Quality

1. Introduction to Quality

Every manufacturing organization is concerned with the quality of its product. While it is important that quantity requirements be satisfied and production schedules met, it is equally important that the finished product meet established specifications. Because, customer's satisfaction is derived from quality products and services. Stiff competition at national and international level and consumer's awareness require production of quality goods and services for survival and growth of the company. Quality and productivity are more likely to bring prosperity into the country and improve quality of work life.
However, the management looks to achieve customer satisfaction by running its business at the desired economic level. Both these can be attained by properly integrating quality development, quality maintenance and quality improvement of die product. The integration of these three aspects of a product can be achieved through a sound quality control system.

2. The Meaning of Quality

Quality is a relative term and it is generally used with reference to die end use of the product. For example, a gear used in sugarcane juice extracting machine may not possess good surface finish, tolerance and accuracy as compared with the gear used in the head stock of a lathe, still it may be considered of good quality if it works satisfactorily in die juice extracting machine. The quality is thus defined as die fitness for use/purpose at die most economical level.
The quality depends on die perception of a person in a given situation. The situation can be user-oriented, cost-oriented or supplier-oriented. Since, die item is manufactured for me use of die customer, die requirements of die customer dictates die quality of die product. Quality is to be planned, achieved, controlled and improved continuously.
The word "Quality" has variety of meanings:-

1. Fitness for purpose: The component is said to possess good quality, if it works well in the equipment for which it is meant.
2. Conformance to requirements: Quality is die ability of the material/component to perform satisfactorily in an application for which it is intended by die user. Quality of a product, thus, means conformance to requirements. Customer needs have to be assessed and translated into specifications depending upon die characteristics required for specific application. Just as every human has his own characteristics every application has its own characteristics.
3. Grade: Quality is a distinguishing feature or grade of the product in appearance, performance, life, reliability, taste, odor, maintainability etc. This is generally called as quality characteristics.
4. Degree of preference: Quality is the degree to which a specified product is preferred over competing products of equivalent grade, based on comparative test by customers, normally called as customer's preference.

 Degree of excellence: Quality is a measure of degree of general excellence of the product.

5. Measure of fulfillment of promises: The quality of a product is a measure of fulfillment of the promises made to the customers.
1. Suitability: For specific application.
2. Reliability: It should give efficient and consistent performance.
3. Durability: It should have desired life.
4. Safety: Safe and foolproof workability.
5. Affordability: It should be economical.
6. Maintainability: It should be easy to maintain.
7. Aesthetic look: It should look attractive.
8. Satisfaction to customers: It should satisfy the customers' requirements.
9. Economical: It should have reasonable price.
10. Versatility: It should serve number of purposes.

A product can be said to possess good quality if all the above requirements are properly balanced while designing and manufacturing it.

Source: Kalyan city Life Blog, Posted by : Gaurav Akrani, Dated 7/8/2010