Engineering Compliance
Engineering Compliance
(OP)
I'll start by saying I'm a young engineer and have only been with my current company for 1.5 years or so full time. Almost a year of that time we have been without a full time Engineering Manager. The interim manager is a fellow engineer and he sent me to a meeting quite a while back that in effect put me on a committee that oversees mistakes that happen throughout the manufacturing process and tries to ensure we are AS9100 compliant.
Through this I realized that there were ways that our department was not compliant and that we'd been written up for it in audits for a number of years running. With the interim manager's consent I updated some documentation to a more user friendly format that would bring us to compliance and went through the necessary channels and approvals to ensure it met all the requirements. The other engineers were asked to participate in the development and told that they would have to comply with the end product, but after release a number of them do not and claim it's unnecessary paper work when asked about it.
Since then there have been a number of issues in our department relating to communications with the manufacturing facility and engineering errors that have come up through the committee and observation. From there I developed possible solutions, presented to the interim manager who thought they were good solutions but when it comes to implementation there is never much in the way of enforcement. When these issues continue to surface I am then subjected to pressure from this committee to correct them. I know that the interim manager has a lot on his plate, which is why I have done my best to assist in any way I can but am I wrong to feel a little annoyed and discouraged that approved solutions aren't followed through with?
As the youngest engineer in the company I'm hesitant to push harder, but I also know that these issues cast a negative light on our department and I really would rather not throw my fellow engineers under the bus during these meetings.
Through this I realized that there were ways that our department was not compliant and that we'd been written up for it in audits for a number of years running. With the interim manager's consent I updated some documentation to a more user friendly format that would bring us to compliance and went through the necessary channels and approvals to ensure it met all the requirements. The other engineers were asked to participate in the development and told that they would have to comply with the end product, but after release a number of them do not and claim it's unnecessary paper work when asked about it.
Since then there have been a number of issues in our department relating to communications with the manufacturing facility and engineering errors that have come up through the committee and observation. From there I developed possible solutions, presented to the interim manager who thought they were good solutions but when it comes to implementation there is never much in the way of enforcement. When these issues continue to surface I am then subjected to pressure from this committee to correct them. I know that the interim manager has a lot on his plate, which is why I have done my best to assist in any way I can but am I wrong to feel a little annoyed and discouraged that approved solutions aren't followed through with?
As the youngest engineer in the company I'm hesitant to push harder, but I also know that these issues cast a negative light on our department and I really would rather not throw my fellow engineers under the bus during these meetings.





RE: Engineering Compliance
So don't take it personally.
If you recast the policies and procedures so that they reflect BAU in all its glory, then you may get conformance. Bear in mind that ISO 9000 is just document what you do, then do what you document. If you forget the first part of that sentence then you failed.
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: Engineering Compliance
Good luck,
Latexman
Need help writing a question or understanding a reply? forum1529: Translation Assistance for Engineers
RE: Engineering Compliance
RE: Engineering Compliance
Regards,
Bruce Youngman
http://www.dynamicsolutions-mi.com
RE: Engineering Compliance
Thank you for all of the input. I do feel better about it now.
Mold Design: Pro Engineer
Product Design: Solidworks
Aircraft Tooling: Catia V5
RE: Engineering Compliance
You need a mentor, or at least somebody in senior management who has bought into the system, who can support you.
One other way I hate to say it, is a customer who will write you up and threaten to remove work from you, this will usually get senior management's attention.
B.E.
You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.
RE: Engineering Compliance
In XX9000 and in a Florida mudhole, there is no other side.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Engineering Compliance
2)Do you have the authority to write new procedures or modify old ones?
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: Engineering Compliance
in to change things. I've now submitted my corrective actions and analysis that lead to them to senior management to see what will come of them. Half compliance isn't compliance as Mike said.
The problem with the current system is the thousands of dollars in errors that happen. Last week was the first week in 16 that there hasn't been one. We could do things in a more efficient manner, of that I'm sure. I currently have a number of things in the works now to reduce the number and magnitude of errors. I'm not as worried about stepping on toes now. If it hurts my career there because I want my company to do as well as it can then I'll adjust accordingly.
Mold Design: Pro Engineer
Product Design: Solidworks
Aircraft Tooling: Catia V5
RE: Engineering Compliance
In a case like yours you have to use the water dripping on a stone system. Just keep documenting the shortfalls and corrective actions.
The problem with the current system is the thousands of dollars in errors that happen. Last week was the first week in 16 that there hasn't been one.
This may be something you can turn to your advantage, if documentation you reviewed or produced, was the cause of it,
The other thing that can get management action is an external audit , or the threat of it by a big customer. Make friends with your auditor.
B.E.
You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.