2006 © Copyright Ask Art Solutions 905-593-8867 Mississauga, Ontario
7.4 Purchasing
7.4.1 Purchasing Process
Ensure that purchased product conforms to specified purchase requirements.
Base the type and extent of control of your supplier and purchased product, upon the effect that the purchased product has on your subsequent product realization and final product.
Evaluate and select suppliers on their ability to supply you with product in accordance with your requirements.
You must establish criteria for the selection, evaluation and re-evaluation of suppliers.
Maintain records of evaluation results and actions.
Key Explanation Points and Tips:
Clause 7.4 covers the following purchasing activities:
ÞRequirements to control purchased product (clauses 7.4.1 and 7.4.3)
ÞRequirements to control suppliers you buy from (7.4.1)
ÞRequirements to control your buying process (7.4.2)
ÞPurchased product includes raw materials, components, subassemblies, supplies, tooling, machinery and equipment, sequencing, sorting, rework, testing, calibration, maintenance, etc.
ÞNote that clause 7.4 requirements apply to items that - go into the product, manufacture the product, check the product or deliver the product; whether paid for or customer provided.
These may include materials, production equipment; tooling; measuring and test equipment; facilities; transport vehicles; returnable packaging; intellectual property (drawings, specifications or proprietary information); product returned for servicing under warranty, product sent for outsourced work; etc.
ÞYou must have specifications/criteria for purchased product. These specifications may come from your organization, customer, regulatory bodies, supplier or industry. As documents, these specifications must be controlled as per clause 4.2.4
ÞMany times the customer may require the use of pre-approved purchased products and suppliers. The onus is still on you to ensure that purchased product from customer-designated sources meets all requirements.
ÞYou must control both, the product you buy, as well as the supplier you buy from. Your controls must primarily be based on prevention of nonconformities in both product and supplier performance.
ÞDetermine how important the purchased product is to design, manufacture, assemble and maintain your end product. If you recall from product design input (clause 7.3.2) we considered factors such as - targets for product quality, life, reliability, durability, maintainability, and cost. You must apply similar criteria to purchased product going into your end product.
