Definition of Incoming Quality Control (IQC)
IQC ensures that raw materials from approved suppliers
are in conformance to quality requirements and are
released on time to production.
Definition of Quality Control (QC)
QC is a procedure or set of procedures intended to
ensure that a
manufactured product adheres to a defined set of quality
criteria
or meets the requirements of the customer.
Or: Quality Control makes sure the results of what you
have done
are what you expected.
And as DEMING wrote:
"Inspection with the aim of finding the bad ones and
throwing them out is too late, ineffective, costly. Quality comes not from
inspection but from improvement of the process."
The QC cycle consists of four main steps:
quality planning
data collection
data analysis
implementation
Quality planning consists of defining measurable quality
objectives.
Quality objectives are specific to the product and they
should reflect the customer's requirements.
The collection of data about product characteristics
that are relevant to the quality objectives is a key element of quality
control.
These data are analysed in order to identify situations
that may have adverse effect on quality and may require corrective or
preventive action.
The implementation of those actions as indicated by the
analysis
of the data is undertaken, including modifications of
the product design or the production process, to achieve continuous and
sustainable improvement in the product and in customer satisfaction.
The QC department should be independent from any
production department and should report to the management.
Often Quality Control is confused with quality
Assurances. Thought the two are similar. there are some basic differences.
Quality Control is concerned with the product, while
Quality Assurance is process-oriented.
Definition of Quality Assurance
(QA)
The operational techniques and individual activities
that focus controlling or regulating processes and materials to fulfill requirements for
quality.
This process is meant to produce defect-free goods which
means being right the first time with no or minimum rework.
Quality Assurance makes sure you are doing the right
things, the right way.
The QA team's job is to see that standards, processes
and policies are in place and carried out; to recommend and implement improvements
to them, and to ensure that the people that need to know about them know
about them.
The QA team develops all the planning processes and
procedures that try to make sure that the products manufactured by the company will
always be of good quality.
The goal is to provide a
defect-free product to the customer.
