PPG INDUSTRIES OEM
2009 Supplier Quality Bulletin
Background
PPG Industries, Inc., a global and diversified producer of Glass, Coatings and Chemicals, is committed to providing products and services to our customers that fully meet their present and future requirements. PPG’s suppliers are a critical strategic resource in meeting this customer commitment.
PPG requires suppliers to have an effective Quality System. The basis for PPG’s quality system requirements is the Quality System Requirements ISO/TS16949 developed in coordination with the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG). This standard is based upon the ISO 9000 series standard. PPG has adopted ISO/TS16949 as the framework for the basic quality systems required for all suppliers of products and services.
PPG requires the following:
Suppliers to PPG’s ISO/TS 16949 registered facilities must be moving towards compliance to ISO/TS 16949, but must achieve third party registration to ISO 9001:2000.
Introduction
This communication is intended to highlight and reinforce specific quality requirements applicable to all suppliers of raw materials to PPG coatings manufacturing facilities. Recipients of this package must disseminate this information within their organization to the appropriate Managers in Maintenance, Production and Quality Control so as to ensure compliance.
Suppliers to PPG coatings facilities must also educate and manage their suppliers, container suppliers, contractors, sub-contractors, toll manufacturers, etc. in the subject matter at hand.
The requirements outlined in this document relate to controlling potential contaminants from entering PPG’s processes and products and to managing change. It is crucial that you understand the integral role you play in preventing the potential causes of failures. PPG requires all suppliers to not use (1) any silicone or silicone containing materials, supplies or products, and (2) any materials supplies or products rated as “FAIL or “NOT ACCEPTABLE” on the PPG Crater Materials Registration List (CMRL).
The following comprise the topics to be covered in this bulletin:
1. Contaminants & Craters
2. Materials Registration List (MRL); Equipment Debug; Silicone Free Valve Policy
3. Container Cleanliness Standards
4. Change Notification & Approval
5. PPG On-Site Assessments and Raw Material COA Requirements
6. Raw Material Certificate of Analysis Requirements
Revision 2007-8 Changes:
Additional silicone warnings
Added additional recommendations for tank wagon “Prior content” control
Added the solvent tankwagon prior contents requirements
Added Raw Material COA requirements/Contacts
Included a separate crater training presentation for employees and sub-suppliers
1. Contaminants & Craters
Keeping contaminants out of PPG’s coatings processes and products is one of the toughest challenges we face. One of the most costly failures of contaminated paint is the formation of craters. Formed and observed during the application process, craters are small bowl-shaped depressions in the paint film, often having raised rims. They are typically caused by low surface tension contaminants, such as silicone. Most craters are caused by liquids, either of a very viscous nature or adsorbed on a solid.
Common causes of craters include:
❑ Tank wagons, totes or drums that are contaminated due to prohibited prior contents or contaminated in the cleaning process.
❑ Foreign materials that contact the surface of the wet paint à oil droplets (from air lines, machinery), oven aerosols and drips, chain lubricants, overspray, dirt, fibers, personal care products.
❑ Substrate properties or contaminations à oil, dirt, mold release agents
❑ Paint components or contaminations à additives (especially when poorly dissolved or dispersed), gel particles, contaminated raw materials, contaminated containers
It is important to understand that extremely minute quantities of crater-causing substances can be devastating. Air-borne concentrations of certain contaminants, such as silicone, in the low parts-per-million range have resulted in cratering!
2. Materials Registration List
One of PPG’s controls against the host of materials that can cause craters is our Craters Materials Registration process. PPG’s coatings facilities have inventoried and crater-tested virtually all MRO (Maintenance, Repairs & Operations) materials that may come into contact with our manufacturing processes. The collective results of these tests are published on our MRL, or Materials Registration List. Items known to cause craters are either banned, or if no alternatives exist, strictly controlled in their use. New items entering our facilities are tested and then the results are added to the MRL. Double-click the icon at the bottom of this page to open a copy of PPG’s current MRL. PPG requires that suppliers:
❑ Make all appropriate persons in their organization aware of the attached MRL and PPG’s material registration process.
❑ Implement a materials registration process and develop their own Materials Registration List (MRL).
❑ Avoid using materials that fail, or if no alternative exists, strictly control the use of, any items appearing as failures in PPG’s MRL.
❑ Identify materials used in their processes that do not appear on PPG’s MRL and arrange for the submission of a sample of said materials to PPG for crater testing. PPG will then advise the supplier of the results and coordinate any further actions deemed necessary.
o Suppliers should contact their PPG Purchasing representative who will advise who and where within the PPG organization samples should be forwarded for crater testing by PPG.
❑ Register new items entering their manufacturing facilities per the above requirements.
❑ Educate and manage their contractors, sub-contractors, etc. in the subject of potential crater-causing agents and material registration.
To ensure that maintenance materials and new or modified equipment are properly cleaned before being placed into service, it is important to establish a ‘De-bug’ procedure. Double click on the icon below to review our recommended procedure.
Establish a maintenance purchasing policy that specifies that all valves purchased MUST be Silicone/Lubricant free. (New for 2006)
3. Container Cleanliness Standards
All containers and vessels used in our suppliers’ processes, not just those used for packaging and delivery to PPG, have been known to introduce crater-causing contaminants into our processes. These include drums, pails, tank wagons for shipping large bulk quantities, intermediary size containers such as totes and universal bin containers, blend hoppers, reaction tanks, bulk storage tanks or any container used for storage or transfer of materials used in the finished product that is shipped to PPG. Suppliers must ensure the cleanliness of all such containers prior to use. Cleanliness controls, inspections and/or cleaning procedures, including standards of acceptable cleanliness, must be clearly defined and documented within the supplier’s organization and must also include appropriate consideration of error-proofing against crater-causing contaminants.
Experience has taught us that certain previous contents, despite stringent cleaning of containers, will still pose a significant risk. PPG recommends the following methods to control contamination.
· Use new drums, pails etc.
· Use “Product Dedicated” tankwagons
· Control tankwagon prior contents with an approved list of materials.
When it is not possible to develop a list of “Approved Prior Contents” PPG has identified a list of Prohibited-Approved Prior Contents, which is attached below, and like the MRL, needs to be appropriately disseminated throughout the supplier organization. All suppliers of raw materials in re-usable containers, such as tank wagons, must ensure that the previous contents of the container were not one of those appearing on PPG’s Prohibited-Approved Prior Contents list. Where feasible and practical, in-process containers of all types should also be controlled for previous contents. For materials shipped to PPG in tank wagons or other re-usable containers, if not yet doing so, suppliers should develop a process whereby the prior contents are identified on the Certificate of Analysis provided to PPG with each shipment. Tank wagons delivering solvent have the additional requirement of having ONLY solvent as the content of the previous load. These requirements are detailed in the Solvent Bulk attachment.
PPG discourages the use of re-conditioned and re-manufactured drums/pails. PPG’s drum/pail suppliers must test for cleanliness and report results for each shipment to ensure the cleanliness and integrity of their containers and we ask that as a raw material supplier to PPG OEM, you adopt the same approach with your container suppliers, regardless of the container being new or re-conditioned/re-manufactured. Also, to reiterate, your container suppliers obviously need to be made aware of potential crater-causing concerns and materials.
It follows naturally that controls also need to be applied to transfer lines, hoses, manifolds, pumps, mixing blades and basically any equipment that directly or indirectly ‘touches your product’ throughout your process. The ‘De-bug’ procedure shared in Section 2 (Materials Registration List) is one example of controlling all forms of in-process equipment.
4. Change Notification & Approval
In addition to controlling contaminants, suppliers must have a system for controlling and managing change. A critical process within the supplier’s system of managing change is a mechanism for notifying PPG of any proposed changes no less than ninety days prior to the planned date of change in production. The typical quality clause in PPG’s standard Material Purchase Agreement reads similar to the following:
SELLER shall not change the composition, manufacturing location, or process used to produce the Material from that present when the Material was originally approved by BUYER, without BUYER's prior written consent.
The supplier must notify PPG if an intended change involves any of the following:
❑ Change in source of raw material from new or existing supplier
❑ Change in containers, such as from dedicated to non-dedicated tanks
❑ Revised parameters in the same process (e.g. changes to testing procedures, in-process or final product specifications, packaging, sequence of operations, processing equipment, etc.)
❑ Change in product composition or ingredient levels of the approved product
❑ Change from previously approved manufacturing site location
❑ Process or product technology new to the organization
❑ Change in filling such as new containers or a toll filling operation.
Suppliers should seek clarification from PPG if they are uncertain as to whether a planned change requires notification to and approval by PPG. These changes could potentially be expected to have an effect on the product characteristics, manufacturing process, appearance, processability, durability or regulatory compliance of our product.
Suppliers must complete the attached PPG Raw Material Change Notification form and submit to their PPG Purchasing contact no less than ninety days prior to the planned change. Changes must not be implemented without written approval from PPG and approved changes must not affect PPG production.
5. PPG On-Site Assessments
PPG may require suppliers to accommodate an on-site assessment of their manufacturing processes and quality management system. Such assessments serve as confirmation of a potential new or existing supplier’s conformance to PPG’s requirements. Suppliers must also be aware that some of PPG’s customers may decide to accompany PPG during an on-site supplier assessment.
PPG’s on-site assessment process typically involves a pre-assessment meeting with the supplier during which PPG requirements are reviewed and clarified. Prior to the pre-assessment meeting, suppliers are provided a copy of PPG’s Supplier Assessment form (see attached) and asked to rate their operations. This self-assessment, along with statistical data, specifications and performance issues are reviewed during pre-assessment meetings. Date(s) for the on-site assessment are then determined and coordinated as best as possible by the supplier such that PPG has an opportunity to observe the manufacture (or portions thereof) of an actual PPG order. PPG provides a rating at the end of the on-site assessment prior to departing, and shortly thereafter provides a detailed written report specifying any corrective action required by PPG. Written responses from the supplier are required for any corrective actions cited in the assessment report. For corrective actions deemed critical and difficult to assess remotely, PPG may elect to arrange a follow-up on-site visit to confirm implementation.
Suppliers must be aware of and strive to comply with all requirements as outlined in the attached Supplier Assessment document.
7. Raw Material Certificate of Analysis Requirements
PPG requires COA's 24 hours in advance of the material receipt. This allows time to enter the COA into our system and resolve any issues before the material arrives. (We prefer email, but a FAX can also be accepted.) The attached document contains all of the PPG COA requirements and contact information.
PPG OEM - Supplier Quality Bulletin 2009.doc Revision Date: 2009 Page 1 of 7