IATF 16949 – Questions and Answers

How expensive is a certification according to IATF 16949? 

The costs for a certification according to IATF 16949 vary a lot and mainly depend on the size of the site and the number and complexity of remote locations and functions (i.e., locations and functions not located at the certified site, often e.g., development locations). But the complexity of the processes and products also has a significant impact on the costs. Product safety and regulatory relevance (usually “special characteristics” according to the standard) can further increase the effort. The requirements of ISO 9001 are integrated into IATF 16949. If these requirements are already met, the costs for implementing and getting certified according to IATF 16949 are between a low to mid five-figure amount in euros – per site.

Are companies required to get an IATF 16949 certification? 

Companies in the automotive supply industry are usually required to get certified according to IATF 16949 through the applicable “customer specific requirements” (CSR) of manufacturers (OEMs = Original Equipment Manufacturers) or their direct suppliers (Tier 1). There is an exception, which is regulatory: EU Regulation 2018/858 requires car manufacturers to be certified to ISO 9001 or ISO/TS 16949, and it can reasonably be interpreted that this actually means IATF 16949.

Does IATF 16949 improve product quality? 

Yes and no: IATF 16949 is a quality management system standard. It’s consistent application can significantly contribute to product quality. But following the standard does not guarantee product quality.

Common issues when preparing for an IATF 16949 certification

The issues in preparing for an IATF 16949 certification are varied, as the standard itself already includes over 1,000 requirements and also demands the effective implementation of the Automotive Core Tools (APQP or VDA volume Maturity Level Assurance, D-FMEA and/or P-FMEA, Measurement System Analyses or VDA volume 5, SPC, PPAP or VDA volume 2, problem-solving methods e.g. 8D). The standard is thus comparably complex to EN 9100, ISO 13485, or ISO/IEC 17025. The most common problems lie in the consistent implementation of the Automotive Core Tools as well as in the numerous detailed requirements themselves, the Sanctioned Interpretations (SI) and FAQs of the IATF, and in the implementation and maintenance of key figures.

What are the most common audit nonconformities in IATF 16949? 

The most common audit nonconformities in IATF 16949 are found in areas like problem-solving, management of nonconformities, and effective corrective actions (see definition in ISO 9000), consistent and documented implementation of CSR, details in complex FMEAs and the product development process as well as the process development process, measurement system analyses, logic handling of quality gates, emergency plans, total productive maintenance, and due to lack of knowledge of the mandatory Sanctioned Interpretations + FAQs.