For over a decade, ISO 9001:2008 certification has been a standard for quality control and has provided companies a framework to manage their businesses effectively. Ensuring the highest quality products are made available to customers, this standard is designed to create a mindset of continual improvement in companies.
In manufacturing, ISO 9001:2008 impacts everything from the decisions that are made by executives to the processes in place on the factory floor to the machine tools that are used everyday by an end user. Manufacturers certified in this standard must adhere several quality management principles which guarantee a customer-driven, quality focused and detail oriented approach to building a product. This ensures that products are produced based on the following conditions:
- A Customer Focus: Machines are built on the needs and expectations of the workers that use them everyday.
- Involvement of all Workers: Top management creates an environment that lets every worker become fully involved in achieving the company’s objectives, and workers at all levels are committed to continually improving the company.
- A Systematic Approach: All daily factory operations are designed to work together to create efficiency, with the outputs of one process affecting the inputs of another.
- Fact Based Decision-Making: Analytics and data gathered from machines and daily operations are used to make more informed decisions.
- A Commitment to Continual Improvement: The permanent goal of everyone - from top management to the factory floor - is to constantly improve overall performance.
The standards of ISO 9001:2008 aren’t simply guidelines that any company can decide to implement. A series of audits made by external, impartial experts must take place to check the quality standards required for certification. And the standards must be maintained throughout frequent follow up visits for recertification.
Mazak has exceeded these high quality management standards consistently over time, as shown most recently through the ISO 9001:2008 recertification of our manufacturing plant and spindle rebuild operations. This recertification comes as we are completing the implementation of our Mazak iSMART Factory™ Concept, an all-encompassing manufacturing vision set to further improve the production efficiency of our manufacturing facilities. This $30 million investment represents the most recent expansion of our North American Manufacturing Plant and reaffirms our commitment to support the ever-changing technology demands of our customers.