Depending on the context, "quality control plan" means different things. Let's look at the three types of quality control plans: The product quality control plan to include in a contract with a Chinese supplier The QC plan for a new product being brought to market The process control plan that decomposes production in each process step (often called control plan) They come up at different stages in the life cycle of a product: First let's look at the plan that becomes … [Read more...]
Process Controls in China Factories: Q&A
I had a good talk with Clive J. Greenwood, founder of P1 Manufacturing Quality Consultants, and he agreed to answer a Q&A on the topic of process controls in China factories. He completed the Motorola Six Sigma Black Belt program and has been applying statistics for controlling operations for a long time. He has been involved in manufacturing in China for over 25 years! Clive noted that most companies rely on certification and end of line inspection, and he has found enormous variation in … [Read more...]
3 Quality Control Plans & Why They’re Needed BEFORE Production [Podcast]
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What is a quality control plan and why do you need to approve it before production begins? A QC plan is an essential tool for buyers to drive their suppliers to produce goods that reach their quality standard. It will typically list your quality-related expectations that the supplier needs to know about before the production starts which may be anything from legal penalties for poor quality, to the types of process used for production and checking quality, through to making the types of … [Read more...]
Two Preventive Maintenance Examples: Go for More Structure
As I wrote before, preventive maintenance helps cut costs and improves quality. That's an extremely important element of good manufacturing and it doesn't get much coverage. Simply put, it extends the lifetime of the equipment, it prevents downtime that prevents production from taking place, and it ensures the equipment is ready to make good products. … [Read more...]
11 Steps To Set Up a Process Control Plan
About 2 years ago, I wrote about the 3 process improvement tools we use most often. And today I'd like to do a deep dive into one of them -- the process control plan. … [Read more...]