ABSTRACT
For successful statistical process control (SPC) there must be an uncompromising commitment to quality, which must start with the most senior management and flow down through the organization. It is essential to set down a quality policy for implementation through a documented quality management system. Careful consideration must be given to this system as it forms the backbone of the quality skeleton. The objective of the system is to cause improvement of products and services through reduction of variation in the processes. The focus of the whole workforce from top to bottom should be on the processes. This approach makes it possible to control variation and, more importantly, to prevent non-conforming products and services, whilst steadily improv-
The quality management system should apply to and interact with all activities of the organization. This begins with the identification of the customer requirements and ends with their satisfaction, at every transaction interface, both internally and externally. The activities involved may be classified in several ways – generally as processing, communicating and controlling, but more usefully and specifically as:
(i) marketing; (ii) market research;
(iii) design; (iv) specifying; (v) development;
(vi) procurement; (vii) process planning;
(viii) process development and assessment; (ix) process operation and control; (x) product or service testing or checking;
(xi) packaging (if required); (xii) storage (if required);
(xiii) sales; (xiv) distribution/logistics; (xv) installation/operation;
(xvi) technical service; (xvii) maintenance.
