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ROI CalculatorQuality control (QC) is a set of reactive activities that are designed to identify defects, non-conformances, or deviations from standards in products or services. QC is different than Quality Assurance (QA) because it is product-centered whereas QA is focused on the process for obtaining the product. In more specific terms, QC is the checking of the output, measuring, testing, inspecting and validating that what you have received meets all the required criteria. The key characteristics of Quality Control are as follows:
Inspecting finished goods or services for defects.
Using tests, measurements, sampling, and inspection tools.
Accepting, rejecting, re-working, or scrapping non-conforming items.
Usually occurs after or at the end of a production process.
Focus on product or service output.
QC is an important aspect of maintaining the quality of a product or service throughout an organization and its goal is to ensure that the product is manufactured to a specified set of requirements that include safety, reliability and performance so that customer receives the value of a product and continues to trust a business's brand. QC is vital to any organization because of the following reasons:
It is responsible for maintaining uniformity and product quality across a production run.
QC meets customer demands, resulting in continued purchase of products and brand loyalty.
It can identify problems before they arise, preventing costly recalls, rework, and waste.
Quality Control produces compliance with government requirements to avoid potential legal issues.
Constant delivery of quality products generates public confidence and provides a strong basis for building a positive reputation for businesses.
A systematic approach to quality control identifies and removes inefficiencies, thus supporting increased productivity.
Businesses that produce high-quality products have an advantage over their competition.
QC reduces the probability of defective products or putting customers at risk or carrying out legal obligations.
Quality Control leads to ongoing improvement by eliminating problems that arise repeatedly in production.
Quality control works in the following ways:
To begin the QC process, specific and measurable quality standards are established for the product or service being produced. Quality benchmarks are based on industrial standards, customer expectations, and company objectives.
Products are inspected, tested, and passed through a very rigorous series of quality inspections and tests before being shipped to customers. Inspections include visual, functional, and quantitative measurements of the product for each to be confirmed to meet the applicable quality standards.
Production batches are tested using random sampling instead of complete inspection of each unit produced. This method provides QC with a means of monitoring the overall quality of production by identifying defects or inconsistencies prior to inspecting each unit individually.
Inspections document any non-conformities, which can be broken down into three categories: design, material, and workmanship. Each of these defects must be recorded and tracked during the inspection phase, so that QC can implement corrective actions and improve the relevant areas of production.
Prior to release into the marketplace, products must pass a final QC review to ensure they meet customer requirements. Products that do not meet all requirements will not be released for sale; therefore, customers will receive only the highest quality product, free of any defects.
This comprehensive process guarantees that every product meets the necessary quality requirements and continues to improve over time.
