The martial arts rank, Shodan, for a first-degree black belt, does not mean “expert”; it means “first step.” ISO 9001:2015 is similarly a valuable and vital first step toward world-class performance, but it is only that—a first step. It covers only by implication many of the risks and opportunities that IATF 16949 covers explicitly, such as six of the Toyota Production System’s (TPS) Seven Wastes as well as crippling supply-chain interruptions, inadequate metrology systems, and more.

IATF 16949 is actually ISO 9001:2015 plus additional requirements, which makes it easy for ISO 9001 users to implement relevant clauses of IATF 16949. ISO 9001 users don’t need to implement all the additional clauses—if they did, they might as well register to IATF 16949—but many of IATF 16949’s key clauses are as relevant to nonautomotive applications as they are to automotive ones. This article will cover what look like the most important ones, although others also might be helpful.

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