CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT Configuration Change Control

Post-Midterm Lectures
Ms. Arlenie R. Salamat

Recap

What are Configuration Items (CIs) Choosing the CIs to be taken in the Configuration Management Configuration change control for each CI
Baseline Authority Backward and Forward traces Etc.

Configuration Change Control

Configuration management should provide visibility of the products configuration through recording specific data in order to establish and maintain integrity of the product described by the configuration throughout its complete life cycle

Configuration Change Control

CONFIGURATION CONTROL BOARD

Class Objectives:

Understand the purpose of the configuration control function Recall the difference between engineering changes and configuration departures Understand and differentiate Configuration Control Board (CCB) and Change Review Board (CRB) Know and understand the classification and categorization of engineering changes and configuration departures Recall the processes in engineering changes and configuration departures

Purpose and benefit of the Configuration Control Function

Enable change decisions to be based on knowledge of complete change impact Limit changes to those which are necessary or offer significant benefit

Facilitate evaluation of cost, savings, and trade-offs

Ensure customer interests are considered Provide orderly communication of change information

Purpose cont

Preserve configuration control at product interfaces Maintain and control a current configuration baseline

Maintain consistency between product and documentation

Document and limit variances (what are variances again???) Facilitate continued supportability of the product after change

The primary objective of configuration control is to establish and maintain a systematic change management process that regulates life-cycle cost, and:
Allows optimum design and development latitude with the appropriate degree and depth of configuration change control procedures during the life-cycle of a system / CI

Provides efficient processing and implementation of configuration changes that maintain or enhance operational readiness, supportability, and interchangeability

 Ensures complete, accurate and timely changes to configuration documentation maintained under appropriate configuration control authority Eliminates unnecessary change proliferation

Configuration Control Board (CCB) and Change Review Board (CRB)

CHANGE AUTHORITIES

Configuration Control Board

The CCB is the sole authority for disposition of the project configuration documentation The CCB is chaired by the project manager or his designated representative The CCB authenticates configuration documentation, establishes baselines, approves or disapproves engineering change proposals, deviations and waivers and authorizes the minutes of completed technical and configuration reviews

Change Review Board

The CRB is usually preceding the CCB in order to limit boarding time of the CCB while reviewing a change or departure for its technical effects on the entire product The CRB recommends the CCB approval or disapproval of a change proposal or departure request on the grounds of a technical review report

Configuration Control Board Participation

Beside configuration management, engineering and quality assurance as permanent CCB participants, all other project disciplines assign representatives as called for by the CCB chairman. They may be assigned from:
Manufacturing Test Engineering Purchasing Logistics Finance Contracts Disciplined specialists (as required) Supplier(s)

Configuration Control Board Activities

Change effects analysis

Technical feasibility Effects on CI / higher level CI(s) Implementation schedule Cost Production resources

Change categorization
Final concurrence in the classification of change Reviewing the type of change (product evolution, enhancement, or document update) Agreement in the priority of change (emergency, urgent, or routine)

CCB Activities cont

Change implementation effectivity (cut-in point planning) and change correlation with third parties (e.g., other projects) The CCB is usually not a voting body the chairman makes final decision

ENGINEERING CHANGES VS. CONFIGURATION DEPARTURES

Engineering Changes

Engineering changes are the process of changing configuration documentation for functional (specifications) and physical (drawings) attributes, including all associated ancillary documentation

Reasons for Engineering Changes

to provide new capabilities desired by the customer to enhance product support to insert new technology to effect product improvements to correct product defects or deficiencies to correct problems and prevent recurrence to eliminate safety hazard conditions to implement preplanned product improvements to reduce production costs / improve production efficiency to prevent schedule slippage, or just administrative changes to the drawing / document

Configuration Departures (Variances) - Deviations and Waivers

Deviations
a written authorization, granted prior to the manufacture of an item, to depart from particular requirements or the design of an items approved configuration documentation for a declared number of units or a scheduled period of time. Deviations do not cause a corresponding revision of the configuration documentation governing the departing attribute.

Waivers
a written authorization to accept an item, which, during manufacture, test or quality inspection, or having been submitted for customer inspection or acceptance, is found to depart from design or manufacturing process requirements, but nevertheless is considered suitable for use-as-is or after repair by an approved method. Waiver do not cause a corresponding revision of the configuration documentation governing the departing attribute.

Classifying Engineering Changes

Prioritizing Engineering Changes

Urgent
To effect a change which, if not accomplished expeditiously, may seriously compromise the mission effectiveness of deployed equipment or software

To correct a potentially hazardous condition, the uncorrected existence of which could result in injury to personnel or damage to equipment. (A potentially hazardous condition compromises safety and embodies risk, but within reasonable limits, permits continued use of the affected item, provided the operator has been informed of the hazard and appropriate precautions have been defined and distributed to the user)

Prioritizing cont (URGENT)

To meet significant contractual requirements (for example, when lead time will necessitate slipping approved production or deployment schedules if the change was not incorporated) To effect an interface change which, if delayed, would cause a schedule slippage or increase cost To effect a significant net life-cycle cost savings to the tasking activity, as defined in the contract, where expedited processing of the change will be a major factor in realizing

Prioritizing cont (URGENT)

To correct a condition causing unusable output information that is critical to mission accomplishment. To correct critical CI files that are being degraded To effect a change in operational characteristics to implement a new or changed regulatory requirement with stringent completion date requirements issued by an authority higher than that of the

Prioritizing cont

Routine
A routine priority is assigned to an ECP/SCP when emergency or urgent implementation is not applicable, required, or justifiable.

Prioritizing cont

Emergency

To effect a change in operational characteristics which, if not accomplished without delay, may seriously compromise project security To correct a hazardous condition which may result in fatal or serious injury to personnel or in extensive damage or destruction of equipment. (A hazardous condition usually will require withdrawing the item from service temporarily, or suspension of the item operation, or discontinuance of further testing or development pending resolution of the condition); or

Prioritizing cont(EMERGENCY)

To correct a system halt (abnormal termination) in the production environment such that mission accomplishment is prohibited.

Designating Waiver

Product nonconformance for which a waiver requests permission to use are distinguished by defect of the product
Minor defect; a departure from established engineering and production standards having little or no effect on the product usability Major defect; a defect that is likely to result in item failure or materially reduces product usability Critical defect; a defect that, judgment and experience indicate, is likely to result in unsafe conditions for individuals using, maintaining, or depending upon the product

Initiating an engineering change problem by reporting

Engineering/ Software Change Cycle

Issuing a change request (with or without problem report) Determination for the need of the requested change by analysis of the total impact Preparation of the engineering / software change proposal Disposition by the CRB and CCB Customer approval / disapproval CCB orders the change for incorporation / implementation Incorporation in configuration documentation Incorporation in product / software change implementation and incorporation Verification of change accomplishment

Typical Change Documentation in Engineering Change Process

The Change Implementation Process

Formal involvement of CM in tracking and recording the change implementation is a relatively new CM responsibility A controlled process is required because complex changes require many individual actions involving different organizations and thus, require scheduling, coordination, tracking and reporting CM does not direct the implementation of a change. The direction is provided by the CCB through an engineering (or software) change order All organizations contributing to the change incorporation / implementation effort are tasked to provide cooperative schedules at the CCB

Verifying the Incorporation of Engineering Changes and Deviations

Production planning receives the approved change documentation or deviation under cover of an engineering change order
Quality Control verifies the incorporation and issues an as-built record CM compares the as-built record with the engineering change and closes the change action

A Generic Engineering Change or Deviation Process

Requesting Deviations and Waivers

To deliver a product with a known configuration departure, defect or parts shortage, customer authorization is usually required. A request for deviation or waiver is utilized for obtaining approval

Deviations and waivers are not engineering or software changes and do not alter engineering drawings or software documentation
Deviation: A planned nonconformance to performance, design, or verification requirements, or the products physical attributes Waiver: An unplanned nonconformance to the product design or its manufacturing process requirements

Requesting cont

Deviations and waivers are usually designated minor, major and critical in respect to their effects. In space projects, critical deviations and waivers are generally not permitted since they do affect safety factors by their definition Deviations and waivers are occasionally also referred to as variances, derogation, concessions, or production permits (in the UK for deviations)

Processing a Request for Deviation

Except for deviations requested during the development phase, the manufacturing planner is one of the first to be aware of the need to deviate; e.g., when
scheduled receipt of material or parts is in delay an in-line process such as for coating or heat treatment is out-of-service inoperable or unavailable test equipment prevents the conduct of required tests

Processing (DEVIATION) cont

An alternative material, part or process is selected and a deviation is proposed for temporary application
Engineering and manufacturing normally have instant access to acceptable alternatives

The CRB / CCB evaluates the proposed deviation to investigate

its suitability of the substitution a scheduled return to the as-required or as-designed condition

Processing (DEVIATION) cont

The CRB / CCB evaluates the proposed deviation to investigate

its suitability of the substitution a scheduled return to the as-required or as-designed condition the specific identity, such as the serial number of each affected CI, and the first unit scheduled for return to normal proceeding the appropriate designation as minor, major (or critical)

Cont

Note: Commercial producers should not allow major or critical deviations since their effects on logistics support, increased risk of product failure, or risk of hazard to the user is unacceptable. Military customers accept under certain circumstances major deviations, and may tolerate the greater risk of a critical deviation when strategic conditions demand the immediate use of the product (e.g., wartime)

Cont

After CCB acceptance, the deviation is sent to CM. CM obtains deviation authorization, distributes the deviation to manufacturing planning or purchasing, and records the deviation

Processing a Request for Waivers

In most productions, items receive an inprocess quality inspection for early detection of a nonconformance prior to quality buy-off for next step integration or delivery Nonconformances to the products physical attributes or its manufacturing processes are identified during manufacture, or as a result of test failure assessment Manufacturing / receiving inspection personnel or test technicians use often the problem report to document briefly a possible discrepancy or anomaly

Processing (WAIVER) cont

The responsible production quality engineer reviews the problem report and prepares a Nonconformance Report (NCR) as applicable

If the nonconformance was not dispositioned at a preliminary review, it is forwarded to the Material (or Nonconformance) Review Board (MRB), when established as part of a contractors non-conforming material disposition system

Processing (WAIVER) cont

The MRB decision may result in return to supplier, scrap, rework, repair, or use-asis Final disposition of minor defects can be determined by the MRB and be recorded as a minor waiver There is a significant difference between rework and repair After rework, the product complies with the approved product design as disclosed by the governing engineering drawing

Processing (WAIVER) cont

A repaired item is functionally satisfactorily, but will never conform exactly to the drawing After repair, no other defect than minor should be accepted

MRB decisions for use-as-is concerning material with a major defect need to be elevated to CM for preparation of a request for major waiver
According CRB / CCB processing for gaining customer permission granted is the usual case

A Generic Waiver Process