The partnership between OEM supplier and system manufacturer-an example for Total Quality Management

Today´s telecommunication systems contain a large proportion of products from outside suppliers, i.e. OEM products. These products exert a major influence on the quality and reliability of the systems and, consequently, on the telecommunication networks. The assurance that these products can be supplied with uniformly high quality throughout the entire life cycle of the system has thus become an important task within the scope of total quality management (TQM). The introduction of OEM products in systems of the Public Switching Division of Siemens AG follows a phase plan similar to the development process plan. It comprises the stages evaluation/selection, qualification including functional and environmental tests, as well as integration into the system and release. Existing certifications, such as ISO 9001/9002, as well as tests and field trials by the OEM supplier are taken into account. Quick and successful introduction of OEM products depends, to a large extent, on the OEM supplier´s willingness to cooperate and on their understanding the importance of TQM