Update and approved vendor list chatter

It was a rather slow week at the medical device factory, our sterilization load was finished up and was delivered on Friday, management has now moved on to the next crisis- the hardware and software, which I don't directly work on, just test and criticize- so the sterilization load is sitting quietly all weekend until QA finalizes a procedure or form or something. My initial post concerning sterilization was on Aug 2, so it took about 2 months from start to finish, we actually shipped to the sterilizer mid August. Also not news, the company's board did approve moving the company, but someone else picked up the place they were looking at, so that is at least a temporary reprieve.

We did have a contentious meeting regarding the approved vendor list (AVL). My opinion regarding the AVL is that engineers should not have to worry about it. There have been complaints that we're ordering things from vendors not on the list. My thought is the vendor should get approved (or disqualified) before the ECN (or ECO or whatever you call it) with the component or supply on it is finalized. They've actually been waiting until the part has been received in from the vendor before checking if the vendor is on the list and then putting it on the list. Don't ask me what QA/QC is checking on ECNs before signing off on them- it seems as though checking to make sure that what we're planning on doing actually follows quality policy should be high on the list however. I think we have it straightened out now, but its one of many details a startup has to work its way through. Its fine if one of my vendors is disqualified, but telling me about it (or starting the process) after the part is in doesn't help out.