Capability is observed, not claimed
The assessment covers equipment actually on the floor, current utilisation, process control, measurement capability and how non-conformance is handled. Certification is necessary but tells you very little on its own.
Capacity matters as much as capability
A supplier that can make the part but has no room in the schedule is not a supply route. Understanding current loading is part of the assessment, and it is the part most often skipped.
First article before commitment
Nothing goes into ongoing client supply without a first-article part manufactured and verified against the drawing. It is the only assessment that cannot be presented favourably.
