STANDARDS CORNER
Last week, we looked at part one of this subject and we learnt that; implementation and conformance to international standards will be an important step in the success for all organisations. This week we will examine how the standards can be applied to the manufacturing process.

Applicable Standards to Manufacturing
A standard can be thought of as an agreed upon set of specifications regarding some aspect of manufacture where, every time it is applied, the user of the resulting product can trust it to have certain important characteristics. The application of standards to manufacturing companies can be classified in three (3) areas.

1. Test and Measurement Standards
These are Physical standards that are used to make measurements on the product or monitor the production process to ensure that the requirements of the product are met. These standards can be described as equipment used to measure quantities for Mass, Length, Temperature, Pressure etc.

The important factors to consider in the application of these standards are the accuracy and precision of the result obtained, hence it is important that they are calibrated after use over a specified period and maintained to ensure that the results are accurate. These should be traceable to International Standards.

2. Documented Standards for Manufacturing Operations
These are Product, Process and Management System standards that are embodied in written documents. These standards can be classified as Company, Association, National, Regional or International, based on the process of development. Examples of these standards are: Sampling and Test methods; In-process parameters or controls; Specification for final product such as: Performance requirements, Labelling and Packaging requirements, Safety and other Quality requirements etc. and Standards for managing the operations in the areas of Quality, Environment, Occupational Health and Safety etc. The most important factor to consider in the application of these standards is to ensure that the requirements stipulated by the buyer/marketplace are addressed.

3. Standards for Conformity Assessment
These are standards that are embodied in written documents and developed internationally by ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation). They are established to ensure that the process for Testing, Inspection and Certification to provide assurance on product quality is credible, reliable and accurate.

These standards are of utmost importance for providing assurance on the quality of products because they can be the deciding factor in being able to access certain market places.

The application of standards has now expanded well beyond manufacturing and service requirements to encompass such societal issues as; the environment, healthcare, safety, and consumer protection programmes and they are fundamental in securing success and creating a better way of living, hence manufacturing companies that do not embrace this process will definitely face serious disadvantages in the future.

For further information, please contact GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0062, 219-0064,219-0065 and 219-0067. You can also check the Bureau’s e-mail at: gnbs@networksgy.com