What is CQI-29? Which companies must use CQI-29?

CQI-29 is an evaluation question list published by the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), for automotive companies that perform brazing in their business or indirectly purchase this service, and can be used both within the organization and by the supplier or the main industry. CQI-29 Special Process: Brazing System Evaluation should be used to verify the effectiveness of brazing processes throughout the entire supply chain.

CQI-29 , the evaluation standard for the special process of brazing, was first published on May 14, 2021 . Therefore, it is a new standard for all of us.

Which companies must use CQI-29? All businesses within the scope of IATF 16949 are obliged to make this assessment.

It is useful to make a reminder. Who is subject to IATF 16949 ? Our answer is on page 7 of the IATF 16949 Rules booklet. I quote below,

Companies that work for the production line or original spare parts supplier of the following vehicles that fall within the definition of automotive.

• Passenger cars

• Light commercial vehicles

• Truck

• Bus

• Motorcycle

I think we can move on to details after giving a brief general information about the standard.

CQI-29 Special Process: Brazing System Assessment or CQI-29 Special Action: Soldering System Evaluation review begins!

The blue-dominated landing page that we are used to from other renewed CQI documents.

The reason why I call this the landing page is the cover sheet, which is the name used for the result page of the standard. ( cover page ) I said opening page to avoid confusion.

The cover page is designed differently than CQI-9. I have to say that it is much more detailed than the old CQI cover pages. 

With the entries made in Excel, " degrees of fulfillment" are calculated and these results are displayed on the screen in color. (red-yellow-green evaluation)

• Cover page contains CTQ evaluation and summary of "Critical to Quality Characteristics"

• Product-specific information, part description, name, etc. contains

• Soldering processes are detailed and shown on the cover page

I would like to elaborate on the first item a little, "degrees of fulfillment" are determined as red, yellow and green. Their contents are as follows

Red

Does not meet the requirements, requires urgent intervention. Process inspection indicates nonconforming product.

The following conditions are required for a red result to appear:

Any CTQ RED result

Any BSA RED results

≥67% Yellow result on BSA or Job audit

Yellow

Does not meet requirements, risk exists. Process inspection indicates that nonconforming product may be present.

Requirements for a yellow result:

<90% GREEN -0- RED

Green

Meets all requirements.

Requirements for a green result:

≥90% GREEN

The Soldering System Assessment (BSA) master audit question list is covered in a total of 9 sections.

• Part 1 Soldering System Evaluation

• Chapter 2 Documentation

• Chapter 3 Advanced Quality Planning and Documentation

• Chapter 4 Production Process & Monitoring and Documentation

• Section 5 Fixtures and Teams

• Chapter 6 Procedures and Documents for Reprocessing and Scrap

• Part 7 Process Equipment and Test Equipment Requirements

• Chapter 8 Thermal Management

• Chapter 9 Process Monitoring

Process charts and job audits are brought together in a common audit checklist and named “Solder job processes”.

The CQI-29 standard is similar to the CQI-15 Welding System Assessment (welding processes), but has a total of 4 work inspection process tables.

1. Controlled Atmosphere Brazing

2. Vacuum Oven

3. Flame

4. Induction

The audit question lists of relevant soldering processes "Job Audit Process Tables" have been rearranged according to the following sub-question items:

1. Part Printing

2. control plan

3. Soldering Quality Inspection and Reports

4. Parameter Documentation

5. Maintenance Records

6. Sustainability

7. Process Monitoring

8. Fixtures and Tooling

Finally, a best practice examples section has been added to the end of the standard.

• Brazing Health Chart

• BOK ( Book of Knowledge Template ) Knowledge Book Template = Lessons Learned

• Event Matrix

Conclusion:

As a heat processor who has worked in heat treatment furnaces for years, I have been familiar with brazing (brazing) applications, so there was nothing in the standard that I found strange. CQI-9 and CQI-15 users will find something for themselves.

I liked the new evaluation because it offered a result screen based on more numerical data. The measurable scoring system will allow us to track the results of improvement actions over time as "Continuous Quality Improvement".

In our country, brazing operations of low alloy steels (mostly shotgun manufacturers) and materials such as aluminum and stainless steels are frequently carried out. It is also pleasing that a guiding standard has been published for such a complex process.

CQI-29 training

Since these types of documents are application standards that contain completely technical information, I think that these trainings should be carried out by people who have knowledge of Metallurgy and Pyrometry.

Yes, the standard has sections related to quality, but let's not forget that this is a system that questions the management of technical applications. A comprehensive audit covering all types of soldering, aiming to provide a common approach to a soldering management system for automotive manufacturing and service parts organisations. Therefore, it is a standard that those who do not master these processes cannot be trained and evaluated.