CQI-11 Plating: Assess the Plating Process with the AIAG Checklist
What is CQI-11?
CQI-11 is the AIAG special process standard 'Plating System Assessment' for evaluating the process capability and quality control of plating lines. It covers bath chemistry and maintenance, coating thickness and adhesion, pretreatment, wastewater treatment, equipment and instrumentation, personnel and records. Assessment results are compared against customer special requirements, producing actionable findings that are tracked to closure.
When to Use It
Use CQI-11 for second-party audits of plating suppliers in automotive and industrial supply chains, for internal plating-shop self-assessments, and when investigating plating defects such as blistering, bare spots or poor corrosion resistance. It is also a practical framework for evaluating a new supplier's plating capability before sourcing decisions. Bath analysis records should be linked to production lots so affected product can be traced quickly when anomalies appear.
How to Use It (Step by Step)
Work through the assessment items for chemical bath analysis and maintenance records, coating thickness test methods and frequency, adhesion and corrosion testing, racks and electrical contacts, rectifier and temperature control, pretreatment effectiveness, wastewater compliance and operator training records. Judge each item as conforming, non-conforming or not applicable, treating missing evidence as non-conforming. The tool records findings and tracks corrective actions to completion.
Key Formulas / Example
There are no capability formulas in a CQI-11 assessment; the standard is a checklist-and-evidence audit rather than a calculation. Scoring is per item (conforming, non-conforming or not applicable), and the overall result is a findings list with corrective actions. Thickness and adhesion are verified by the test methods specified on the drawing, such as salt spray per ASTM B117 or ISO 9227 for corrosion resistance.