MAQMSR May Be The Best Path

Not ready for IATF® Certification?  For automotive suppliers who are having a difficult time meeting the requirements of the new IATF 16949® quality standard, Minimum Automotive Quality Management System Requirements for Sub-Tier Suppliers (MAQMSR) may be an option you want to consider in conjunction with ISO 9001 certification.  Audit results coming in from certification bodies indicate that companies are failing to comply and in some cases, IATF® certification can’t be achieved.

In 2020 the top 5 minor non-conformances overall were written against:

• 8.5.1.1   Control Plan
• 8.3.5.2  Manufacturing Design Output
• 8.5.1.5   Total Productive Maintenance
• 8.5.1   Control of Production
• 6.1.2.3   Contingency Planning

Steps To MAQMSR Compliance

As an option for suppliers, the Minimum Automotive Quality Management System Requirements for Sub-Tier Suppliers (MAQMSR) was released in September 2017 as a possible intermediate step for a supplier’s Quality Management System (QMS) under the authorization of IATF 16949®, Section 8.4.2.3.c and Sanctioned Interpretation, SI #8.

Conformance to MAQMSR helps a lower-tiered supplier transition to IATF 16949® by allowing many of the key Automotive Requirements and applicable Customer Specific Requirements to be met while developing the remainder of the QMS. The ultimate goal of the supplier development process is to achieve 3^rd party registration to IATF 16949®.  It is important to note that the customer determines the path and steps, so approval must first be obtained before proceeding.  The suggested steps of supplier development referencing 8.4.2.3 are as follows:

1. Certification to ISO 9001 through 3rd party audits
2. Certification to ISO 9001 + compliance to MAQMSR through 2nd party audits*
3. Certification to ISO 9001 + compliance to IATF 16949® through 2nd party audits*
4. Then finally certification to IATF 16949® through third-party audits with a Certification Body

MAQMSR aligns the Automotive QMS Requirements with the corresponding IATF 16949:2016 section(s); however, it is not certifiable or a third-party auditable standard, though the guideline may be referenced during a second party audit.   *(by customer or with a qualified 2^nd party like simpleQuE).

MAQMSR lists 46 Sections from IATF 16949:2016. Those sections include these key areas:

• Control Plans
• Performance and Problem Solving
• Leadership Responsibility
• Risk Management
• Product Safety
• Internal Auditing and Auditor Competency
• Control of Non-Conforming Product
• Product Approval Process

Understand Your Options

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MAQMSR vs IATF 16949®

We Can Help: IATF 16949^® & MAQMSR Experts a Click Away

If you’re searching for an IATF 16949:2016 consultant, our team at simpleQuE is well-positioned to support your IATF 16949® and MAQMSR consulting (Minimum Automotive Quality Management System Requirements), certification, maintenance, training and internal auditing needs. Our consultants are qualified, certified, and are experts on the automotive standards, customer-specific requirements, and AIAG or VDA core tools. In addition, many are current or former 3rd party auditors who bring valuable insight because of the knowledge gained from auditing for certification bodies.

SimpleQuE also offers a full line-up of IATF 16949® training courses which includes AIAG and VDA Core Tools, Root Cause Analysis and Problem Solving, Requirements and Implementation.  With IATF® also putting a major focus on internal auditor competency, it is essential to have IATF 16949® Internal Auditor Training. Our IATF 16949® auditor training utilizes the process audit approach. Contact Our IATF® consultants to learn more about the customized services offered to match your certification and training needs.

Obtaining and maintaining IATF 16949®, and meeting all of the related Customer Specific Requirements (CSRs), is difficult, which is why we’ve created free IATF 16949® tools, checklists and resources for your use. 

SimpleQuE is not associated with the IATF®, IAOB, ANAB®, IAQG®, and is not a certification body. SimpleQuE is an independent consulting, training, and second-party auditing service provider that assists a company on a path for the company to obtain and maintain certification through accredited certification bodies.