Quality Assurance vs Quality Control in Manufacturing

OVERVIEW

If you work in an manufacturing-related job, you’re no doubt familiar with some terms like: packing, supply, quality control, and quality assurance.  These are terms that relate to the quality of the products we receive as consumers. Quality Assurance vs Quality Control in Manufacturing are two that are very important in manufacturing and are often used interchangeably but are two distinctly different processes.

HOW SAP BUSINESS ONE UNDERSTANDS MANUFACTURING

Quality Assurance

What exactly does quality assurance mean? Quality assurance is the process of verifying that the production operation, industrial machinery, and materials are free of defects that may affect the quality of the finished product. It is a proactive step, making sure that everything is working properly and may include several test runs to guarantee that everything is in good working order and producing high-quality products.

Quality Control

These are both very important processes and the one above relates to the quality of materials before production, and the second one relates to the quality of the finished product before it is delivered to the customer. It is a two-step process to ensure the quality of the products being made by a company. If a defect somehow gets through the first check it will be caught when the product is inspected after production. If there are any defects they can be corrected before delivery. If products were delivered with defects it would damage the company’s reputation for making high-quality products.

Quality Control: Benefits

Quality control in manufacturing is important for several good reasons. Here are a few reasons that a company needs to produce only the highest quality products to keep their customers happy.

1. Customer Loyalty

Customers demand high-quality products and appreciate it when a business goes the distance for them. If the products your company makes do not meet the customer’s expectations for quality the customer will shop somewhere else. But if your company produces quality products the customer will continue to order from you. This builds customer loyalty.

2. Word-of-mouth Referrals

 Customer loyalty also results in more customers through word-of-mouth referrals. If a customer has a good experience with your company, he or she is more likely to recommend you to their friends and family. Your customer base grows and so does your revenues.

3. Reduces Liability

A manufacturing defect could be the cause of an accident or injury that results in a lawsuit. It’s not just about minor defects, a product that comes out wrong may not hurt or kill someone but these processes work in all phases of manufacturing from small products like radios and light fixtures, to larger products like furniture, automobiles, and portable buildings. Nobody wants to be blamed for making a faulty product that was responsible for hurting someone.

4. Increases Safety

For manufacturing, the bigger picture is to prevent accidents and injuries from happening. Quality control ensures that there are no defects that could cause injuries. The improved processes catch errors before they make it to the customer.

5. Builds a Brand Reputation for Quality

A company’s reputation is an important factor for success. The more positive results you get, the more people will begin to trust you and become loyal customers. You must do everything possible to increase your company’s reputation. A company that values its customers and employees is a brand that has value and the potential for becoming a leading manufacturer of high-quality products.

6. Eliminates Product Recalls

A product recall is a manufacturer’s nightmare. It is very costly to recall defect products and not something anyone looks forward to. Quality control goes a long way towards preventing accidents and product recalls from defects in manufacturing.

Pros and Cons of Quality Assurance vs Quality Control in Manufacturing

Well, let’s look at the car manufacturing industry for example. Quality management is very important here because it is what makes our vehicles safer to drive. When looking at quality assurance, it makes sure that there are no defects in any of the materials and processes used for manufacturing the car body. Quality control looks for defects afterward to correct mistakes before the product is delivered to the customer. If the car is delivered to the customer with defects the company could lose money if the customer rejects it.

Not only could the company lose revenue but their reputation could suffer as well. So, the real question is, would you rather have a product quality-checked for defective parts before manufacturing or after? Most defective products are scrapped but if these processes were not put in place in manufacturing, especially in the automobile industry, an increase in accidents or recalls could be the result.

Both of these are vitally important processes for ensuring the quality of a company’s products before being delivered to the customer or shipped as inventory to the warehouse. The steps for these processes would look like this:

1. Planning
2. Quality Assurance
3. Quality Control
4. Packaging
5. Shipping

Quality assurance and quality control in manufacturing saves time, money, and resources while ensuring a product of the highest quality is always the end result. These two processes normally require a lot of manpower and labor hours but can be automated through software systems like SAP Business One which has quality assurance built-in. It is already a part of the process and works seamlessly with your other systems.

SAP Business One is an advanced software technology able to handle all types of business management tasks for you.  SAP technology is compatible with most computerized systems and can streamline your manufacturing and business today. Contact [email protected] for more information.