Ken-tron Manufacturing, Inc. – The challenges and solutions to maintaining ISO 9001 and AS9100 certification Ken-tron Manufacturing provides metal stampings, wire forms and high-quality drawn wire to companies in various industries around the world. In 1995 the company received ISO 9001 certification, and achieved AS9100 certification in 2005 to meet the international quality standards of their…

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How to Evaluate Supplier Quality and Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Suppliers

November 23, 2021

This article offers advice on evaluating supplier quality, warning signs that should raise red flags, and questions to ask when choosing suppliers. We exist in a globalized environment where supply chains span the entire world, which increases the importance of evaluating our supply chain risks and establishing processes and systems to evaluate and monitor those…

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Muncy Corporation – A Case Study on Maintaining a Sustainable Quality Managment System

November 15, 2021

Muncy Corporation – The Challenges and Solutions to Maintaining a Sustainable Quality Management System (QMS) Muncy Corporation is a leading manufacturer of specialized fabricated assemblies for the heavy truck, specialty vehicle, and locomotive markets. They custom design, manufacture and performance test window regulators, door modules and door assemblies for more than 200 global customers. What…

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