1. Use this website for more information and exam questions on Quality
Use this website for more information and exam questions on Quality
Brian Russell

2. Exam expectations
Issues associated with quality are regularly tested in the written paper. It is important that you can explain the difference between quality assurance and quality control. You should also know about quality standards.

3. Design or manufacture?
Quality is determined by the intended users, clients or customers
It is not the same as 'expensive' or 'high quality'
Even goods with low prices can be considered quality items if they meet a market need.

4. Not necessarily the best
A quality product does not have to be the best possible or expensive
It does not have to be made from the highest quality materials to the most exacting standards
It does have to meet the customer requirements and expectations though

5. Quality Issues Consistency – every product the same
Right first time every time
Working to tolerances
Check materials in as well as products out

6. Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance checks the systems which make the products, before, during and after manufacture.
It ensures that consistency is achieved and that it meets the required standards. Factors such as equipment, materials, processes and staff training need to be constantly monitored.
The customer is an important part of any QA system and may well be involved in the monitoring at various stages.

7. Quality Assurance Two key principles characterise QA:
fitness for purpose (the product should be suitable for the intended purpose)
right first time (mistakes should be eliminated).

8. Quality Assurance QA includes regulation of the quality of:
raw materials
assemblies,
products and components
services related to production
production and inspection processes
management

9. Quality Assurance It does not just focus on the finished product
Often involves self-checking by workers of their own quality against agreed standards
Puts more emphasis on prevention of poor quality rather than checking for poor quality
Establishes quality standards and targets for each stage of production
Materials and components checked on delivery not at end of process
System can be used to trace back quality problems to the stage in production where problem might have occurred.

10. Quality control One part of QA
A series of checks – size, strength, weight, taste etc.

11. Quality control
Quality Control is a series of checks which are carried out on a product as it is made. The checks are made to make sure that each product meets a specific standard. Some likely tests carried out on the product involve ...
• Dimensional accuracy
• Weight
• Electrical circuit testing
• Flammability tests

12. Testing
Testing is an important part of the manufacture of a product and can take place at any time during production. For example, an injection moulded plastic bottle top could be tested after ten, a thousand or a million of them have been produced. In this particular example some of the tests would include:
Checking its diameter
Checking thickness
Whether it screws onto container

13. Tolerances Acceptable range of difference from standard
Sometimes measured in plus/minus
No product manufactured in quantity can be considered to be perfect in every detail

14. Tolerances
As every object cannot be guaranteed to accurately meet the specifications when produced in large quantities, a tolerance has to be applied. This specifies the minimum and maximum measurements.
Analysis of tolerance tests can signal the imminent failure of a machine and can help to achieve the ultimate aim of quality control which is ZERO FAULTS.

15. Total Quality Management
Based on the principle that everyone in the company is responsible for quality
Employees can no longer think that quality is someone else’s responsibility
Every worker should think about the quality of the work they are doing because other workers are their internal customers

16. Certification
Manufacturers who work to recognised standards are awarded certification
These guarantee the manufacturer not the product

17. BS EN ISO 9000 One of the most important series of standards
These provide companies with a framework for developing a set of processes that ensure a commonsense approach to the management of the organisation.

18. ISO standards for companies
Good conformity assessment, managerial and organisational practice.
ISO 9000 is a standard laid down for companies with good quality management systems in place and is assessed and awarded by BSI

19. International Organization for Standardization
ISO is the world’s leading developer of International Standards.
ISO standards specify the requirements for state-of-the-art products, services, processes, materials and systems.
ISO standards are designed to be implemented worldwide.

20. British Standards Institute
BSI devises tests that products or components have to meet.
It awards the Kitemark to those products that meet the standards.

21. Conformité Europeenne
Simply means that the product has been approved for sale in the European Union.
Meets basic requirements but may not have been tested against specific criteria
The letters 'CE' on a product are the manufacturer's claim that the product meets the requirements of all relevant European Directives.

22. CE marking – BSI interpretation
Indicates to governments that the product can be legally sold within the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Area (EFTA)
Ensures the product can move freely throughout the European Single Market
Indicates to customers that the product meets designated minimum safety standards and therefore a minimum level of quality
Promotes public health and safety
Enhances product credibility
Leads to improved sales and greater customer satisfaction.

23. Customer confidence
Trade associations provide clear guidance for manufacturers and designers and undertake their own testing
Along with other forms of certification they provide customers with a degree of confidence and an assurance that they are getting a quality product

24. Quality circles
A quality circle is a volunteer group composed of workers, usually under the leadership of their supervisor, who are trained to identify, analyse and solve work-related problems and present their solutions to management in order to improve the performance of the organisation, and motivate and enrich the work of employees.
Typical topics for discussion are improving occupational health and safety, improving product design, and improvement in the workplace and manufacturing processes.

25. Quality circles
They meet at least once a week on company time and are trained by competent persons (usually designated as facilitators) who may be personnel and industrial relations specialists trained in human factors and the basic skills of problem identification, information gathering and analysis, basic statistics, and solution generation.
Quality circles are generally free to select any topic they wish other than salary and terms and conditions.
Quality circles have the advantage of continuity; the circle remains intact from project to project.

26. Continuous improvement
Quality circles are often a major influence in the continuous improvement of products and are used by most successful manufacturing organisations.
Being constantly close to the product and the manufacturing systems used they are best placed to make recommendations for change.

27. BMW Video
BMW Quality Control in action