The automotive electric power line components are made with quality: Auto industry IATF16949
Operating certifications in accordance with the automotive standard IATF16949 are a requirement for market access in the automotive industry. Quality certifications are essential for Alteams’ aluminium casting business. According to Mika Haapala, Director of Quality and Development at Alteams, the IATF certificate proves to the customers that the management system meets the customer’s requirements and that all deviations are addressed in an appropriate and systematic manner.
The International Automotive Task Force (IATF) with the aim of harmonizing the different assessment and certification systems worldwide in the supply chain for the Automotive sector.
According to Mika Haapala, the certifications on the various Alteams production facilities ensure that the high level of quality promised to the customer is achieved. For instance, Alteams’ plant in Laihia, Finland, received its ISO/TS16949 certificate in 2004. At Alteams’ factory in China, an external certifier has implemented the IATF16949 LOC (Letter of Conformance) certificate, and Alteams’ operations in China conform to the standard in question. Alteams’ plant in Poland is the next in line to achieve it.
Mika Haapala emphasizes that certification activities will ensure that high quality and good practices continue in all Alteams’ production facilities.
– In the light of the statistics, our levels of received quality claims are quite low. Particularly the electric car industry, which is one of our focus areas, teaches us a lot. In fact, a certificate on the wall is a small thing, but it stems from an entire operational model we have built at Alteams. This model ensures that our processes in day-to-day work produce premium quality–and that is what matters the most. We continuously learn more about the demands of the automotive industry, and the level of competence of our personnel increases day by day, Haapala outlines.
Power line components for electric cars around the world
Thermal conductivity solutions are one of Alteams’ areas of expertise in aluminium casting. The company offers its automotive customers power line components used in electric vehicles. When it comes to the automotive industry, Haapala says that Alteams wants to establish local cooperation with global customers.
– We are rapidly learning to answer to the demanding standards in the automotive industry. We work with the automotive industry all over the world, and we put a lot of effort into understanding what the local starting point is in each location. We want to establish a local presence and knowledge so that we can be close to our customers.
Haapala emphasizes that although Alteams’ operations conform to the regular quality management certification of ISO9001, the IATF certification for the automotive industry demands much more from the company.
– When the IATF is implemented, our customers will benefit directly from it. The level of quality assurance further increases. Our product development process becomes more structured while taking into account the established practices in the automotive industry. This action will certainly affect our entire customer base, says Haapala.
An important part of quality management is that we calculate the total emissions we produce and take measures in accordance with the global climate policy.