Graduate term paper
IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY IN INDUSTRY 1
Importance of Quality issues in Industry
Term Paper Outline
Murali Krishna Gattoji
School of Technology, University of Central Missouri
INDM 5210 Industrial Management
Dr. Roya Azimzadeh
24th June 2020
IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY IN INDUSTRY 2
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction 3
1.1 Understanding the process of quality improvement 3
1.2 Types of quality problems……………………………………………………..3
1.3 Summary 3
Chapter 2: Literature Review 4
2.1 Addressing the Issue 4
2.2 Evolution of Quality Methods in Manufacturing……………………………..4
2.3 Summary 4
Chapter 3: Proposed Methods 5
3.1 The quality problem solving methods…………………………………………5
3.2 Countering the Issue 6
3.3 Summary………………………………………………………………………6
References 7
IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY IN INDUSTRY 3
Chapter 1: Introduction
Quality plays a significant role in the manufacturing. In recent years, besides high
productivity of the manufacturing process, quality issues (including safety requirements and cost
efficiency) have both be- come major market drivers. To meet all the above objectives, to
achieve competitive advantages, various quality techniques need to be implemented within the
manufacturing process. This paper aims to gain new insights into how industry deals with quality
requirements. More specifically, its purpose is to analyze the importance of different types of
quality requirements. In short, quality improvement methods focus on reducing defects or errors
by eliminating variation in both manufacturing and service operations; hence, quality tools are
often used to investigate problems and develop appropriate solutions to address these problems
(Evans and Lindsay, 2005).
1.1 Understanding the process of quality improvement
The concept of providing quality products includes not only the fulfilment of customer
needs, but also the ability to maintain and service those products at low cost. The high level of
quality of their vehicles was achieved through the standardization of processes and the
establishment of effective communications within the departments of the company. The activities
of the staff were focused on obtaining information by audits, inspections, tests, and analyses of a
variety of development and production processes.
1.2 Types of quality problems
The problems that will be discussed are unstructured performance problems,
conformance problems, efficiency problems, product design defects.
IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY IN INDUSTRY 4
1.3 Basic quality tools
The seven basic quality tools were defined by Kaoru Ishikawa and used for problem-solving
purposes. Ishikawa is of opinion that 90 % of all issues could be solved using seven quality tools,
which are presented in Table 1 [18, 19].
The characteristics of all seven tools are presented, and the strengths and weaknesses are
highlighted.
Quality tool Characteristics Strengths, Weaknesses, Areas of application,
Cause- and-effect diagram identifies the different types of possible causes that have led to a
specific problem or effect visualizes relationships between causes and effects visualizes
dependent relationships. The tool is not defining a proper solution (causes are only transparently
presented). The probability level of the shown causes is always presented as equal Supply-chain
network, manufacturing company
Flow chart workflow mapping by showing the order that activities and decisions occur problem
can be effectively analyzed (cost reduction) if alterations are required the flowchart might re-
quire re-drawing completely (waste of time) manufacturing company Control table pre-prepared
table for data collection and analysis structural presentation of data additional data processing is
needed Supply-chain network, manufacturing company
Control chart provides a graphical representation of the trend of the observed process and
includes upper and lower limits of values
● Good visualization
● values of the control limits are added and mean line
IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY IN INDUSTRY 5
● Instructions are needed prior to interpretation of the results Supply-chain network,
manufacturing company
Histogram visualizes the distribution of the process, or the frequency of occurrence of each
value of the process
● Data can be easily read
● Works well with large ranges of information
● Inconvenient when comparing multiple categories Supply-chain network, manufacturing
company
Pareto analysis diagram shows the causes ranked from most frequent to least frequent; this
classification allows a focus on the main causes
● Organizational efficiency
● Improved decision making
● Focus on the past
● Inaccurate problem scoring Supply chain network, manufacturing company
Scatter plot visualizes the interdependence of variables and defines the relationship between the
dependent and independent variables
● Ability to show whether correlations between variables are positive or negative; linear or
non-linear; high, low.
● Very convenient when identification of matching of different statistical data is needed
● The tool is not appropriate for observing more than two variables
● Discretization of values Supply-chain network, manufacturing company
1.2 Summary
IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY IN INDUSTRY 6
This paper discusses various quality issues in the production and how organizations
become motivated to improve their product and service quality, techniques by which the quality
improvement process can get started, the barriers to improvement, and the key factors for
success. To succeed, quality improvement needs the commitment and effective leadership of the
chief executive and his senior management team (D. S. Lascelles & B. G. Dale, 1988)
Chapter 2: Literature Review
In both manufacturing and service organizations, the journey of quality has come a long
way. In this chapter the overview of quality management is discussed. It traces the history of
quality and its present state in the manufacturing industry and describes various findings of
researchers and academics. The most common quality programs, ISO 9000, TQM and Six Sigma
will be discussed. The Six Sigma quality technique is the most recently developed, it brings out
the best through existing quality methodologies and improvement practices (Goeff, 2001, p. 6).
2.1 Addressing the Issue
Quality has become a strategic weapon being used by companies. A company with good
quality has the tendency to have market share above its competitors. Many manufacturing
companies have realized the importance of quality. There are different ways of defining quality.
‘Today there is no single universal definition of quality. Some people view quality as
performance to standards; others view it as meeting the customer’s needs or 11 satisfying the
customers’ (Dan & Nada, 2010).
2.2 Evolution of Quality Methods in Manufacturing
IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY IN INDUSTRY 7
The concept of quality management systems has existed for many decades. In the 1930s, Walter
Shewhart at Bell Laboratories inspired the use of statistics to identify ‘best 12 practice’ in the USA. This
discovery has evolved over many years into control charts and in the US was adopted by manufacturing
industries before 1950. During World War II in the 1940s, quality control charts and statistical
techniques were deployed to monitor production process and evaluate quality respectively (Goeff, 2001,
p. 4).
Chapter 3: Proposed Methods
In terms of lean methods, most practitioners surveyed indicated that 5S/visual factory,
VSM, standardized work, Kanban, and poke-yoke were among the lean techniques that many
organizations had successfully implemented. It is likely that 5S/visual factory was often reported
as being successfully implemented due to its relatively simple methods and low cost. Since 5S in
its simplest form involves keeping workplaces well organized and clean, it involves few changes
to the manufacturing process; thus, it requires minimal resources (i.e., time, material, etc.) for
implementation (Hirano, 1996).
3.1 The quality problem solving methods
Different views of the methods for problem solving exist. Some experts believe that the method
involves a standard sequence of functionally defined activities (Smith, 1998). There many
methods that will be discussed briefly.
3.2 Countering the Issue
IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY IN INDUSTRY 8
As a manager in this situation, I would be constantly focusing on productivity and
solving the quality issues by constant improvements in the processes. Training the employees
with the new methods.
3.3 Summary
In conclusion the practices can be adopted by the implementation of a quality
management system to achieve high quality products and thereby improve business performance.
This finding could help encourage companies that have not implemented any quality
management practice to realize the benefits of the practices on their companies’ performance.
Also, it would encourage continuous improvement in companies which have already
implemented a form of quality management system. There is a need for basic tools and the desire
to continuously improve processes by providing guidance and support by skilled professionals
and leadership by senior management.
IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY IN INDUSTRY 9
REFERENCES
A framework for quality management research and an associated measurement
instrument. (1994). Journal of Operations Management, Vol. 11 No.4, 339-366.
Aarkar, A., & Mohapatra, P. K. (2006, May). Evaluation of supplier capability and performance:
A method for supply reduction. Journal of Purchasing and Management, pp. 148-163.
Goeff, T. (2001). Six Sigma: SPC and TQM in manufacturing and services. Hampshire: Gower
Publishing Limited.