Tag: Quality

Quality is one of those words and concepts that have many meanings. Let’s review the concept and discuss the different definitions associated with the term. It refers to the degree of excellence or superiority of something, often concerning its intended purpose or function. Further, it is a measure of how well something meets its specifications […]

You want to make good data-driven decisions, but can you trust your data? Is the measurement system you used to gather the data giving you precise and consistent measurements? A Gage R&R study will answer your questions. 

Common cause vs. special cause variation, aren’t they the same thing? At first glance, you’d be allowed to think so. However, as with any part of the production cycle, there is a reason for these two measurements to exist. So, let’s dive right into what makes these variations different, and how to identify and benefit […]

How do you calculate the overall standard deviation of multiple groups or samples? You can’t just add them up and divide by the number of groups, like you do with averages. Let’s see how we can do it correctly.

In today’s competitive business environment, maintaining a high level of quality has become vital to a company’s success. It is imperative that suppliers provide quality parts that meet customer requirements the first time and every time. 

Creating and mapping business process models can sound like a daunting task with little tangible value. With input-process-output models, we debunk these myths and introduce a versatile, straightforward methodology that can be used to transform your business.

Critical of quality is the path to customer satisfaction. Learn how Critical to Quality impacts the ability to satisfy your customer, the benefits of addressing CTQ related issues, and see an example.

The seven basic tools in my home tool chest are a hammer, screwdriver, wrench, saw, drill, pliers, and duct tape. What basic QC tools do you have in your continuous improvement tool chest? Let’s check it out.

It is important to regularly check if your processes are operating as optimally as they could be. If not, actions should be taken for improvement. For this to be appropriately determined, you can create a QPR.

You claim your process yield is 98%. Are you sure? Have you considered your hidden factory? Let’s find out why you should.

When calculating the business case for a Six Sigma project, the cost of poor quality (COPQ), which is the cost caused by producing defects, is a commonly used concept. Within the total amount of quality cost, however, COPQ represents only a certain proportion. Costs do not result from only producing and fixing failures; […]

An in-depth look at how IGI can help businesses become more efficient, profitable, and less wasteful by helping managers keep track of incoming good compliance issues while ensuring incoming goods meet quality standards set by the company.

Understanding what quality targets are and how to center product uniformity around them is a helpful step in overall process improvement, ultimately leading to increased profits and customer satisfaction rates.

Deming’s 14 Points provide a roadmap to transform American Business and increase productivity and competitive position.  Without W. Edwards Deming, modern quality improvement might not exist. If you have never heard of Dr. Deming or his 14 Points for Management, welcome aboard. If you have, get ready to reacquaint yourself.   What Are Deming’s […]

Achieving world-class quality isn’t something every organization can do, because so much of what makes it possible cannot be taught. It boils down to mindset and certain character traits that some people have, some people don’t. Do you?

With increasing competitive and market pressures, understanding customer requirements and delivering high-quality products, processes and services has never been more important. By implementing a Quality Operating System, you can ensure that quality improvement is every employee’s responsibility and focus.

“Prevention is better than cure” applies to defects in the software development life cycle as well as illnesses in medical science. Defects, as defined by software developers, are variances from a desired attribute. These attributes include complete and correct requirements and specifications as drawn from the desires of potential customers. Thus, defects cause […]

The only acceptable quality level should be zero defects. But that’s not always the case. Let’s learn what an acceptable quality level or limit is all about.

We have all heard the phrase “garbage in, garbage out.” AOQ is defined as the expected average quality level of an outgoing product for a given the value of incoming product quality. 

What is poka-yoke? Have you ever accidentally microwaved your face? No? You’ve never opened the microwave door while it was cooking and accidentally exposed your face to microwave energy? I know that you haven’t because whenever you open the door, the microwave stops running. There is a switch that triggers when the door is opened […]

As competitive and market pressures increase, having a clear understanding of product reliability, service life, and expected failure rate is crucial. We explore how by utilising B10 life, we can optimise our product development and satisfy our customer requirements.

House of Quality? No, this is often referred to as a House of Pain because of the effort needed to complete one. Let’s see if we are just being overly pessimistic. 

Defects per opportunity, or DPO, refers to the number of defects that occur in relation to a given number of opportunities for which an error could occur. Let’s consider some of the benefits of measuring and monitoring DPO.

When learning about Six Sigma, it may help to consider these charts. These detail how Sigma Performance Levels relate to defects per million opportunities (DPMO), and some real-world examples. Sigma Performance Levels Table Sigma Performance Levels – One to Six Sigma Sigma Level Defects (or Errors) Per Million Opportunities (DPMO) Yield (or Produced […]