Quality Control and Total Quality Control Notes

Quality Control (Q.C.)

  • Q.C. refers to operational techniques and activities to meet quality requirements.

Quality Mission

  • Manufacturer's primary mission: meet quality demands of consumers with tailor-made products.

Competition in Quality

  • Product quality is a competitive advantage. Key aspects include:
    • Product Design: Should appeal to customers in comfort, appearance, durability, etc.
    • Reputation Development: Deliver quality consistently to build a positive reputation.
    • Market Knowledge: Understand market quality to balance cost and value. Example: Market research on simple products.
    • Quality Guarantee: Ensure product quality to minimize customer losses.
    • Advertising Performance: Promote quality performance through various media.
    • Failure Avoidance: Prevent failures that could damage quality reputation.

Total Quality Control (TQC)

  • Defined as an integrated system encompassing quality development, maintenance, and improvement across an organization to achieve economical production and full customer satisfaction.

Quality Assurance

  • Quality Assurance involves planned and systematic actions to ensure a product or service meets defined quality requirements.

Evolution of Quality Control

  • 100 Years of Evolution: Quality control has evolved over a century with several key steps:
    1. Operator Quality Control: Early quality practices until the 19th century.
    2. Foreman Quality Control: Began in the early 1900s, aligned with modern factory concepts.
    3. Inspection Quality Control: Emerged during WWI, leading to full-time inspectors.
    4. Statistical Quality Control: Developed during WWII due to mass production needs.

Company-Wide Quality Control

  • Involves organization-wide activities aimed at achieving quality goals that meet customer satisfaction in a timely manner.

Benefits of Quality Control

  1. Promotes quality awareness among workers.
  2. Increases consumer satisfaction through better quality.
  3. Reduces production costs.
  4. Optimizes resource utilization, minimizing waste.
  5. Cuts down on inspection costs.
  6. Enhances brand goodwill.
  7. Boosts employee morale.
  8. Improves employer-employee relations.
  9. Advances production techniques and methods.
  10. Facilitates effective marketing, building customer confidence.
  11. Aids in setting prices.
  12. Increases sales.