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ISO
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Glossary
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 ISO is an acronym that
stands for the International Organization for Standardization. At present,
ninety-one countries belong to this organization including the United States of America.
ISO's objective is to promote the development of standards worldwide for purposes of
improved operating efficiency, improved productivity, and reduced cost.
One of the standards developed by ISO is ISO-9000. While ISO-9000 has at times
been perceived in North America as a European standard, it is in fact an international set
of documents written by members of a worldwide committee (ISO / Technical Committee 176).
ISO-9000 is an international standard for the implementation and management of a quality
assurance system.
To receive ISO-9000 certification, applicants must demonstrate a mastering of the
following "Quality System Elements":
 Management Responsibility
Quality System Principles
Document Control
Purchasing
Product Identification and
Traceability
Control of Production
Inspection and Testing
Inspection, Measuring and Test
Equipment
Inspection and Test Status
Control of Non-conforming
Product
Corrective Action
Handling, Storage, Packaging
and Delivery
Quality Records
Internal Audits
Training
Statistical Techniques
Also, there are basically three levels of documentation required by ISO-9000.
The top level is the Quality
Manual. This document explains company policy regarding each of the Quality System
Elements (see preceding page for the listing of the Quality System Elements).
The second level of documentation
consists of the various Operating Procedures. These documents identify and explicitly
detail all department and quality assurance procedures.
The third level of documentation
contains specific work instructions, inspection procedures, and record forms, etc.
For your reference, we have listed below some of the benefits we feel are
associated with ISO-9000 certification:
Worldwide Recognition.
Over the past couple of years there has been an increasing trend toward universal
acceptance of ISO-9000 as a quality system standard. Many buyers and sellers worldwide see
the benefit of using a common standard.
Improved Quality and Productivity.
ISO certification assures a high level of product quality and productivity. Successful
certification to an ISO-9000 standard through a recognized accreditation body assures that
a good quality management system exists and is functioning properly.
Builds Customer Confidence.
A quality system certified to an ISO-9000 standard can be used to convince prospective
customers that a company is capable of producing products according to their requirements.
This qualified opinion of an impartial third-party can give extra confidence to customers
who would otherwise rely solely on the claims of the manufacturer.
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