Quality control- definition, benefits & costs

Quality Control in Business

Definition:

Quality control is a process where finished products are inspected to determine if they meet the set standards of quality. It involves checking products at the beginning and end of the production process to identify and address any deviations from the desired quality level.

Benefits of Quality Control

Reduces Poor Quality Products:

• Quality control ensures that faulty products do not reach end users, enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Example: A car manufacturer inspects each vehicle to identify and rectify any defects before they are sold to customers.

Focused Inspection:

• Quality control typically involves fewer inspections throughout the production process, saving time and resources.
• Example: In the production of electronics, a final inspection is conducted to detect defects rather than checking every component at each stage.

Costs of Quality Control

Wastage Costs:

• Quality control can result in high wastage costs because faulty products are identified only at the end of production.
• Example: In the textile industry, garments with defects may need to be discarded after the entire manufacturing process, leading to material wastage.

Reworking Costs:

• Reworking faulty products, identified during quality control, consumes additional time and resources.
• Example: In the food processing industry, products with packaging defects may need to be repackaged, incurring extra labour and materials costs.

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Quality control- definition, benefits & costs

Quality Control vs. Quality Assurance

Quality Control:

• Focuses on checking the inputs and outputs of the production process.
• Involves inspection at specific stages or at the end of production.
• Aims to identify and rectify deviations from quality standards.

Quality Assurance:

• Ensures that quality is built into the production process from the beginning.
• Involves continuous monitoring and improvement of processes.
• Aims to prevent defects rather than detect and correct them.

In summary, quality control is a process of inspecting finished products to assess their compliance with established quality standards. It reduces the likelihood of poor-quality products reaching customers but may result in high wastage and reworking costs. Quality control is distinct from quality assurance, which focuses on preventing defects by improving the production process from the start.