Understanding Quality 4.0

Quality strategies in the new era refer to ways of leveraging technology and innovation to improve the processes, products and services of organizations. Some elements that are considered in these strategies are:

Quality 4.0, which is the application of Industry 4.0 to quality management, using intelligent, connected and autonomous machines to optimize production and customer satisfaction1.

The principles of total quality, which are the values and practices that guide organizations towards continuous improvement, customer focus, leadership, teamwork, process management, data-based decision making and social responsability.

The importance of implementing quality management systems, which are the sets of standards, procedures and tools that allow organizations to plan, execute, control and improve their quality-related activities, meeting the requirements of customers and parties interested.

These quality strategies in the new era can help organizations to be more competitive, profitable and differentiated in the global market, as well as generate value for their customers and society.

What is Quality 4.0 and how will quality management systems change?

Quality 4.0 examines the process from the design phase onwards to prevent problems before they occur.

With automation taking control of industrial operations in Industry 4.0 and changing the roles of workers, similar changes have occurred in quality management. Quality 4.0 takes advantage of the most advanced technology to improve operations and products. This application may include automating quality processes with self-learning machinery to reduce errors and supply chain issues.

As the manufacturing industry has evolved to embrace automation and system connectivity moving into Industry 4.0, quality professionals have had to make changes to the way they work. Quality 4.0 makes the most of available technology to refine processes from the design level to reduce risk and improve production.

Fundamental Principles of Quality 4.0

Quality 4.0 does not have a standardized definition. However, it does have several traits and values that appear in many descriptions of the system. The drivers of Quality 4.0 involve, more than ever, the use of technology to help people improve their work processes.

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These foundations should serve as guiding principles when a company needs to implement a Quality 4.0 strategy:

1. Rely on human intelligence and work

Technology will not eliminate human roles in the organization, but human work and intelligence will occupy new positions in operations. Human jobs within Quality 4.0 become even more critical because they require careful judgment of situations. Using the best of human intelligence to identify areas for planning, change and adaptation allows companies to produce process designs that minimize errors.

2. Improve the quality and speed of decision making

Decision making must keep up with the dizzying speed of automated processes. Making the right decision in the shortest time possible, for both humans and machines, requires extensive and reliable data. Quality 4.0 relies heavily on data collection to support decisions across the entire operation.

3. Make the system more transparent, auditable and traceable

Quality 4.0 systems are more traceable and transparent, making them easily auditable in case of recalls or other issues. By tracking production, the exact point of an error can appear quickly, making troubleshooting less time-consuming.

4. Evaluate the changes and adaptations necessary for new ideas or circumstances

Quality 4.0 is the present and the future of quality management. Therefore, those using this system will have to address new ideas and circumstances as the definition of Quality 4.0 solidifies over time and technology. Organizations must find the areas where they have existing biases to address those inclinations and make the necessary alterations in their operations to adapt.

5. Find opportunities for continuous improvement

Improvement is not a one-time task. The quality continues to improve over time. With data collected through the technology used in Quality 4.0, quality managers can more easily find areas and opportunities for improvement.

6. Develop awareness skills to improve staff learning

Everyone needs to become self-aware to better understand how they can be shaped by the new ideas and innovations that are introduced over time. This awareness becomes a skill at work that will improve adaptability to the acquisition of new knowledge.

Let's talk about quality strategies in this new era that are the best option for your operations

Don't look for perfection, but look for excellence!

Heriberto Lozano

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