Manufacturing executives have a responsibility to get products out onto the market as quickly as possible. In order to meet the needs of a hungry consumer base, it can be tempting to push products down the line faster in order to meet surging demand. When sales surge, there are quotas to meet and orders to fill.
Unfortunately, this scenario can create a world of problems related to product quality. The auto industry is experiencing surging sales and are having to push to reduce cycle times as much as possible. If proper safeguards, ideally that deliver real-time intelligence, are not in place then the potential quality issues immensely increases. When products are pushed down the line and out the door as quickly as possible, there can be less time for diligent testing and inspection.
Here lies a unique problem where consumer demand mandates that quotas cannot be lowered while at the same time product quality needs to be ensured to maintain business momentum. Any product quality issue that leads to dissatisfied customers risk profitability on current and future sales. Even further, oversights that lead to recalls or consumer safety issues can be devastating. Many companies are mitigating this risk by implementing stringent testing on critical attributes and using Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Manufacturing Intelligence reports to visualize real-time process performance. A quality platform that integrates with existing measurement systems, ERP and MES can deliver quality intelligence that actually improves the speed and efficiency of production lines.
SPC and Manufacturing Intelligence can ensure that by the time a product is ready to be shipped out to the customer, its quality has already been verified and can be quickly accessed for reporting or auditing. Not only do satisfied customers become repeat customers but a data driven quality system will drive fewer warranty claims, less product scrap or giveaway, comparative analysis reporting and an overall company culture based on quality improvement.