What is Quality and Quality Management?

One would like to think about quality as a good attribute of a product. If it is durable and looks “neat” or “sharp” then it is of “good quality” and, on the reverse, if it breaks easily or looks bad, it is of “bad quality”. This leaves room for interpretations, and some of you may ask “engineering” for more precise answers. Companies tend to want to define Quality as an aftermath of a certain problem.

In our industry business is moving fast and so does the production of goods. Are drawings available? Are delivery conditions specified? Have the surface finish, tolerances or color been approved? Are there qualified welding processes or approved welders? Wouldn’t it be appropriate to have it all defined?

Quality must be defined, and if a product conforms with the specified requirements, then it is a product of “good quality”. That takes perception out of the picture and keeps things simple and even “handy” when problem solving. Great quality is about perfectly matching– or doing better than – specified requirements. Quality is not about product made in Germany, Japan, or other famous good quality powerhouse, although the industrial culture plays an important role.

Requirements must exist in the first place; otherwise you revert to interpretations and perceptions. The manufacturing process must be capable to create the required characteristics consistently. Consistency is created by quality management processes. Procedures, processes, structures, responsibilities, planning, execution, and analysis are part of quality management.

Quality can be created when requirements are defined, procedures are implemented, tolerances are agreed and rigidly enforced. Quality happens when planned.