ACTIVITIES OF QUALITY

ACTIVITIES OF QUALITY

In the manufacturing industry, activities concerned with quality can be divided into six stages:

1. Product Planning:
planning for the function, price, life cycle, etc. of the product concerned.

2. Product Design:
designing the product to have the functions decided in product planning.

3. Process Design:
designing the manufacturing process to have the functions decided in the product design.

4. Production:
the process of actually making the product so that it is of the designed quality.

5. Sales:
activities to sell the manufactured product.

6. After-Sales Service:
customer service activities such as maintenance and product services.


It is important to note that company-wide activities are necessary to improve quality and productivity at each of the six stages mentioned above. A company needs to build an overall quality system in which all activities interact to produce products of designed quality with minimum costs.

Note that there are three different characteristics of quality in an overall quality system in the manufacturing industry:

1. Quality of Design:
Quality of product planning, product design and process design.
                              

2. Quality of Conformance:
Quality of production.


3. Quality of Service:
Quality of sales and after-sales services.


Nowadays, these three aspects of quality are equally important in the manufacturing company. If any one of them is not up to the mark, then the overall quality system is unbalanced, and the company will face serious problems.

Although these definitions are somewhat different, some common ideas run through them. Quality involves developing specifications to meet customer needs (quality of design), manufacturing products which satisfy those specifications (quality of conformance), and then providing after-sales services.

However, Taguchi’s definition of product quality is unusual. The loss he refers to may be caused by variability of function, or by harmful side-effects. Hence, if a product costs society no loss, the product is of the best quality, and the poorer the product’s quality is, the greater the cost of the product to the society.

An example of loss caused by variability of function would be an automobile tire that does not last long. The driver would suffer a loss if he replaced the flat tire in the middle of a highway at night because the tire has an unexpectedly short life.

An example of loss caused by a harmful side-effect would be a cold medicine which causes drowsiness in the person who takes it. Then the person would suffer a loss if this drowsiness caused him to be unable to work.

NEXT POST:  Taguchi’s concept of quality engineering from the standpoint of how quality can be designed, manufactured and measured.

WHAT IS QUALITY OF A PRODUCT OR SERVICES?

EME-072: QUALITY MANAGEMENT
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|||---- WHAT IS QUALITY?
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Everyone has had experiences of poor quality when dealing with business organizations. These experiences might involve an airline that has lost a passenger’s luggage, a dry cleaner that has left clothes wrinkled or stained, poor course offerings and scheduling at your college, a purchased product that is damaged or broken, or a pizza delivery service that is often late or delivers the wrong order. So, what is the exact definition of Quality.

Although Quality is a vague concept up to some extent, but we can still define it. So, we define "Quality of a Product" as the degree of its excellence and fitness for the purpose.
Although, some of the quality characteristics can be specified in quantitative terms, but no single characteristics can be used to measure the quality of a product on an absolute scale. 

Quality of a product means all those activities which are directed to

  (i) Maintaining and improving such as setting of quality targets,

           (ii) Appraisal of conformance

          (iii) Taking corrective action where any deviation is noticed
          (iv) And planning for improvements in quality.

Quality is a measure of the user satisfaction provided by a product, it includes
            (i) Functional efficiency
           (ii) Appearance
          (iii) Ease of installation and operation
          (iv)  Safety reliability
           (v) Maintainability
          (vi) Running and maintenance cost
         (vii) Continued fault free service/ after-sales service.

There are two elements of quality, namely 

(i) Quality of Design
(ii) Quality of Conformance.

Quality is initially created by the designer in the form of product specifications and manufacturing instructions where as the design provides user satisfaction, the product must be conformed to the design.

Making quality a priority means putting customer needs first. It means meeting and exceeding customer expectations by involving everyone in the organization through an integrated effort. Total quality management (TQM) is an integrated organizational effort designed to improve quality at every level.

So, to be a successful brand a product must possess the best quality. But, how does one build quality into a product?

It is obvious that inspection alone can not build quality into a product unless quality has been designed and manufactured into it.

The quality of a product in a company is determined by the philosophy, commitment, and the quality policy of the top management and the extent to which these policies can be put into actual practice.

TQM is about meeting quality expectations as defined by the customer; this is called customer-defined quality. However, defining quality is not as easy as it may seem, because different people have different ideas of what constitutes high quality. Let’s begin by looking at different ways in which quality can be defined.

► Total quality management (TQM):

"An integrated effort designed to improve quality performance at every level

of the organization."

► Customer-defined Quality:

"The meaning of quality as defined by the customer."

► Conformance to Specifications:

"How well a product or service meets the targets and tolerances determined by its designers."

► Fitness for Use:

"A definition of quality that evaluates how well the product performs for its intended use."

► Value for Price Paid:
"Quality defined in terms of product or service usefulness for the price paid."


Quality Control and User-defined Characteristics of Quality:

The perception of quality is heavily dependent upon the types of processes adopted to maintain the quality of the product during manufacturing and distribution of the product. Those processes are called as Quality Control processes. In modern concept of quality control, mainly TQC or Total Quality Control, Quality Assurance and Quality Management have been termed as "QUALITY CONTROL".

Quality of a product is determined by the combined effects of various departments such as Design, Engineering, Purchase, Production and Inspection.

Quality is perceived differently by different people, but understood by almost everyone. The customer as a user takes the quality of fit, finish, appearance and performance in a manufactured product where as service quality may be evaluated on the basis of the "degree of satisfaction".

As the customer has the final saying about the quality of a product; therefore, the measurable characteristics in a product or service are basically translation of the customer needs.

Once the specifications are developed depending upon the customer satisfaction, next the ways to measure as well as monitor the characteristics should be devised.

This becomes the basis of further improvement or continuous improvement of the product or the service.

The ultimate objective of all the processes is to ensure the customer satisfaction so that they become ready to pay for the product or the service.
 

QUALITY MANAGEMENT : TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM)

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management approach that focuses on continuous improvement of the quality of products, services, and processes. The goal of TQM is to enhance customer satisfaction and increase business efficiency by reducing errors, defects, and waste.

TQM involves all employees in the organization, from top management to frontline workers, and requires a commitment to quality from all levels. It is based on a set of principles that include customer focus, continuous improvement, employee involvement, process-centered approach, and data-driven decision making.

The implementation of TQM requires a systematic approach that involves the following steps:

1. Establishing a quality policy and goals
2. Forming a quality improvement team
3. Identifying customer needs and expectations
4. Mapping and analyzing business processes
5. Developing and implementing improvement plans
6. Measuring and evaluating results
7. Recognizing and rewarding success

TQM has been widely adopted by organizations in various industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and service sectors, as it provides a framework for continuous improvement and ensures customer satisfaction.

1. Establishing a quality policy and goals

Total Quality Control (TQM) is a management approach that emphasizes continuous improvement in all aspects of an organization. Establishing a quality policy and goals is an essential component of TQM, as it provides direction for the organization to achieve its quality objectives.

Here are some steps to establish a quality policy and goals in TQM:

Identify the organization's mission and values: The quality policy and goals should align with the organization's mission and values. Therefore, it's important to clearly define the organization's purpose and beliefs before developing the policy and goals.

Define the quality policy: The quality policy is a statement that communicates the organization's commitment to quality. It should be concise and easily understandable, and should outline the organization's approach to meeting customer needs and expectations.

Develop quality goals: Quality goals are specific, measurable targets that the organization aims to achieve. They should be aligned with the quality policy and the organization's mission and values. Some common quality goals include reducing defects, improving customer satisfaction, and increasing productivity.

Involve employees: To ensure that the quality policy and goals are achievable and relevant, it's important to involve employees in the process. This can be done through brainstorming sessions, focus groups, or surveys. Employees should feel empowered to contribute their ideas and suggestions.

Monitor progress: Once the quality policy and goals are established, it's important to monitor progress towards achieving them. This can be done through regular performance reviews, customer feedback, and quality audits. If progress is not being made, it may be necessary to revise the policy and goals.

Continuously improve: TQM is based on the principle of continuous improvement. Therefore, the quality policy and goals should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that they remain relevant and effective.

In summary, establishing a quality policy and goals in TQM requires a thorough understanding of the organization's mission and values, involvement of employees, monitoring progress, and a commitment to continuous improvement.