Managing Engineering Change Orders and Delegation Limits in Manufacturing
Delegating engineering change authority by financial limit and technical classification eliminates plant line stoppages while preserving configuration control.
Temporary Concession
Meaning
Formal authorizations to accept parts or materials that deviate from the established specification for a defined period define this quality process. A temporary concession allows production to continue when a minor non-conformity is found that does not impact safety or core performance.
Variance Authorization
Engineering and quality departments must both sign off on the deviation after verifying that the non-conforming item is fit for purpose. This temporary concession documents exactly what the defect is and why it is acceptable for a limited number of units. Maintaining this record is essential for traceability and for ensuring that the deviation does not become a permanent design flaw.
Time Boundary
Limitations on the duration or the quantity of parts covered by the agreement are central to its definition. Once the temporary concession reaches its expiration date or the specified batch size is reached, the manufacturing floor must return to the original specification. This prevents the gradual erosion of quality standards over long production runs.
Operational Consequence
Relying on these deviations too frequently suggests a lack of control in the manufacturing process or a design that is too difficult to build. While a temporary concession can save a production schedule from a total halt, the cost of inspecting and documenting the variance can be high. Regular audits of these concessions help identify where a permanent engineering change proposal is needed to resolve the underlying issue.