Last Updated on October 30, 2022 by Ossian Muscad
In any field, quality control is of the utmost importance. However, it plays a more crucial role in manufacturing. In the manufacturing industry, ensuring that products are made to specifications and meet customer demands is essential for success. There are a variety of quality control methods that can be used in the manufacturing industry.
Each quality control method has its strengths and weaknesses, and no one method is perfect. That’s why selecting the right quality control method for each manufacturing operation is important. This article will look at the three most common quality control methods in more detail.
What is Manufacturing Quality Control?
Manufacturing quality control ensures that products meet the quality standards set by the customer or client. Different quality control methods can be used in manufacturing, each with advantages and disadvantages. These methods are meant to be used either separately or together to create an effective quality control system.
Why is Quality Control Important in Manufacturing?
The manufacturing industry produces large quantities of products quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, this mass production can sometimes lead to lower-quality products. Quality control helps to ensure that each production process is carried out correctly and that the final product meets the quality standards set by the customer.
With quality control in manufacturing, products can be checked for defects at each production stage. This helps to ensure that defective products are not sent out to customers. Quality control also helps to improve customer satisfaction and build trust between the customer and the manufacturing company.
What are the 3 Best Practices for Quality Control?
Modern manufacturing quality control varies depending on the nature of the business, industry, business size, and branding strategy. However, three quality control best practices are widely used in the manufacturing industry:
- Six Sigma
- Lean
- Kaizen
Let’s discuss each manufacturing quality control method separately to understand better how it works.
Six Sigma
Six Sigma is a quality control method that uses statistical data to find and eliminate manufacturing defects. Six Sigma quality control is used extensively in the manufacturing industry and has greatly helped reduce manufacturing defects.
Six Sigma involves the following steps:
- Define the problem
- Measure the current performance level
- Analyze the data to pinpoint the root cause of the problem
- Improve the process
To implement Six Sigma quality control, a company must clearly understand its manufacturing process and what quality standards need to be met. Data collection is then used to identify areas where manufacturing defects are most likely to occur. Once these areas have been identified, changes can be made to the manufacturing process to reduce or eliminate defects.
Lean Manufacturing
Lean manufacturing is a quality control method that emphasizes waste reduction and continuous improvement. Lean quality control is based on the Toyota Production System (TPS) principles. Lean quality control aims to produce high-quality products with fewer resources and less waste.
Lean manufacturing quality control involves the following steps:
- Identify value-added activities
- Eliminate waste
- Streamline the process
To implement lean quality control, a company must first identify which manufacturing activities add value for the customer. These are the activities that should be focused on and improved. The next step is to eliminate waste in the manufacturing process. This can be done by streamlining the process and removing any unnecessary steps.
Kaizen
Kaizen is a quality control method that emphasizes continuous improvement. Kaizen quality control is based on the Japanese philosophy of “kaizen,” which means “change for the better.” Therefore, kaizen quality control aims to continuously improve quality by making small, incremental changes.
Kaizen quality control involves the following steps:
- Identify areas for improvement
- Set quality targets
- Implement quality improvements
- Monitor progress and results
To implement kaizen quality control, a company must first identify areas where quality improvements can be made. Quality targets are then set, and quality improvement plans are implemented. These quality improvement plans are typically small and incremental, so they can be easily implemented and monitored.
Which Quality Control Method is Best for Your Manufacturing Business?
The quality control method that is best for your manufacturing business will depend on several factors, including the nature of your business, industry, business size, and quality standards.
For example, if you are a small business that manufactures products with a high degree of quality, you may only need to implement one quality control method. However, if you are a large manufacturing company that produces a wide variety of products, you may need to implement multiple quality control methods.
However, all manufacturing businesses can benefit from quality control methods such as Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, and Kaizen. Implementing one or more of these quality control methods can help to reduce manufacturing defects and improve quality.
No matter which quality control method you choose, the important thing is always to be focused on quality improvement. You can ensure that your products meet or exceed customer expectations by continuously improving quality.
Create Quality Control Checklists with DATAMYTE
No matter which manufacturing quality control method you choose, using a digital checklist from DATAMYTE is the best way to enforce and track quality standards. The DataMyte Digital Clipboard is a workflow automation software that features a checklist builder—with this tool, you can create comprehensive checklists for your chosen manufacturing quality control best practice.
With its easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, the DataMyte Digital Clipboard makes it easy to create quality control checklists tailored to your specific manufacturing process. You can also use the software to monitor quality data in real-time, quickly identifying and fixing quality issues.
The DataMyte Digital Clipboard is an all-in-one solution for quality control in manufacturing. Its quality checklist builder, quality monitoring capabilities, and easy-to-use interface make it the perfect tool for any manufacturing quality control best practice.
To learn more about the DataMyte Digital Clipboard, book a demo today.
Conclusion
We just mentioned three of the best quality control practices in manufacturing. However, keep in mind that there are many more quality control methods that you can use in manufacturing. The important thing is always to be focused on quality improvement. You can ensure that your products meet or exceed customer expectations by continuously improving quality.
