Addenda to MNL 116-21/ MNL-117-13
Two addenda have been added to MNL 116/117:
PCI recently approved a revision to QC manual MNL 116-21.: MNL 116 and 117 Addenda until such time as publishing schedules for new editions of the QC manuals allow.
Scheduled Plant Closings
PCI-certified plants generally observe the six major national holidays, and no audits are scheduled on these dates or, as with Christmas and New Years, the few days around those holidays. Observance of the other federal holidays varies widely. Obviously, we do not want to schedule a plant audit for days when the plant is closed. Plants are requested to notify PCI at audit@pci.org if there are other federal, state, or local holidays that are observed by the plant, so that we can avoid these. This also includes other periods of plant closure.
Key Feature Points for Architectural Recertification
Plants with certification in the architectural group are required to demonstrate continued capability in their certification category by achieving a minimum number of key feature points every two years. This will be administered using a rolling two-year period, based upon the last four regular audit cycles (semi-annual), after the initial two-year certification period.
Points are tracked on a rolling basis rather than for a fixed, defined period, after the initial 2-year certification period. This ensures that plants will have four opportunities to demonstrate the required points, as the regular audits are conducted at approximately 6-month intervals. Special audits, such as those conducted for category changes, etc., are not counted as part of the four audits, although a plant could get points if an eligible product was observed during one of these special audits.
Depending upon the timing of their audits and when the initial certification was issued, a plant may not have their fourth audit until after the 2-year anniversary of their initial certification date in the new architectural category. It is also possible that a plant may have four or even five audits, depending upon the timing. In any case, the certification will continue through the four regular audits or two years from the date of initial certification, whichever occurs later. For most PCI plants with certification in the architectural group, their initial certification date in the new categories was 10/1/21.
The key features to be demonstrated for each category are listed in the respective chapters of the Architectural Certification Program Supplemental Requirements. Of course, the preferred way to get the points is to be able to show products in production or storage that have the required features. Plants that are short of points as their 2-year mark is approaching and do not expect to have production that will provide the required points can construct one or more mockup panels. There are two options for mockup panels:
- Construct one or more of the mockup panels fabricated for initial certification, as shown in the Architectural Certification Program Supplemental Requirements, for the plant’s certification category.
- Construct a mockup panel of the plant’s own design with appropriate key features to demonstrate their continued capabilities and earn the necessary points.
In either case, the drawings and mix designs for the mockup panel must be submitted for review well in advance of when the panel will be constructed, just as was required with initial category certification. This will allow time for review, to ensure the panel meets the eligibility criteria and would provide the necessary points.
Suggestions
Please forward suggestions for future quality-related articles for this newsletter Bartlomiej Krol at bkrol@pci.org.