A CQM is part of the MasterCard Card Approval Process.

A MasterCard « Letter of Approval » is issued to a chip card or device vendor for each chip card or device that has successfully completed all of the following :

• Interface and Application Testing (IAT)
• Compliance Assessment and Security Testing (CAST)
• Card Quality Management (CQM).

MasterCard Worlwide has decided (from August, 17, 2009) to outsource Card Quality Management operations to our company. Starting from this date, Smart Consulting has become the primary contact for all vendors wishing to go through the CQM procedures.

The scope of CQM is to cover different types of suppliers :

• Cards vendors
• Components suppliers of the cards vendors
• Personalization bureaus.

The requirements are based on :

• Product quality requirements (modular organization) :
  1. Physical Characteristics: Size, Shape, Surface, Chemical, Magnetic, Electrical, Electromagnetic
  2. Temporal: Mechanical, Electrical, Magnetic, Ageing
  3. Functional: Electric, Electromagnetic, Magnetic, Terminal interface
  4. Appearance Layout, Design, Brand, Color
  5. Ergonomics Toxicity
  6. Security U.V.
  7. Miscellaneous Manufacturing process stability
• Quality Assurance requirements.

The methodology is based on self-assessment controlled by quality on-site audits and action plan follow-up