What is Quality Control?
Nicole Madison
Quality control is a process that is used to ensure a certain level of quality in a product or service. It might include whatever actions a business deems necessary to provide for the control and verification of certain characteristics of a product or service. Most often, it involves thoroughly examining and testing the quality of products or the results of services. The basic goal of this process is to ensure that the products or services that are provided meet specific requirements and characteristics, such as being dependable, satisfactory, safe and fiscally sound.
Companies that engage in quality control typically have a team of workers who focus on testing a certain number of products or observing services being done. The products or services that are examined usually are chosen at random. The goal of the quality control team is to identify products or services that do not meet a company's specified standards of quality. If a problem is identified, the job of a quality control team or professional might involve stopping production or service until the problem has been corrected. Depending on the particular service or product as well as the type of problem identified, production or services might not cease entirely.
Usually, it is not the job of the quality control team or professional to correct quality issues. Typically, other individuals are involved in the process of discovering the cause of quality issues and fixing them. After the problems are overcome and the proper quality has been achieved, the product or service continues production or implementation as usual.
Many types of businesses perform these types of quality checks. Manufacturers of food products, for example, often have employees who test the finished products for taste and other qualities. Clothing manufacturers have workers inspect garments to ensure that they are properly sewn. Service-oriented companies often have representatives who observe the services being performed or who do follow-up checks to ensure that everything was done properly.
Quality control also might involve evaluating people. If a company has employees who don't have adequate skills or training, have trouble understanding directions or are misinformed, the quality of the company's products or services might be diminished. This is especially important for service-oriented companies, because the employees are the product that they provide to customers.
Often, quality control is confused with quality assurance. Though the two are similar, but there are some basic differences. Quality control is concerned with examining the product or service — the end result ‐ and quality assurance is concerned with examining the process that leads to the end result. A company would use quality assurance to ensure that a product is manufactured in the right way, thereby reducing or eliminating potential problems with the quality of the final product.
Nicole Madison
Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a wiseGEEK writer, and she focuses primarily on topics such as homeschooling, parenting, health, science, and business. When not writing or spending time with her four children, Nicole enjoys reading, camping, and going to the beach.
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Discussion Comments
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I found out I worked as quality control officer in a food organization after reading this post.
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I have been working for a jewelry company for the last 10 years. Would you guide me in quality assurance? --from bala
I have been working in quality control for five years and everything I have learned has been on the job training. I am now looking to get my asq certification for qc tech. I mostly have been on the qc side of things but now I am on the qa side of things. I am trying to learn all the different facets of quality. However, one thing I have learned is that unless you find a place to get a formal education in say, quality engineering, you will not learn much about the seven tools of quality, let alone anything else.
I personally am getting used books from the internet to study on my own. I have chosen to start with Kaoru Ishikawa. However, I will be taking some courses through asq before my certification exam. I am taking the next year to study and take the certification exam sometime next fall.
If you want a career in quality control, you simply have to educate yourself, do the research and when you see an opening in quality, jump on it and keep trying until you get what you want. Quality control in an industrial situation is the control of quality in process, not letting quality issues of the product escape, finding the root cause of the issue and finding ways to fix it. quality assurance is more the measuring of product, example would be macros to ensure weld penetration, calibration of measuring tools, use of CMM or a vision system, testing of product like tensile testing, etc.
I don't really have any advice to any one wanting to pursue this field, but to just pick a place and start learning, but make sure your math skills are there; you will need them.
what is involved in quality control in a food manufacturing company and how does a microbiologist fit in?
Thanks for the article. It's really helpful.
I am really glad to see this article and details about the quality control program.
But I need a book with all these details. Would you please kindly advise me where I can get this for my future career as well.
What is the difference between Quality Control and Total Quality Management?
Please where can I undergo a QC and QA program in Lagos, Nigeria?
you normally use diagrams to solve the flow in the control usually if the intervals exceed the upper and lower limits, then there is a problem with your control to help you are already out of control.
i want to be a quality control manager. how do i do about this? what kind of training do i need?
What is the relationship between reliability and quality control and product design and manufacture?
what is the difference between quality control and quality assurance?
i am working in a non-ferrous manufacturing unit and working in the quality department, but what is the future for this and how do I make better prospects for the future?
what is qa qc in structural manufacturing and boiler components of pressure parts?
what is column efficiency? how do we check it?
what are the applications of quality control?
what is ISO and their role in chemical and pharmaceutical industry? What are the types of ISO and differences between them in simple language.
about a difference between qc and qa. how to control it? What is an important factor of qc organization. what is the function of quality control manager or officer in a manufacturing industry?
Please tell me about QA/QC in the pharmaceutical industry and all the tests about QA/QC. Dr. israr
What are the 10 most important components of a quality control organization?
please tell me all the details about QC, how to control it, what are the different assurances in quality control and about a job with a quality center.
please tell me all the details about QC, how to control it, what are the different assurances in quality control and about a job with a quality center.
what are the functions of a quality control manager/officer in a manufacturing industry?
can you tell about quality control jobs and related tests?
what can i do to win a job in the quality control department of a company?
where can i find a quality control training center in mumbai.
I am very much interested in pursuing a program in quality control, but will be more than happy should i get the different options you can have under this program.
quality control is the process of controlling the product variability in an organization.
what is quality control in the business industry?
i have my diploma in mechanical engineering and am interested in quality control. Can you please tell me the courses related to my field?
i am mechanical engineer at a petroleum company so I need to know about qc + qa in the petroleum companies and what is the best way to join in any institute for that and how to help me in my job.
What are the 10 most important components of Quality Control Organization?
what is quality and how we can control it? Quality assurance is related to quality or someone?
what is the definition of quality control in the pharmaceutical industry?
Please specify the functions of quality control manager in the garment manufacturing company.
I am a microbiologist, and i got a job in as a quality control officer.I want you to tell me all about it.
Can anyone explain what DR stands for?
The basic difference between NCR (Non confirmative) and DR.
Can anybody explain to me the difference between Quality Control and Quality Assurance with live examples? Thank you.
what are some steps business can take to ensure it produces a good quality product?
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If you have a business, describe two quality control measures the business should adhere to.
what's software quality control?
Where we can get the quality control training?
Please give me the full information.
The term quality in technical sense simply means anything that can be measured. So one of the facets of a purchasing officer's responsibility and principles is to know his function and the character he possess in his duties.
Where we can get the quality control training?
can you discuss more about centralized quality control?
Hi, could you please explain how quality control affects the final product in regards to chicken, duck, goose and other avian products?
what is a centralized quality control?
how does it work for a furniture selling industry?
Where I can found the source of this definition? Can I read a specific book about quality control and find this definition?
Thanks in advance.
i am working in a RFID (radio frequency identification device) manufacturing company. how can i control the quality system?
Describe the ways in ways of ensuring high quality control for a service, for example, a chocolate company that opened a theme park.
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Hi, could you please explain how quality control affects the final product in regards to chicken, duck, goose and other avian products? Thanks, Eddy
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I have been reading about quality control. I would like to get more data on its impact on organisational performance.
Dear Sir, What is an ideal set up? The Quality Assurance is under by a Quality Management System or vice versa? Thanks, Leovie
Dear Sir/Madam
I am very much interested in studying Quality Control, where do I start? Do you have a school of your own?
Kind regards
Mogapi J.
what is the relationship between principalship and quality educational assessment?
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How can I define the term Quality in the technical sense and what are the various facets of a purchasing officer's responsibilities and principles which these duties are based?
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