ARCHIWUM WIEDZY INŻYNIERSKIEJ TOM 7 NR 1 (2022) 21-26

ARCHIVES OF ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE VOL. 7 ISSUE 1 (2022) 21-26

ARCHIWUM WIEDZY INŻYNIERSKIEJ ISSN 2544-2449

ARCHIVES OF ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE
www.qpij.pl

The Quality Control Tools used for

Sustainability of Quality
1
Fatih Demirkaya
1Hacettepe University, Universiteler 06800 Cankaya/Ankara, Turkey, demirkayafatih@ymail.com
Abstract: Quality Control (QC) is an active process that detects defects in a product claimed to be ready for delivery, so it can be said that
QC is the key to maintaining quality. Although quantitative quality control methods based on numbers and measurements provide tangible
implications with more reliable results, qualitative measurements are also important for the quality control process. When manufacturers
apply appropriate quantitative and qualitative quality control methods in their production processes, they can identify problems in products
and produce appropriate solutions. In this research, quality control practices are examined and their effects on the sustainability of quality are
investigated. In addition, the functioning of Quality Control methods is revealed, and the usage areas and forms of the methods are examined
with examples. While evaluating the Quality and Quality Control methods, which are discussed in a wide range, other titles under the title of
Quality are also included within the framework of this study. In today's conditions, the improvement of concepts such as time, less cost, and
quality production that gains in value in the production process is directly related to the adequacy of quality control. The aim of this paper is
to solve the quality problems in the production process of manufacturing organizations by investigating various technical quality control
methods used to improve all these concepts. By eliminating the quality problems and minimizing the losses, the profitability level of the
organization will be increased, along with this, the quality will be improved and become sustainable.
Key words: quality, quality control, 7 tools of quality control, quantitative and qualitative quality control.

1. Introduction cesses will be examined and the importance of quality control tools
on the sustainability of quality will be investigated.
The term quality is widely used by practitioners and aca- In today's competitive environment, manufacturers have
demics, although there is no generally accepted definition as dif- created needs such as lower production costs, more production in
ferent definitions of quality are appropriate under different circum- less time, high quality products, trouble-free production processes.
stances. While not a universally accepted definition, quality can be There are different quality control tools applied to improve product
defined by this definition, written by the world's largest interna- quality according to expectations. In this article, these quality
tional standards developer and publisher (ISO 9000, 2005), by control tools and processes will be examined. In addition, the use
keeping in mind the ever-changing standards: Quality is a situation of different quality control tools to improve production quality are
when a set of inherent characteristics consistently fulfill the contin- determined. There are too many defects in the production process,
uously changing requirements of the organization's customers and which adversely affect the profitability, productivity and produc-
other stakeholders [1]. tion quality of companies. This research aims to examine the re-
Quality, a source of competitive advantage, should re- search work done by the researchers, to produce technical solutions
main a hallmark of Company products and services. High quality is to various defects and make improvements in the production pro-
not an added value; it is an essential basic requirement. Quality cess.
does not only relate solely to the end products and services a com-
pany provides but also relates to the way the Company employees 2. Literature review
do their job and the work processes they follow to produce prod-
ucts or services. The work processes should be as efficient as pos- The Quality control mechanism plays an important role
sible and continually improve. Each employee in all organizational in maintaining and improving quality according to expectations.
units is responsible for ensuring that their work processes are effi- Processes can be intervened with different quality control equip-
cient and continually improving [2]. At this point, Quality Control ment according to needs and conditions. With the quality control
(QC) is the most basic requirement for the sustainability of quality. mechanism of the processes being carried out up-to-date and con-
The QC, which plays an important role in maintaining tinuously, it is ensured that the quality is by the ever-changing
quality and updating it according to expectations, may generally be expectations.
defined as a system that maintains a desired level of quality, Customer satisfaction determines the success of a new
through feedback on product/service characteristics from a speci- product, and only high-value products meet the needs of customers
fied standard [3]. who expect them to perform correctly throughout their entire
Quality and quality control are inseparable puzzle pieces. lifecycle. To meet such requirements, a minimum variation of
When quality control is carried out by conditions and requirements parameters must be ensured in the production processes and in the
and the right quality control instruments are used, it makes a great product itself. From a basic part to composite parts, they must be
contribution to the process of maintaining and improving quality.
In this research, quality control methods and quality control pro-

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designed and manufactured to a high quality level and be reliable verification of products, while the ultimate goal is to ensure prod-
and safe in use [4]. uct quality and reliability.
To ensure the sustainability of quality, there are three A Pre-Production Inspection (PPI) is generally conducted
primary types of quality inspections: pre-production, in-line, and once raw materials are received and the factory is ready to begin
final. There are a variety of details that must be inspected and production. A PPI can cover a number of different areas. Some
approved during each phase in order to detect and correct quality common agendas are verifying that raw materials match the quality
problems. specified in the contract, checking a prototype product or golden
sample, ensuring the factory is ready for mass production. During
the pre-production phase, raw materials should be tested before
entering production. This may include a number of tests to examine
the material for weight, dimensional stability, pilling resistance,
torqueing, pile retention, stretch recovery, and much more. Com-
ponents including closures, zippers, elastics and other embellish-
Pre- ments such as beads, rhinestones, sequins and rivets should also be
In-Line Final
Prodcution tested for regulatory requirements. Since quality issues are often a
Inspection Inspection
Inspection result of defects in the materials, inspections during the pre-
production phase allow auditors to address any issues before pro-
duction begins. Ultimately, by inspecting the materials up front,
brands and retailers can avoid unanticipated costs and delays [9].
Fig. 1. Three Main Stages of Quality Inspection
Pre-Production The Pre-Production
Inspection Inspection Includes:
During the quality control, all products can be checked
one by one or samples can be taken for inspection. In some cases,
checking all products one by one may not be a profitable option for
manufacturers in terms of cost-benefit. This is where quality con- Conducted before the Factory's production
trol through sample checking comes into play. Sample checkings production begins. lines and capability
involve selecting a small number of items from a bigger batch or Factory's facilities and
lot to check a range of their specifications such as appearance, equipment
workmanship, safety, functions, etc. prior to mass production. Helps to assess the quantity
and quality of the materials Raw materials, main
Basically, a sample of the products are extracted from the bunch
and components and whether components and
and inspected for quality, rather than the whole lot. Inspectors will
they conform to the relevant accesories
be looking for potential defects and will compare the physical product specifications.
objects and products to design plans and drawings to ensure the Semi-finished
correct measurements have been met. Style and color are other samples
things which can be checked as well as shipping marks and pack-
Some finihed samples
aging. [5].
The inspection methods that used by this company are Fig. 2. Pre-Production Inspection
sampling inspection and 100% inspection. Sampling inspection is
conduct on the semi-finished product or work-in-process products. The in-line quality control process incorporates inspection
Meanwhile, 100% inspection is conduct for all the products in the points across the production line. These points inspect the product
company and ended with segregate out the good products and for quality in terms of various standards or specifications. The
nonconformance products. Sampling inspection either for the gauges used in this process are specific to the task assigned. Cer-
grading or for checking the correctness of the grading should be tain inspection points are also likely to have multi-purpose gauges.
done most accurately, because unless the sample is truly repre- The in-line quality control is swifter than the offline systems. This
sentative of the entire lot, correct grading cannot be done. The is primarily because the inspection takes place along the process
general characteristics of the commodity should be preliminarily without any additional time required for removal or replacement.
inspected before drawing samples from the lot. Meanwhile, 100% The data gathered from these inspections can be used to align the
inspection determining whether a commodity in a particular lot production process in real-time to maintain limits of tolerance
complies with the standard specifications applicable to it or any which can reduce wastage and downtime [10].
other specification stipulated in the trade contract. [6]. During Production Inspection (DPI) or in another saying
The significance of pre-production for assessing a prod- DUPRO, is a quality control inspection conducted while produc-
uct prior to production are emphasised by researchers. Ironically, tion is underway, and is especially good for products that are in
while significant research has advanced the broad understanding of continuous production, that have strict requirements for on-time
process improvement methods in product design and manufacture, shipments and as a follow-up when quality issues are found prior to
the pre-production process is an area within design and manufac- manufacturing during a pre-production inspection. These quality
ture which has received little attention [7]. In pre-production, control inspections are conducted during production when only 10-
validation is an assessment method which “reflects a product’s 15% of units are completed. DPI should be made as soon as possi-
fitness for use and application, or a system’s suitability to ble after the production process has started. By detecting the prob-
achieve its objectives” [8]. Inspecting the product's conformity lems that may be encountered in terms of quality in the production
with predetermined technical requirements and suitability for full- process as early as possible, it is possible for the factory or supplier
scale production has become a pre-production necessity. Therefore, company to intervene with the least loss.
the reasons for going into pre-production are testing, validation and

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PRODUCTION FIRST FINISHED DUPRO FINAL EX-FACTORY SHIPMENT

START PRODCUCTS INSPECTION INSPECTION DATE DATE

As short as possible As long as possible

TIME
Fig. 3. Timing of DUPRO in manufacturing process

Final Inspection in the manufacturing process, and refers

to the inspection performed in the final stage of the manufacturing
process. In this test, whether the complete goods meet the require-
ments as a product or not is determined in order to prevent the loss
in customer confidence, various problems, and damages in ad-
vance. On top of that, the manufacturing process includes Ac-
ceptance Inspection and Inspection between Processes, both of
which are performed for such constituent items as purchased raw
materials, processed parts, and assemblies, and they are not done
for complete goods. In the Final Inspection, the whole of the prod-
uct including the requests from customers is inspected.
A “packed product” is ready for shipment (i.e. in a closed
export carton with full shipping marks). In many cases, the inspec-
tor accepts up to 20% of unpacked products per reference. This
way, the inspection can often take place without delaying the
shipment. The conformity of the products is checked against a list
of criteria defined by the buyer (product quantity, workmanship,
function, safety, aspect, size, packing…). Buyers are advised to ask Fig 4. 7 Quality Control Tools
their inspectors to keep track of which cartons were opened. This
way, a 2nd “spot” inspection can give an idea of how seriously the The Fishbone Diagram which is called “The Cause and
control was performed [11]. Effect Diagram” is based on the logic of "All the causes that create
The Quality Control process consists of some basic steps. the problem are caused by some sources" through the cause-effect
First, the production process to be controlled is selected, and then relationship; It is created to show, visualize and analyze the causes
the targeted quality standards for the product are determined. The that produce the results. Causes are divided into main categories in
performance after production is measured and the quality standards order to identify the sources causing the error and sub-reasons such
of the targeted and final product are interpreted, if there is a differ- as people, methods, materials, measurements, environment, etc. are
ence between the two, R&D studies are carried out, and the product added to these categories. The main purpose is to prevent quality
is put into production again to reach the targeted quality measure. errors that may occur. It can be used to structure a brainstorming
There are 7 quality tools that are very effective in solving session. It immediately sorts ideas into useful categories. When
quality problems at the Quality Control stage. These; Stratification, identifying possible causes for a problem and a team’s thinking
Histogram, Check Sheet, Cause and Effect Diagram (Fishbone or tends to fall into ruts it’s a useful method [12, 13].
Ishikawa Diagram), Pareto Chart, Scatter Diagram, Shewhart
Chart.
Measurement Materials Methods
Lab Error Raw Materials Analytical Procedure
Calculation DBT Calibration
Improper Calibration Supplier Not followed
Analyst Truck Sampling
Solvent Contamination H2O Dirty bottles
In Lab City Iron Tools
Supplier Plant System
AKW-2
Supplier 1
Supplier 2
Lab Solvent Contamination
In Lab
Supplier
Iron in Product
Rust near sample point Inexperienced Analyst Rusty Pipes
Exposed pipe Maintenance At sample point
Tools Opening fines At reactor
Iron Tools In
Out
Heat Exchanger Leak
E470
E583
Materials of Construction
Exchangers
E583
E470
Reactors
#2
#3
Pumps
P584
P560
P573
Pipes
Environment Manpower Machines

Fig. 5. Fishbone Diagram: Iron in Product

The Fishbone Diagram Example in Figure 5 was drawn

by a manufacturing team to try to understand the source of periodic
iron contamination. The team used the six generic headings to
prompt ideas. Layers of branches show thorough thinking about the

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causes of the problem. Note that some ideas appear in two different Vilfredo Pareto insignificant in his work discovered that
places. "Calibration" shows up under "Methods" as a factor in the there could be a mathematical model between the majority and the
analytical procedure, and also under "Measurement" as a cause of significant minority (Mc. Cann, 2001). The connection of Pareto's
lab error. "Iron tools" can be considered a "Methods" problem mathematical model with the 80/20 rule is based on Joseph M.
when taking samples or a "Manpower" problem with maintenance Juran's appeared when he wrote down his observations (Craft,
personnel [12]. Leake, 2002). Juran called the principle of "significant minority
Control charts were developed by Dr. Walter A. 20%, insignificant majority 80%" the Pareto Principle (Crawford,
Shewhart during 1920's while he was with Bell Telephone Labora- 2001).
tories. These charts separate out assignable causes. Control 80% of success is done in 20% of the time used; on the
chart makes possible the diagnosis and correction of many other hand, 80% of the time spent yields only 20% of the products
productions troubles and brings substantial improvements in the (Koch, 2011). For example, 80% of the world's energy production
quality of the products and reduction of spoilage and rework. consumed by 15% of the world's population. 80% of traffic con-
It tells us when to leave a process alone as well as when to take gestions are on the roads It originates from 20. The 80/20 principle
action to correct trouble [14]. only accounts for about 20% of many impacts in our daily lives.
The Shewhart Chart serves to monitor and examine the that it is really important to give weight to this 20% for our person-
quality process. The Shewhart control chart is a common control al time management. also emphasizes the need [16].
charting method applied in SPC (Statistical Process Control). It is a
model based on a zero-order polynomial. The basis for this model Type of Costumer Complaints
is the assumption that the variations lying inside the control limits Second Quarter 2005
are the results of random causes and the variations lying outside the
40
control limits are the results of assignable causes. These two types
of variations are referred to as fluctuations and interruptions in a 30
process operation. One approach that has been employed to pro- 20
vide a degree of separation between interruptions and drift is the 10
use of moving averages as statistics for the Shewhart Control 0

Documents

Packaging

Other
Product

Delivery
Quality
Chart. The benefit is the reduction of the influence of a single data
point caused by an interruption. The drawback, however, is the
lengthening of response time [15].
Fig. 7. Pareto Chart: Customer Complaints

Types of Document Complaints

20
Process Output Variable

15 Second Quarter 20

40
35
10 30
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 25
20
15
Time 10
5
0
Measurements Mean UCL LCL
Quality Certificate

Quality Certificate

Invoice Error

Packing first error

Other
Wrong Quantity
Missing
Error

Fig. 6. Shewhart Control Chart: Process Output Variable - Time

Pareto Chart, on the other hand, ranks the reasons for in-
creasing faulty production or customer dissatisfaction in quality
control according to their importance. Fig. 8. Pareto Chart: Document Complaints
Pareto analysis is based on the observation that opera-
tional results and economic wealth are not distributed evenly and Figure 7 shows how many customer complaints were re-
that some inputs contribute more than others. It is referred to as the ceived in each of the five categories and Figure 8 takes the largest
80/20 rule, a nomenclature which has popularized a complex eco- category, "documents," from Figure 7, breaks it down into six
nomic concept introduced by Vilfredo Pareto, a nineteenth-century categories of document-related complaints, and shows cumulative
Italian economist. The underlying concept is that the majority of values.
problems (roughly 80%) are often caused by a small number of the The Scatter Diagram helps us see in detail what sources
sources (roughly 20%). The 80/20 rule implies that most efforts are are causing our problem. While creating the Scatter Diagram, first
not efficient and should be reduced. The strategic objective would a cause-effect table is drawn, then a Scatter Diagram is drawn in
be to leverage and maximize the efforts that produce most of the order to see the connections of the resources we have with each
results. In strategic management, Pareto analysis is linked to the other. The Scatter Diagram along with the cause-effect chart ana-
analysis of an organization's internal environment. It is particularly lyzes the sources of quality problems.
useful to identify internal strengths and weaknesses through the Stratification is defined as the act of sorting data, people,
evaluation of an organization's internal resources and capabilities, and objects into distinct groups or layers. It is a technique used in
which are the source of its core competencies and which in turn, combination with other data analysis tools. When data from a
create a competitive advantage. variety of sources or categories have been lumped together, the
meaning of the data can be difficult to see. This data collection and

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analysis technique separates the data so that patterns can be seen 3. Conclusion
and is considered one of the seven basic quality tools.
Stratification method can be used before collecting data, As a result, quality control and quality control methods
when data come from several sources or conditions, such as shifts, are indispensable for the sustainability of quality. Which quality
days of the week, suppliers, or population groups and when data control tool should be used in which process should be determined
analysis may require separating different sources or conditions. appropriately and carried out in accordance with the standards.
The ZZ-400 manufacturing team drew a scatter diagram Although the results obtained by examining and converting numer-
to test whether product purity and iron contamination were related, ical data for quality control are more measurable, it is possible to
but the plot did not demonstrate a relationship. Then a team mem- eliminate visible errors with one-to-one controls of people, and to
ber realized that the data came from three different reactors. The detect defective products by sampling.
team member redrew the diagram, using a different symbol for This study found that the implementation of all seven
each reactor’s data (Figure 9) [17]. QC tools, as well as the pre-production, in-line and final inspection
stages, are crucial for organizations to troubleshoot production
100 Purity vs. Iron processes. Undoubtedly, all of the above-mentioned quality tools
should be considered and used by management to identify and
99,8
resolve quality issues during the production of products and ser-
99,6 vices.
99,4 Since the concepts of Quality and Quality Control are ex-
99,2 amined in a wide range, care should be taken not to go beyond the
research subject and to preserve the specificity of the subject dur-
% Purity

99 ing the research. However, for the same reason, in terms of estab-
98,8 lishing cause-effect relationships, explanations should be based on
98,6 reasons and explanations to the maximum extent without going out
98,4 of context.
As a summary, these following conclusion were derived
98,2 from the papers above;
Iron (parts per million)
98 • Many industries prefer to use 7 basic quality control
0 0,2Reactor 3 0,4 0,6 0,8
Reactor 1 Reactor 2 tools because its simple and easy to apply.
Fig. 9. Stratification Diagram: Purity vs. Iron • By applying 7 basic quality control tools and the
other techniques, rework and rejection rate can be
Mirko et al. (2009) designed and developed an effective reduced and quality can be improved.
layout for using these QC in the organizations based on the per-
• Reducing rejection rate in products increases profit-
formance of them, in order to apply appropriately these quality
ability in the organization and reduces waste.
tools for solving quality problems and quality improvement, as
• Quality control tools give positive affects when used
demonstrated in Figure 9. Accordingly, the following Figureinter-
together.
prets how the 7 QC should be employed from first step
• For the sustainability of quality, the use of quality
to end of production processes for identifying the problems of
control tools together and continuously shows posi-
quality performance and controlling them [18].
tive effects in many respects.
Measure Quality Literature

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Management Review
Egypt, May 2012
[2] Manghani K. Quality assurance: Importance of systems and stand-
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different-types-of-inspection-in-quality-control/
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three-different-types-of-quality-inspections/

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[10] Oden Technologies, Quality Control In Manufacturing, access: 6

July 2022, https://qualityinspection.org/what-is-quality-inspection/
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