Skipping quality inspection because you’re in a hurry? THINK AGAIN.
Written by: Jessica Loughman
In nearly fifteen years in quality assurance, I have witnessed the many benefits that maintaining high quality standards can produce, as well as the risks when quality slips. Because of this, while it may be enticing to save time by skipping quality inspections, it is never a good idea.
Quality inspections are vital because they ensure that customers are getting accurate and authentic products. Whether products are used for commercial or high-reliability industries, quality inspections ensure user functionality and safety, making them incredibly vital in every industry, not just high-criticality industries.
By skipping Quality Inspections companies are putting themselves at high risk, from providing parts that could be incorrect, damaged, defective, or that could lead to injury or death. One missed quality check could also result in an industry alert or notification to others in the industry including competitors, damaging a company’s credibility. If quality checks are overlooked a company could face financial repercussions, including fines. However, the most damaging would be the loss of your company’s good reputation particularly if an oversight on a part caused injury or the loss of life. These kinds of mistakes could result in lawsuits with overwhelming financial burdens, furthering the negative impacts to your company.
Obviously, skipping quality checks is not worth the significant risks, so what should your company have in place to ensure quality?
First of all, quality should begin with a company having a quality management system (QMS) thus, certified to some type of quality standard (i.e., the two basics that everyone should have in the electronic space are ISO 9001 and ESD 20.20), as well as any specific quality standards for your individual industry. Additionally, having an internal system that supports quality assurance, with a dedicated team and structure ensures that your products are meeting your customer’s requirements and expectations. Next, having a solid vendor management program ensures you are purchasing from credible vendors, and subsequently having parts inspected by qualified inspectors. Having a strong vendor management program and regularly auditing suppliers will help to ensure that all of your parts are coming from companies with the proper quality systems, equipment, education, and training.
At Converge, we ensure quality from beginning to end. With a dedicated quality assurance team globally, we have a strong internal management system to vet and manage vendors, so that we only purchase from qualified sources. Our tenured and qualified inspection team works with a robust internal inspection criteria that goes above and beyond standard industry practices. Moreover, Converge maintains numerous certifications in several areas to ensure the highest quality for every product.
Quality is the most important thing you can do to protect your business, so always make sure it is a top priority.
In short, the next time you are considering skipping quality inspection THINK AGAIN.
To learn more about how Converge maintains quality, contact us today.
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About the Author
Jessica Loughman has spent nearly fifteen years in quality assurance, working to ensure the highest quality on electronic components. She is competent in Government and Federal Contracts, Risk Analysis, Corrective & Preventative Action, Root Causes, and numerous quality certifications.