NCR escalation
NCR escalation is the routing of a nonconformance record to higher review based on risk, severity, or delay.
NCR escalation is the process of raising a nonconformance report or nonconformance record to a higher level of review, decision-making, or visibility. It is used when the issue requires additional authority, cross-functional input, customer or supplier involvement, or faster action due to risk, severity, recurrence, or delay.
In manufacturing quality workflows, NCR escalation commonly occurs in a QMS, MES, ERP, or supplier quality system. Escalation rules may be triggered by conditions such as an overdue disposition, repeated defect, suspected impact to shipped product, high scrap or rework cost, blocked production, or a nonconformance affecting a critical characteristic.
NCR escalation should not be confused with the NCR itself. The NCR documents the nonconforming condition and its handling. Escalation is the routing or governance step that moves the record to the appropriate people or process, such as quality engineering, an MRB, supplier quality, operations leadership, or corrective action review. Escalation may lead to CAPA or RCCA, but it does not automatically mean a corrective action has been opened or completed.
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