Engineering Change Procedure

Supplier Participation Version

1. The Engineering Change Form is completed to initiate a request for a change.

Supplier note: The Engineering Change Form contains information related to

a change requested for consideration. Initially, this is called and ECR of
Engineering Change Request.

If the supplier wishes to make a change to a part, sub-assembly, assembly,

or process affecting an Access Business Group product, the supplier must
submit a request for the change. The request may be made using either the
Access Business Group Engineering Change Request form, or on the
suppliers engineering change request form. If the request is made using the
suppliers form, the Access Business Group Engineering Change form will be
attached as a cover sheet and the suppliers request will be considered
background information related to the change request.

2. If the requested change involves an outside supplier, the Engineering Change

form is transmitted to the supplier for a page #1 signature (see note #1). A
supplier signature is required for approval of the request by the CCB.

Supplier note: The ECR, along with supporting documentation is sent to the
supplier for signature to insure that the requested change is feasible and to
allow the supplier to respond with any comments or changes prior to
initiation of the change. If there are no issues, the supplier is to sign page #1
to indicate that the requested change is feasible. Signature of page #1 does
not indicate that the change has been completed nor that the change is
approved for production.

3. The completed form, along with supporting documentation, is submitted to

the Change Control Board (CCB) Coordinator. An ECR number is assigned by
the CCB Coordinator.
4. The CCB Coordinator places a .PDF of the Engineering Change Request,
including back-up documentation, into Product Center with a status of in
progress (see note #2). The ECR is linked to the item in Product Center for
which the change is being requested. If other documentation exists, such
as .PDFs of the proposed revision, test data, MAIs etc., it can be linked to
the Engineering Change Request .PDF within Product Center or identified
within the attributes of the ECR.
5. At least one day prior to the next CCB meeting, the CCB Coordinator notifies
the necessary personnel by e-mail regarding the request (see note #3).
6. Persons receiving the Engineering Change Request/s have the responsibility
to review the requested change, request additional clarification, and
formulate an opinion prior to attending the next CCB meeting at which the
request/s will be approved or rejected. Persons not able to attend should
delegate the authority to approve or reject the request/s to a suitable
replacement attendee. An e-mail indicating approval or rejection, which is
sent by the notified attendee to the CCB Coordinator prior to the CCB
meeting, will also satisfy the review requirement.
7. On the day prior to the CCB meeting, the CCB Coordinator distributes an
agenda indicating the ECR/ECNs requiring disposition at the CCB to all
standing CCB members and other requested attendees based on the content
of the ECR/ECNs.
8. The Change Control Board meets on a weekly basis to approve or reject
Engineering Change Requests (ECR) and Engineering Change notices (ECN).
The CCB Coordinator is responsible for compiling any changes to the ECR
onto a master copy (see note #4). The master copy of the ECR must be
approved and signed by the CCB attendees indicating an agreement to
execute or reject the requested change. A unanimous decision by the CCB is
required for the ECR to become an ECN. If any changes have been made to
the ECN, a new copy is to be sent to the supplier by the ECR initiator.
9. Upon approval of the Engineering Change Request, it becomes an
Engineering Change Notice (ECN) signifying agreement by the CCB that the
change should be initiated (see note #5).
10.The CCB Coordinator replaces the original ECR in Product Center with the
ECN containing page #1 signatures. (see note #6).
11.The ECN provides authorization to initiate the requested change.

Supplier note: A copy of the ECN containing all page #1 signatures, or

attached e-mails indicating approval, will be sent to the supplier to indicate
that the Change Control Board has agreed to initiate the change. Any
changes to the ECN as a result of the review by the CCB will be
communicated to the supplier by the ECN. Again, signature of page #1
indicates an agreement to initiate the change, not completion of the change
nor approval to implement the change into production.

12.As submittal requirements are completed, the person responsible for

completion of the individual requirements updates the ECN within Product
Center to indicate the completion date of the required activities.

Supplier note: Certain information pertaining to the completion of submittal

requirements, such as First Article Inspection results, process capability
studies, test data, etc., may be requested from the supplier to document
completion of the requirements.
13.Upon completion of the submittal requirements, the ECN is returned to the
CCB for review and signing.
14.Upon unanimous agreement that submittal requirements have been satisfied,
page #2 of the ECN will be signed and approved for release to production.
Any qualifiers to the production release, such as delays in implementation,
additional dispositions, etc. will be noted under the release signature block.
15.If submittal requirements must be modified, the ECN will be returned to the
CCB where revisions to the ECN will be determined.
16.The revised ECN will be placed into Product Center as a new version.
17.Upon release to production, the ECN with release signatures will be scanned
and placed into Product Center where it will be changed to released status.
18.The released ECN will be transferred to Documentum for distribution.

Supplier note: A copy of the completed, released ECN will be transmitted to

the supplier to indicate that the change has been completed and approved
for production. New production orders based on major revisions that result
from the completed and approved ECN will be received from ABG
procurement.

19.Release of the ECN for production will trigger the release of revised
specifications, Parts Tickets, MAIs, etc. required to implement the change.

Notes:
1. Suppliers must be trained to understand our procedure and that the signature
of the request does not constitute an agreement to make the change nor a
release of the change to production. If the Engineering Change request is
made by a person other than the CCB Coordinator, then the person
originating the request is responsible for obtaining the supplier signature.
2. If hard-copy of supporting documentation accompanies the request, the
Engineering Change Request Form, along with the supporting documentation,
should be scanned into a single .PDF file and placed into Product Center.
3. Product Center can create a hyperlink to place into the notification e-mail
which will take the recipient to the Engineering Change Request within
Product Center. Multiple hyperlinks can be placed into a single notification e-
mail. Notifications should be sent to all standing CCB members and any
additional attendees required by the particular request.
4. It is anticipated that only minor revisions to the original ECR indicating an
additional test or submittal requirement will be necessary and can be
accomplished at the CCB meeting. If more revisions are required, the ECR
should be re-routed and placed on the agenda for the next CCB meeting.
5. Approval of the ECR creating an ECN is not approval to release the change to
production. A specific approval by the CCB to release the change to
production, signifying agreement that all submittal requirements have been
met, is required.
6. The intention to make the change once approved for production should be
communicated to all necessary parties. A minimum distribution list for ECNs
should include:

All CCB Members

Planning
Procurement
Project Management
Product Development engineering
Product Development process
Product Development reliability
Product Development technical regulatory
Quality Assurance
Manufacturing
Document Management
Service Plus Group
Supplier
7. I recommend that the signed master copy of the ECN be scanned and
checked-in as a new version of the original ECR. It may not be necessary to
scan the supporting documentation as it is part of the original version of the
ECR.