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The CQI-29 Brazing System Assessment is a new continuous quality improvement standard from the Automotive Industry Association Group (AIAG). Like all AIAG standards, it is designed to improve and maintain highest quality and consistency among auto industry suppliers and ensure safety for drivers and passengers alike.

What does CQI-29 mean for suppliers?

The standard applies to a range of global manufacturers,
parts suppliers, and more. Brazing component examples include fuel delivery
components and exchangers for air coolers, and radiators.

It’s important to note the new standard does not provide
instructions on how to perform brazing processes or related operations. Instead,
the document helps suppliers organize, manage, and plan their internal quality
control programs effectively with regard to key technical aspects of the
brazing process. General examples include, but are not limited to:

• Capturing the internal “book of knowledge” about the processes and details a supplier has accumulated over time
• Documentation, reporting, and traceability practices
  • Equipment settings
  • Material preparation
  • Filler material
  • Joining materials
  • Brazing parameters (e.g. oils, flux)
  • Part prints and specifications
  • Control plans (e.g. inline visual inspection, cut and etch, testing)
  • Maintenance records (e.g. fixture upkeep/repair)
• Sustainability of processes (i.e. consistent outputs with minimal adjustments to processes)

Some aspects of the document apply to all types of brazing, although, specific types of brazing are addressed in detail also.

Best practices in brazing and beyond

AIAG and the Brazing Work Group recognize the importance of validating brazing processes across the supply chain. “Providing a common assessment tool for the industry should result in reduction in variation and less warranty claims, leaks and recalls, providing a framework for improvement which will enable an organization to ensure design and product specification requirements are consistently met,” according to AIAG.

This group is part of AIAG’s Special Process Initiative, which is developing standards and assessments based on best practices in eight AIAG special process areas, including brazing. The standards are designed to promote:

• Assessment of an organization’s ability to meet customer requirements
• Align expectations between suppliers and customers
• Reduce waste, variation, and defects
• Increase customer satisfaction

Work Group participants include Abbott Furnace, Ford Motor Company, Dana Incorporated, General Motors Company, and Magna International.

At Abbott, we are honored to be a part of the Brazing Work Group to share our expertise in this area.