Connectors, as "key nodes" in electronic and electrical systems, are components whose quality management system's completeness often directly determines whether the product can pass in terms of safety, reliability, and certification compliance. The international brand SCHURTER has a mature and comprehensive system in this regard and is an excellent model for domestic connector manufacturers to learn from and benchmark against.
The main characteristics of SCHURTER's quality management systemHere are the information and highlights of SCHURTER in the quality management system:
●Early acquisition of ISO 9001 certification
SCHURTER's quality management is one of the first companies in Switzerland to obtain ISO 9001 certification.
●Multi-dimensional management system certifications cover a wide range
SCHURTER has system certifications in multiple management fields, including ISO 9001 (Quality Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety), and also has medical device standards (such as ISO 13485) and automotive industry standards IATF 16949 in some product lines.
● Continuous process improvement and application of lean management tools
SCHURTER uses the EFQM Excellence Model and Six Sigma (6σ) methods to continuously improve production processes and reduce defect rates.
●Product compliance, testing, and confirmation capabilities strong
SCHURTER has a comprehensive "qualification" and "testing" process in its products, where all connectors and related power input modules, filters, etc. must meet international and national certification standards such as UL, CCC, ENEC, VDE, etc. Its products have strict inspection and release standards before shipment and during mass production.
●China's factory environment and production resource allocation are relatively good
SCHURTER Electronics (China) Ltd. in Shenzhen has infrastructure including mold workshops, cleanrooms (10K cleanroom), advanced testing equipment, ERP systems, and holds an ISO 9001 certification.
Two, the construction elements of the quality management system for domestic connectors (refer to the SCHURTER model)Combining SCHURTER's practice, domestic connector manufacturers or product promotion companies should focus on including the following elements when constructing a quality management system:
System certification and system construction
Strive to achieve ISO 9001 quality management system certification, which is fundamental.
●If the product enters the medical, automotive and other industries, it also needs to consider industry standards such as ISO 13485, IATF 16949.
Establish an environmental management (ISO 14001) and occupational health and safety management (ISO 45001) system to enhance overall sustainability and employee safety.
Process specification and continuous improvement mechanism
●Introduce standardized processes, process specifications, work instructions, and other file-based management.
●Set critical quality control points (Critical Control Points), such as mold dimensions, injection molding temperature, coating thickness, electrical performance testing, reliability life tests, and other stages.
●Utilize quality management tools such as Six Sigma, Lean, and Statistical Process Control (SPC) to track defect rates/batch fluctuations and make improvements.
3. Test and Confirmation (Qualification & Testing)
Establish a sample verification process (Prototype / Pre-production / Pilot Run) to ensure that the product performs stably under various environmental conditions before formal mass production.
Environmental tolerance test (high and low temperature cycles, humidity and heat, salt mist, dustproof/waterproof grade, vibration and impact, etc.).
Electrical safety and reliability tests (voltage withstand, insulation resistance, leakage current, temperature rise, current load, etc.).
4. Production environment and facility investment
The factory has clean conditions (clean room if necessary), mold workshop, and high precision of injection/metal processing/surface treatment equipment.
●Equipment for detection is complete (temperature box, salt spray box, vibration table, electrical performance testing instruments, etc.), and regular calibration and maintenance are carried out.
●Use ERP or MES systems to track production batches, raw material batches, test results, etc., to ensure traceability.
5. Supply Chain Management and Material Quality Control
Supplier audit and evaluation system, key components/materials (plastic shells, metal contacts, seals, coated materials, etc.) must have qualified documents or test records.
Inspect raw material batches and monitor supplier performance consistency.
6. Customer Feedback and After-Sales Quality Monitoring Mechanism
Establish a customer bad feedback/return mechanism and analyze the reasons to feedback to R&D/production.
Monitor the performance of monitoring products in long-term use on-site (such as lifespan, environmental adaptability, failure rate, etc.), and continuously optimize.
The domestic connector industry is at a critical stage of transforming from quantitative change to qualitative change, and the quality management system is the core support on this path. Taking SCHURTER as a reference, we can see that every link, such as system certification, process specification, test verification, facility investment, supply chain control, and customer feedback mechanism, cannot be ignored. Only by solidly implementing these elements can domestic connectors win trust in terms of safety, reliability, industry reputation, and the international market, achieving real replacement and breakthrough.
If you are interested in domestic alternatives to SCHURTER brand connectors or have procurement needs, or if you have production or sales channels for this brand's domestic alternatives and wish to engage in in-depth cooperation or communication, please contact via the following contact information:
Manager Zhang (18665383950, same WeChat number)Contact us, we look forward to working together with more industry partners.
