Quality
Quality Control and Certifications
Incoming material checks, in-process measurement on every batch and a CMM report before shipment – documented, not promised.
Direct answer: LIVO operates a documented quality system certified to ISO 9001 and IATF 16949. Every order passes incoming material inspection, in-process checks at fixed intervals and a final inspection with CMM or optical measurement for critical features. Mill certificates (EN 10204 3.1), dimensional reports, first article inspection and PPAP documentation are available with each shipment.
What is checked, and how
| Stage | What is checked | How it is checked | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming material | Grade, thickness or diameter, hardness, mill certificate | Mill certificate review, calliper and micrometer measurement, PMI for conductive copper alloys | Material certificate and incoming inspection sheet |
| First article | All dimensions on the drawing, form and position tolerances | CMM programme, optical comparator, roughness tester | First article inspection report per drawing |
| In process | Critical dimensions and features on every batch | CMM or gauges at fixed intervals, thread gauges for tapped holes, bend angle checks | In-process inspection record |
| Final inspection | Dimensional conformity, appearance, hardware and finish | CMM for critical features, visual inspection under defined light, coating thickness gauge | Final inspection report with sample measurements |
| Finish testing | Adhesion, thickness, corrosion resistance | Cross-cut or bend test, coating thickness gauge, salt spray test | Coating report and salt spray hours |
| Packing | Protection of cosmetic surfaces, count and labelling | Checklist per packing instruction | Packing list |
Measurement equipment
Inspection uses the same equipment for prototypes and serial batches, so a feature that was approved on the first article is measured the same way on the last delivery.
- CMM (coordinate measuring machine) for form and position tolerances and for first article inspection
- Optical measurement and profile projector for small features, radii and thread profiles
- Surface roughness tester for Ra specifications down to 0.4 µm
- Coating thickness gauge for plating and powder coating
- Salt spray chamber for corrosion testing of plated and painted parts
- Hardness tester for heat treated and spring parts
- Thread and pin gauges for the full range of metric and inch threads
Documents
Documents you can ask for by name
Test reports and declarations go out with the quotation. Ask for the document and we send the PDF within one business day on weekdays – no negotiation, no “trust us”.
ISO 9001
Scope, issuing body, certificate number and expiry date are supplied on request and can be checked against the issuing body’s register.
Request the certificate PDF →IATF 16949
Held for automotive programmes. Same verification route, plus PPAP documentation – process flow, PFMEA, control plan and MSA – on request.
Request the certificate PDF →Mill certificates
EN 10204 3.1 for the heat actually used, with the batch number matched to your packing list rather than a generic sample.
Ask for a sample certificate →FAI and CMM reports
First article inspection per drawing, AS9102 format where you require it, with real CMM data instead of a rendering.
Ask for a sample report →Coating report
Plating or coating thickness, adhesion result and salt spray hours for the finish on your parts – not the finish we wish we had.
Ask for a coating report →RoHS, REACH and CoC
Compliance statement for the materials and finishes used, plus a certificate of conformity issued per delivery.
Request a declaration →Certificate scans, registration numbers and issuing bodies are being published here. Until they are on the page, ask for the current copy and it is sent with the quotation – we do not publish a document we cannot back with a registration number.
When something goes wrong
1. Containment
Suspected parts are stopped and quarantined immediately, both in our factory and at your incoming inspection, so no further nonconforming part reaches the line.
2. Root cause
The failure is traced to material, tooling, programme, process parameter or inspection method. The cause is proven by measurement rather than by assumption.
3. Corrective action
Tooling is reworked, the programme is corrected, the control plan is updated, and the inspection frequency is raised until the process is stable again.
4. Verification and report
The corrective action is verified on the next batches and a written 8D-style report is issued with the evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Are you ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certified?
Yes. The quality system is certified to ISO 9001 and IATF 16949. Current certificate copies with the registration number, issuing body and expiry date are provided on request with the quotation.
Can you supply a PPAP package?
Yes, for automotive and other programmes that require it. Process flow, PFMEA, control plan, MSA and dimensional results are prepared for the part, and the level of submission is agreed before tooling starts.
Do you inspect every part or sample?
Critical features are measured on every batch at fixed intervals, and a final inspection sample is measured before shipment. 100% inspection is possible for safety-critical features, but it is quoted separately because it changes the unit cost.
How do you handle tolerances that are difficult to hold?
We raise them at the quotation stage with a DFM note suggesting either a process change or a realistic tolerance. Signing up to a tolerance we cannot hold reliably is worse for both sides than discussing it before tooling is cut.
Need the certificate copies for your supplier file?
Ask for the current ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certificates, the inspection plan and a sample inspection report with your RFQ.