Sauber completes first audit of Additive Manufacturing facilities
Sauber Engineering, part of the Sauber Group of companies, reports that it has successfully undergone its first ever combined audit in the field of Additive Manufacturing, resulting in the issue of two certificates, ISO 9001 and DIN SPEC 17071, for its metal and polymer AM production.
The company now sees both its quality management and Additive Manufacturing processes certified by an independent entity. It operates four large-frame Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) metal AM and thirteen polymer AM machines. Its metal AM processes include advanced heat treatment such as Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP).
As part of the combined audit, a TÜV SÜD audit team comprising Additive Manufacturing and quality management (QM) experts reviewed Sauber Engineering’s AM processes, methods and the organisational and system-related requirements necessary to deliver high-quality results on a consistent basis.
Proof of an effective QM system, audited and certified by an auditor appointed by an accredited certification body, is one of the basic requirements for certification according to DIN SPEC 17071. Sauber Engineering expects to be able to make use of the new certificates as it develops its offering and expands its client base in a wider spectrum of fields.
Matthias Herrmann, ISO 9001 lead auditor at TÜV SÜD, commented, “Manufacturers and suppliers in the field of Additive Manufacturing need two things: good product quality and an effective management system.”
“In my view, the business success of manufacturers in the field of Additive Manufacturing can only be ensured where these two components can be combined smoothly,” he continued. “With this in view, this new combined, fully integrated and interlocked audit service confirms to manufacturers that they are experts in their field.”
Christoph Hansen, Director Technology & Innovation, Sauber Engineering, stated, “Receiving these two certifications is an important step for Sauber Engineering. It is an acknowledgment of the high level of quality of our work and of the consistently high standards to which our whole production process, from design to manufacturing, sticks. To undergo a combined audit in this field was a challenge Sauber Engineering successfully tackled, the smooth process demonstrating our technical expertise in this field.”
