The IMDS compliance came into effect after an agreement between 9 giant automakers, which included the likes of Porsche, VW, Audi, BMW, Ford, Volvo, Daimler, and Opel. Now, it is a global standard which is used by OEMs across the world to ensure the optimum classification of the parts used by them in their production of automobiles.

IMDS compliance has ensured that the supplies across the globe follow national and international compliance standards. The EU pioneered this movement, which is now being followed by OEMs worldwide.

Importance of Collecting IMDS Data

The process of acquiring the IMDS datasheets for suppliers and OEMs can be quite a challenging task and makes it difficult to attain IMDS submission from the OEMs and suppliers before the customer’s PPAP (Pre-production Approval Process) due date.

Moreover, obtaining accepted IMDS report from OEMs or customers is a big challenge as well, as they might have various criteria to accept them. For instance, most MDS reports are rejected by OEMs or customers due to clarity issues in material classifications and material names.

Click here to find more challenges that can be faced by OEMs in following the IMDS compliance.

IMDS submission is an imperative process to follow through for suppliers, as it highlights the ELV of the parts being made. This especially presents a big challenge to the suppliers to properly report during their IMDS submission to ensure they don’t face any legal issues.

IMDS Report Checklist - Time and Money Saver

An IMDS checklist, which has all the domains the OEMs and suppliers need to fill the information for, can come in very handy for them. It can streamline the IMDS submission process, and also save a lot of time and resources that go into making an IMDS report. Here is a ready reckoner IMDS checklist that you can use:

1. Application

One of the most crucial parts of the IMDS report is the application of the parts. Suppliers and OEMs must use the ELV Annex for streamlining this process. The ELV Annex contains all the relevant information about the expiry dates and scope of the exemptions for the OEMs and suppliers.

Moreover, a valid application code should be selected while filing the IMDS report. Checking this part off will prove to be an excellent start to building the IMDS report.

2. Part Type

Now we come to the details of the parts. Here are the three most crucial pieces of information that must be filled in for filing an IMDS report:

● Select the part description and part number accurately. Double-check it to make sure it is accurate. This will save you the hassle of going through the entire process again for filling in the wrong information.

● All the components used should have a quantity that must be specified by the supplier and OEM.

● The exact specific weight of the semi components should be mentioned in the report.

3. Material Information

You must disclose all the information about the materials being used to build the parts. There are many different types of materials classified under the MDS system. Go through these guidelines that can make you aware of the Material Data Sheets in IMDS for filling inaccurate material information.

4. Structural Details

IMDS makes a copy of all the top nodes and the entire tree structure of the materials. The components and semi-components only exist within the tree. However, the materials are their own entity and exist on their own. All the material nodes that should be replaced for correcting the Masterbatch Structure are shown under the “material name (Placeholder)” category here.

Hence, it is imperative for suppliers to ensure that all different types of nodes, including components, semi-components, and material should not be under the same level. Check your node structure comprehensively.

5. Weight 

Weight deviation plays a key role in determining if you are complying with the IMDS regulations or not. You must check the weight deviation of your components and materials, to ensure that they don’t exceed a certain defined percentage. Look for any warnings regarding weight deviation, and get them cleared at the earliest. To find more information on weight deviation, click here.

6. Customer specification

Understand your customer’s requirements before starting to put in the effort to build their product. Check their requirements rigorously, so you can update the right data on IMDS.

Conclusion

Now you have a ready to go IMDS checklist at your hand, it is time to put it to work. All the points in this checklist will help you in ensuring that you’re following the IMDS compliance to the word. APA Engineering is an IMDS compliance solutions provider, which provides deep domain expertise on processes of other suppliers / OEMs to the clients. We have assisted tier 1 suppliers and major automotive OEMs by providing them with superior managed solutions for EU’s ELV directive for IMDS. Consult with APA Engineering today to get deep domain expertise on various compliances and access to software tools that can generate accurate and insightful data analysis.