Section 1 General

101. Application

1. The requirements in this Chapter apply to the procedure and tests for the approval of manufactur- ing process of the materials in accordance with the requirements in Pt 2, Ch 1 and Pt 4, Ch 8 of the Rules.

2. Of those materials to be approved by the Society in accordance with the requirements in Pt 2, Ch 1,

102. 2 of the Rules, the requirements in this Chapter correspondingly apply to the procedure and tests for the approval of manufacturing process of the materials.

3. The manufacturers wishing to obtain the approval of manufacturing process are to comply with the requirements specified in the relevant Section of this Chapter according to the kind of materials in addition to the requirement for the procedure and tests specified in this Section.

102. Approval application

1. The manufacturer wishing to obtain the approval of manufacturing process is to submit a copy of the application of approval for manufacturing process (refer to Annex 6) of the Society together with three copies of the required data for the approval and two copies of the required data for ref- erence to the Society.

2. Data to be submitted

(1) Data for approval

Test plan for the approval of manufacturing process and applicable standard, codes or rules (Where test methods and procedure are specified into this Guidance, IMO Res., KS standard, etc., the data to indicate the related standard instead of this required data may be submitted ex- cept detail drawings of test specimens.)

(2) Data for reference

(A) Details of products information

(a) Type of products, grade of steel, thickness and specification of products

(B) Outline of workshops

(a) Name and address of the manufacturer, history, layout and dimension of works

(C) Organization and quality

(a)

Organizational chart

(b) Staff employed and organization of the quality control department

(c)

Certification of compliance of the quality system with IS0 9001 and/or approval certifi- cates already granted by other Classification Societies, if any.

(D) Outline of manufacturing process and facilities

(a) Flow chart of the manufacturing process including quality control process on each manu- facturing stage.

(b) Manufacturing facilities and equipment

(E) Inspection and test

(a)

Inspection and test procedures/standards

(b) Qualification of the personnel involved in activities related to the inspection and test

(c)

List and documents of equipment for mechanical tests, chemical analyses and metal- lography, non destructive examinations and relevant calibration procedures

(d) Details of system used for identification of materials at the different manufacturing

stages

(F) Service records

Estimated total annual production of finished products for shipbuilding and for other applica- tions

(G) Other data deemed necessary by the Society

Ch 2 Approval of Manufacturing Process Ch 2, Sec 1

3. Notwithstanding the requirements in the preceding 1, where the applicant is already approved by the Society and the attachments are entirely equal in content to the documents previously submitted to the Society, the documents may be partly or entirely exempted from submission except for ap- proval test program for approval of the manufacturing process.

4. Where any part of the manufacturing process is assigned to other companies or other manufacturing plants, additional documents related to the manufacturing process showing the names and addresses of the other companies and plants together with the organization and method of inspection for pur- chasing semi-final products are to be included.

103. Data review

The Society examines the approval test program for approval of manufacturing process submitted in accordance with the requirements. in 102. 2 and where deemed appropriate, the test program is ap- proved and returned to the manufacturer.

104. Plant audit

1. Purpose

The Society will, where deemed appropriate upon review of documents and data submitted, carry out the plant audit in the presence of the Surveyor to verify that the manufacturer has a technical capability to continuously produce the proposed products of equal level in quality under the stable workmanship to the satisfaction of the Society.

2. Items to be audited

The plant audit is to apply to the following items in the presence of the Surveyor

(1) Quality system in general

(A) Establishment and implementation of quality system

(B) Observance and establishment of procedure for handling of customer complaints

(C) Education and training of employees

(2) Control of process and quality

(A) Observance of work instruction

(B) Observance and confirmation of Q.C flow charts

(C) Control of nonconforming product and corrective action

(3) Control of manufacturing and inspection equipment

(A) Observance and establishment of maintenance procedure for manufacturing equipment

(B) Calibration and control of inspection equipment

(4) Others

(A) Updating of documents such as applicable standards, etc.

(B) Comprehension of related requirements for class surveys

(5) Audit methods and acceptance criteria are to be as deemed appropriate by the Society.

3. Time for audit

The time of the audit is to correspond, in principle, to either the time when the proposed product is manufactured or the time when the approval test is carried out. In this case, the manufacturer is to provide the necessary information related to this audit.

4. Exemption of audit

When the manufacturer submits the application of newly produced product with the same manu- facturing facilities and similar method of manufacture for products which have been approved by the Society, the audit items may be exempted wholly or partly according to the review result of the documents.

105. Approval test

1. The approval test is to be carried out in the presence of the Surveyor in accordance with the test method described in each Section of the Guidance or equivalent method thereof. However, the test may be partly or entirely omitted subject to the approval by the Society in case any of the follow- ing (1) or (2) is relevant.

Ch 2 Approval of Manufacturing Process Ch 2, Sec 1

(1) In case

spection

(2) In case

where the manufacturer has been approved by other Classification Society or an in- organization recognized by the Society.

of approval test for the lower grade products manufactured by the similar methods

which have been approved by the Society.

2. In principle, the approval test is to be carried out at the manufacturing sites. However, it may be done at an outside of manufacturing sites subject to the Society's approval.

3. The test samples used for the approval test are to be selected, as a rule, from the same conditions of products in the presence of the Surveyor during the plant audit as far as practicable.

4. Test records

(1) After completion of the approval test, the manufacturer is to prepare a record of the approval test and operation records relevant to steel making, casting, rolling and heat treatment etc. of the test products and is to submit three copies to the Society upon receiving confirmation by the Surveyor.

(2) All results, which are in any case to comply with the requirements of the Rules, are evaluated for the approval; depending on the results, particular limitations or testing conditions, as deemed

appropriate, may be specified in the approval document.

106. Notification and announcement of approval

1. The Society shall issue an Approval Certificate for Manufacturing Process such as FORM AC-1 shown in Annex 1 to the applicant, where deemed appropriate by the Society on the basis of the submitted test reports and plant audit results after completion of the approval test.

2. The Society announces the manufacturers who have been granted the approval of manufacturing process in the “List of Approved Manufacturer & Type Approved Equipment” containing the types of products and the main conditions of approval.

107. Changes in the manufacturing process

1. When the alteration to the specifications (materials, composition, dimension, construction, particulars, etc.), manufacturing facilities, manufacturing methods and/or quality control system has a significant effect on the property or quality of the products, or when the works was removed, the manu- facturer is to submit the application of alteration to the Society together with the detailed docu- ments of the alteration (where practicable, to be mentioned with a comparison table form between new and old).

2. The Society may request an plant audit or approval test, where deemed necessary upon reviewing the contents of alteration.

3. For the insignificant alterations, the manufacturer shall give Surveyor for confirmation at the appropriate time. In this case tents of alteration to the head office.

the contents of alteration to the the Surveyor shall report the con-

108. Validity and renewal of approval certificate

1. The approval certificate for manufacturing process will be valid within five years from the date of issue. In case where the approval certificate is renewed in accordance with the requirements speci- fied in the preceding 107., the expiration date will not be changed.

2. The manufacturer who intends to have a continuation of the approval is to submit an application to the Society three months before the due date together with following data.

(1) Data related to the corrective action for approved product, if any

(2) Alteration to the approved manufacturing process or specification

(3) Service records of approved products or similar products which are approved by this Society

3. (minimum 6 months and over)

The Society is to carry out an plant audit in accordance with the requirements specified in 104.

and may request an approval test where deemed necessary after the examination of application and

Ch 2 Approval of Manufacturing Process Ch 2, Sec 1

4. Manufacturers who have not produced the approved grades and products during the period between renewals may be required to either carry out approval tests or, on the basis of results of production of similar grades of products, at the discretion of the Society, be preapproved.

5. Where for operational reasons, the renewal plant audit falls outside the period of approval, the manufacturer will still be considered as approved if agreement to this audit date is made within the period of three months after expiry of the validity. In this instance, if successful, the extension of approval will be back dated to the original renewal date.

109. Suspension or withdrawal of approval

1. Concerning the product quality, during the period of validity, the Society can withdraw the approval of manufacturing process in case any of following cases:

(1) When the materials no longer conform to the given requirements due to amendments or estab- lishment of conventions, laws, rules and regulations.

(2) In service failures traceable to product quality and/or non conformity of the product revealed

during test, fabrication and construction.

(3) When the products are produced in breach of the approval conditions or when the test results have been improperly reported.

(4) Changes brought by the Manufacturer without preliminary agreement of the Society to the extent

of the approval defined at the time of the approval

(5) When the materials and equipment failed to pass the confirmation test and/or occasional plant audit specified in 110.

(6) In case where a serious failure of the manufacturer's quality system has been identified or where the manufacturer has failed to inform any changes which will affect the approved quality

system to this Society.

(7) In case where the manufacturer has not undergone a renewal plant audit or where the manu- facturer is refusing to undergo occasional plant audit requested by this Society.

2. In renewal or occasional audit for approved products, where non-conformities in the approved qual- ity system are found, or where conditions for the issuance of the certificate or for its maintenance have deteriorated, the manufacturer is to correct the non-conformities. Such corrections are to be verified by the Society. In case where corrective actions are not taken within the specified period, the Society may suspend the approved certificate for a given period. In case where the corrective actions are not taken for the suspended period, the Society may withdraw the approval.

3. Having no concern with the product quality the Society can withdraw, during the period of validity, the approval of manufacturing process in the following cases:

(1) When a request for withdrawal is made by the manufacturer.

(2) When the approval fees are not paid.

(3) When considered inappropriate for approved condition by the Society.

4. A manufacturer whose approval has been withdrawn, may apply for re-approval provided that the reasons which resulted in cancellation are corrected, and the Society is to issue the approval certifi- cate after it is confirmed that the corrective action has effectively been implemented.

5. Where an application for re-approval is made for product which had its approval of manufacturing process withdrawn, such application shall be handled according to initial approval of manufacturing process requirements. But, it may be considered as exceptional case in case where the Society spe- cially accepted.

110. Confirmation test and/or occasional plant audit

1. The confirmation test and/or occasional plant audit may be required when serious defect is found in structure or performance, etc. of the materials and equipment retaining approval.

2. After completion of the confirmation test and/or occasional plant audit, the manufacturer is to pre- pare a record of the confirmation test and/or occasional plant audit and submit three copies to the Society upon receiving confirmation by the Surveyor.

Ch 2 Approval of Manufacturing Process Ch 2, Sec 2-1