Managing quality in China is tough when you outsource production to a manufacturer (your 'supplier'). There are a number of quality management challenges to be aware of that can trip up buyers and we're sharing 9 key ones here. Thanks to … [Read more...]
QMS Implementation Consultant vs. Certifying Body
I realized that many people are confused about the companies that typically get involved when a factory wants to get its quality management system (QMS) certified to ISO 9001 or ISO 13485. Let's break it down into the logical steps to … [Read more...]
What Causes A Bad QMS/ISO 9001 Implementation (Reason 2)
This is a follow-up on What Causes A Bad Factory QMS Implementation? [Reason 1], as I expose a few common issues that make a factory's work much harder than it should be. If you are starting to work on a program to raise product quality … [Read more...]
ISO 9001 QMS Features, Benefits, & Implementation Tips [Podcast]
In This Episode... Phil Brown, owner of Phil Brown Consultancy, who is an ISO 9001 and 14001 consultant in the UK joins us in this episode of the China manufacturing decoded podcast. Phil talks us through the ISO 9001 QMS, the … [Read more...]
What Causes A Bad Factory QMS Implementation? [Reason 1]
When we look at the root causes of many quality issues in China or Vietnam, we find "there is no quality system at the factory" or "they supposedly have one, but it was a really bad QMS implementation". I thought about it and I can point … [Read more...]
The Basics of Quality Management for Buyers [Podcast]
What's the best way to get started with quality management? It makes a lot of sense to work to improve your product quality coming from Chinese suppliers and you don't need to be a large corporation to do this, but this kind of quality … [Read more...]
All You Should Know About Management System Standards & Auditing Them [Podcast]
What are management system standards? Management system standards aren't 'just another tool.' When an organization is certified to one of these standards it's an important way to demonstrate that they're able to perform the tasks required … [Read more...]
What Are Some Of The Most Promising IT Applications for Manufacturing Quality?
There has been a lot of talk about the "factory of the future", and the role of "quality 4.0" will play in that picture. Hundreds (maybe thousands) of IT applications, sometimes supported by IoT devices, have been developed. But what are … [Read more...]
What Is The Minimum Viable Quality Management System For A New Manufacturer? [8 Steps]
I have often looked for best practices by looking at the automotive industry's practices when considering what the minimum viable quality management system for a new manufacturer can be. For example: ISO/TS 16949: Great Improvements … [Read more...]