The QM system, individually created by us, is subject to constant changes and improvements. It contains, amongst others, the following elements:

• description of the QM system in form of guidelines
• at least random, possibly 100% goods inward inspection
• clear identification of the products
• production control at regular intervals
• systematic intermediate and final inspection with inspection plans and inspection instructions
• issuing of inspection certificates
• direct traceability of measuring results to national artifacts
• documentation of inspection results with a 10-year retention period
• internal and external computer-aided monitoring of inspection equipment
• Recording of quality relating costs
  
• Traceability to the sub-supplier
• Procedure to process complaints, to identify the cause of error and to prevent future errors.
• Guidelines for all business sectors
• quality assurance officer

FRENCO is not certified in accordance with ISO 9000 et seq. and only aims at such certification in the longer term. The main reason for this decision is the fact that the quality of our products and services are not dependant on certification and cannot be proven by such certification either. Although our QA system has very much been influenced by ISO/QS 9000, many formal requirements are not fulfilled. We feel that this bureaucratic effort is unreasonable with respect to a predominantly single item production and a workforce of roundabout 50 employees. In this respect we fulfil what is essential for us, e.g. documentation of rules in specific problems. Advanced tasks, such as application relevant support for our customers and quick implementations of new findings and experiences are important to us. Accordingly we have set ourselves the following medium-term targets, from which our customers in the main will benefit:

• 100% final inspection of all gearing with gauge qualities.
• Reduction of measurement uncertainties during gear and spline inspections.
• Improving existing and developing new inspection methods for industrial metrology of gearing.
• Guaranteeing of comparability of all measuring results with calibrated artifacts and ring comparisons.
  

Instead of a certificate, which is with regard to product quality rather questionable anyway, we offer the following:

• Every customer is welcome to visit us on short notice to learn about our QM system.
• We are happy to undergo auditing by our customers.
  

Further to the above, our customers can verify requirements which may even exceed those of ISO/QS 9000 and establish mutual trust.

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Here you could download the following FRENCO guidelines:

• Information about Quality Management - QRL05
• Information about REACH - QRL14