As a business owner, quality is one of the most important considerations of your operations – especially if you’re manufacturing your own products. This guide will take a look at the seven steps you need to take to ensure quality manufacturing.
Audit potential and existing suppliers
Potential suppliers and existing suppliers should both be audited. This will help you understand the processes and manufacturing capabilities each factory has to offer, as well as provide insight into potential risks involving transactions with that vendor. For example, what kind of audits do they conduct? How do they conduct them? What are their safety standards like? What do you need to consider to audit potential suppliers?
Selecting the right supplier is one of the most important parts of ensuring quality manufacturing, as it will be difficult to change your supplier after you’ve begun production. The more time and effort you put into choosing a long-term partner, the better off you’ll be in the end.
Hire experts
When you first start manufacturing your products, keep in mind that any mistakes made during this process will be extremely expensive. Using a professional team that can provide quality management and quality control services is highly recommended because they understand the industry and have the experience to give helpful advice. You should also contact this Chicago law firm for advice on product liability and other quality issues.
Develop product criteria/specifications
The first step to manufacturing a quality product is for you (or your team) to develop the proper specifications. These specifications will act as guidelines for how you want your products to be designed and manufactured moving forward. You should also consider using third-party testers like Intertek, UL, or CSA International. These third-party testers can help you ensure that your product meets the standards expected in the industry.
Test products and processes before production starts
Once you have released the manufacturing specs to your supplier, you should test the first batch of products before signing off on them. This will ensure that quality standards are being met and you’ll be able to catch any mistakes before they become a problem. You can also use third-party testing services for this purpose.
Inspect throughout production and perform regular audits
Once production has begun, you should monitor the progress on a regular basis. This will allow you to catch any mistakes that may have occurred and prevent problems from getting out of hand. You can use third-party inspectors/auditors to help with this step as well if necessary.
Focus on and support continuous improvement
Over time, you’ll be able to improve your quality control procedures with the help of your supplier. This can include anything from developing new processes for your products to building new equipment. By focusing on continuous improvement, you will reduce waste and increase efficiency in the long run.
Develop a product/process recall plan
If there is ever a problem with your product, you will need to take action quickly in order to minimize the damage done. A solid recall plan will include easy-to-follow guidelines for what needs to be done in different situations, as well as how each party (your company and your supplier) will respond when an issue arises.