Understanding Quality Control

Quality control involves testing units and determining if they are within the specifications for the final product. The purpose of the testing is to determine any needs for corrective actions in the manufacturing process. Good quality control helps companies meet consumer demands for better products.

Quality testing involves each step of the manufacturing process. Employees often begin with the testing of raw materials, pull samples from along the manufacturing line, and test the finished product. Testing at the various stages of manufacturing helps identify where a production problem is occurring and the remedial steps it requires to prevent it in the future.

The quality control used in a business is highly dependent on the product or industry. In food and drug manufacturing, quality control includes ensuring the product does not make a consumer sick, so the company performs chemical and microbiological testing of samples from the production line. Because the appearance of prepared food affects consumer perception, the manufacturers may prepare the product according to its package directions for visual inspection.

In automobile manufacturing, quality control focuses on how parts fit together and interact and ensure engines operate smoothly and efficiently. In electronics, testing might involve using meters that measure the flow of electricity.

Quality Control Methods

There are several methods of measuring the performance of quality control. A quality control chart is a graphic that depicts whether sampled products or processes are meeting their intended specifications—and, if not, the degree by which they vary from those specifications. When each chart analyzes a specific attribute of the product, it is called a univariate chart. When a chart measures variances in several product attributes, it is called a multivariate chart.

X-Bar Chart

Randomly selected products are tested for the given attribute or attributes the chart is tracking. A common form of a quality control chart is the X-Bar Chart, where the y-axis on the chart tracks the degree to which the variance of the tested attribute is acceptable. The x-axis tracks the samples tested. Analyzing the pattern of variance depicted by a quality control chart can help determine if defects are occurring randomly or systematically.1

Taguchi Method

The Taguchi Method of quality control is another approach that emphasizes the roles of research and development, product design, and product development in reducing the occurrence of defects and failures in products. The Taguchi Method considers design to be more important than the manufacturing process in quality control and tries to eliminate variances in production before they can occur.2

100% Inspection Method

This 100% inspection method is a quality control process that involves looking at and assessing all parts of a product. This type of quality control is done to rule out flaws in products. This method is often used to evaluate valuable metals and produce. When conducting the 100% inspection method calls for data about the manufacturing process and software to analyze inventory.

The challenge for using this method is that looking at every single item that makes up a product is expensive, and it could destabilize or render the product unusable. For example, if you use this method to examine organic strawberries, you would risk the delicate berries being bruised or mushed, rendering them unsellable to customers.

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Understanding Quality Control

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