Overview on the application of ISO/TS 16949:2009, in a worldwide leader company in the production of stainless steel tubes for automotive exhaust systems

This paper presents an overview on the quality approach of a company that is at the leading edge in the sector of stainless steel-based products and represents an example of best practice in pursuing a continual improvement and the customer satisfaction. In this study, the attention has been focused on the application of the technical specification ISO 16949:2009 in accordance with the ISO 9000:2008, for the quality control of stainless steel tubes produced for automotive applications in one of the company plant devoted to the realisation of welded tubes for mufflers and exhaust pipes. The case study examined demonstrates how the effective adoption of the standards can help in reaching the highest level of performances in the production process, giving high-quality products and consolidating the company position on the market.