A faulty product recall can hurt any company’s reputation and profits. To avoid this, you need a solid process to track your finished goods. Making high-quality products is key to your business’s success. A good reputation brings loyal customers and growing sales. But managing quality control can be tricky.
Statista states that The U.S. manufacturing industry is set to grow donating 3 trillion dollars to the GDP. Despite higher interest rates, factories keep producing goods to meet consumer demand. This growth creates a bigger need for accounting in manufacturing businesses.
Let’s explore how you can simplify and improve your quality control process.
Table of Contents
What is Quality Control?
Quality control (QC) ensures your products meet certain standards. These can be set by you, your customers, or outside organizations like ISO. For example, a car parts company tests every brake wire to ensure safety. Training employees is the most effective action for improving quality control. When workers know how to prevent mistakes, quality improves.
Dr. W. Edwards Deming introduced the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle to improve quality which works like this:
- Plan: Set goals and make a plan.
- Do: Test the plan on a small scale.
- Study: Check the results.
- Act: Adjust and improve.
To improve quality control in manufacturing, keep processes simple and efficient. Use technology to reduce mistakes and make tasks easier. Cut out waste and unnecessary steps to save time and money. Check performance to catch any problems early. Encourage everyone to keep improving and suggest better ways to do things.
For manufacturing financial tips, track all costs like materials, labor, and overhead. Use budgeting tools to plan for the future and look into automation to reduce long-term costs. Always track cash flow and avoid unnecessary spending.
Consistent product quality is vital for business success, as it reduces defects and boosts sales. To improve quality, start by creating clear processes with checks at key points to avoid mistakes. Train employees to identify issues early and use tech like automation to detect defects and track data. Install Statistical Process Control (SPC) to identify and address issues during production. Encourage problem reporting and reward employees who meet quality goals. Finally, conduct regular audits to ensure your quality control system is effective. Clear communication and focus on results can overcome resistance and budget limits.
According to Forbes, Some companies succeed due to quality, while others struggle without it. Quality can slip unnoticed under the pressure of running a business. A quality control (QC) program helps solve this by finding and fixing problems in products, services, or processes. It ensures steady growth and better results. QC drives improvement through planning, research, and feedback. It applies to both products and services and includes constant improvement. A good QC program makes a business stronger and more successful.
Manufacturing can be inefficient even with lots of data. To fix this, companies can focus on five main steps. First, use data to find and improve weak spots in processes and the supply chain. Connect all parts of the supply chain with cloud systems, making it easy to share information. Third, reduce waste by identifying and cutting out unnecessary material use. Fourth, solve problems by recognizing and fixing issues with processes, employees, or organizations. Set up a work order system to address problems fast. Upgrading equipment and collaborating with manufacturers improves processes.
Benefits of Quality Control
- Delivers high-quality products.
- Reduces waste and boosts profits.
- Improves processes to avoid repeated mistakes.
- Meets compliance standards to prevent fines or recalls.
6 Easy Quality Control Techniques
- Inspect Every Product
Check every product in a batch to catch defects by using advanced tools and technologies. This is thorough but expensive and best for critical items like food or medicine. Cameras and AI detect flaws by analyzing products for defects or misalignments. Robotic arms with inspection tools ensure precision and access hard-to-reach areas. Automated alerts and real-time reports detect issues, streamlining quality control. For example, If you make food or medicine, the law may need printing the expiry date on each item before it leaves.
- Use Sampling
Statistical Process Control (SPC) tracks quality without inspecting every product. It improves quality at each step, perfect for high-volume production. SPC tracks stability, identifies issues, and maintains limits based on past data. It also looks for opportunities to reduce waste and improve quality. The key benefit of SPC is that it detects problems early, saving time and minimizing waste. For example, a beverage company uses SPC to track the volume of each bottle. If the volume drops below 10-15 bottles, the system alerts the team to avoid reworking the batch.
- Track Processes
After setting up quality improvements, track performance and fix small issues before they grow. A quality team should track metrics and use customer feedback to improve production. Continuous monitoring and improvement should be part of the process to reduce defects. Teams should collaborate for clear communication between manufacturing and quality departments.
- Get Everyone Involved
Encourage all employees to contribute to improving quality known as Total Quality Management (TQM).
- Try Six Sigma
Use Six Sigma to reduce defects and improve efficiency. It’s a proven method used by top companies like Motorola and saved about $17 billion in manufacturing. Six Sigma follows the DMAIC approach:
- D (Define): Identify the problem, goals, and what the customer needs.
- M (Measure): Collect data to understand how things are currently working.
- A (Analyze): Look for the cause of problems using the data.
- I (Improve): Find and install solutions to fix the problems.
- C (Control): Make sure the process stays on track and train workers as needed.
For example, a car parts company finds that 10% of its products are defective. After collecting data, they discover that dust in the paint room is the cause. They install air filters and reduce defects to less than 1%. Professionals who use Six Sigma methods often get certified to show their expertise in improving quality.
- Go Lean
Lean manufacturing improves productivity and quality. It reduces waste in: overproduction, waiting, transport, over processing, inventory, motion, and defects. It streamlines processes, applies Kaizen, and uses error-proofing tools. Lean produces only what’s needed with Just-in-time production and tracks inventory in real time. These strategies help save time and improve production efficiency. Integrating Lean with Six Sigma delivers the ideal effects.
Quality Control vs. Quality Assurance
Quality control checks finished products for defects. Quality assurance concentrates on enriching processes to prevent faults in the first place.
Quality Management Systems make it manageable to cater to standards, but they can be pricey. Manufacturing software helps track production and improve quality effectively.
Conclusion
Improving quality control is an ongoing process. It impacts profits, customer satisfaction, and reputation. Use modern tools like IoT and AI to take quality to the next level.
In accounting for manufacturers, track direct (raw materials) and indirect costs (overhead). Keep records of inventory, production costs, and sales to make smart decisions. Use accounting software to make managing finances easier.
