"Product quality is created during the production process, not determined by inspection. Only by strictly following production processes and operation guidelines at every stage of manufacturing can we truly ensure product quality." Do you agree with this statement? The debate over whether "quality is produced or inspected" has long been a hot topic in the business world: producers argue that quality is ultimately revealed through inspection—if substandard products make it to the market, it’s because inspectors failed to catch them. Meanwhile, inspectors counter that quality is first and foremost a result of proper production; if manufacturers don’t produce defective items in the first place, there wouldn’t even be any inferior products on the market! Is this really an endless debate with no clear resolution?

　　Today, many companies, when faced with quality issues, simply shift the blame to the quality department, assuming it’s solely their responsibility. This stems from a common misconception that persists across numerous organizations:

　　Allowing for a few minor, unavoidable defects or unexpected flaws is inevitable; ensuring quality, however, is the responsibility of the quality control department. Yet, when it comes to focusing solely on product inspection, inspectors are often held accountable for addressing defective items. As a result, whenever issues arise, everyone tends to assume it’s the quality department’s problem.

　　I think many colleagues working in quality roles have, to some extent, experienced this feeling. Often, when it’s time to write reports, the quality department ends up handling everything alone—while other departments largely stay out of it. Meanwhile, the boss tends to believe that quality isn’t a top priority, arguing instead that R&D is more critical and that making money is the real bottom line. As a result, the quality department doesn’t hold much sway within the company—and unfortunately, if you happen to speak your mind too frankly, you might just find yourself quickly sidelined or even dismissed.

　　So, is product quality ultimately produced—or is it inspected into existence?

　　First, we need to analyze the relationship between priority and sequence, as well as between action and reaction. As everyone knows, product manufacturing comes before inspection—meaning that inspection can only take place after a product has been produced. After all, if there’s no product to begin with, there’s nothing to inspect, so how could we possibly determine its quality or identify any shortcomings?

　　Clearly: production is proactive, while inspection is reactive. Before the concept that "product quality is produced, not inspected," early quality management was limited solely to quality inspection—essentially a post-event check that could only ensure product quality after the fact.

　　William Deming’s famous quote on quality emphasizes that product quality can only be ensured if every step in the production process strictly adheres to manufacturing procedures and work instructions. Relying solely on inspection while neglecting process control is insufficient to guarantee quality, as quality inspections can only identify and eliminate defective or scrap products—they cannot actually improve overall product quality. In other words, the true focus of quality control must shift from post-production checks to proactive measures taken during the manufacturing stage itself.

　　1 Why do quality issues arise?

　　If issues aren’t addressed properly before product development, mass production yields will remain stubbornly low. Yet, instead of tackling the root causes, teams often rely on quality control as a firefighting measure—attempting to reduce defects and substandard products simply by increasing inspection frequency. Meanwhile, they incorporate reworked materials and nonconforming components into the process without first verifying their suitability through rigorous testing, leaving them unaware of actual product-quality fluctuations. To make matters worse, customers are constantly pushing for faster deliveries, putting pressure on management. In response, leaders, relying on their so-called "practical experience," end up authorizing special releases for products that don’t meet established standards—leading directly to ongoing product failures. On top of this, the industry has already raised its quality benchmarks, yet the company continues to produce according to its outdated, lower standards. And when non-human-related quality issues inevitably arise during manufacturing—but fall outside the current inspection schedule—these problems only compound the challenges further.

　　2 Real-Life Cases of Quality

　　Case One:

　　Case One: A certain automotive component, made using ABS (750SQ) produced by a specific company, developed black spots on the surface of its plastic parts after 3.4 tons had been used. This defect rendered the products non-compliant, resulting in significant financial losses. Case Two: A company manufactured white film intended for dairy packaging. All quality tests passed successfully, so the product was approved for shipment. However, when the film manufacturer began using the material, they noticed an unpleasant odor emanating from the masterbatch. This led to an immediate complaint. As a result, a bulk order worth hundreds of tons ultimately fell through—fortunately, the end user hadn’t yet processed the film into finished products; otherwise, the consequences could have been catastrophic.

　　Case 3: An engineering masterbatch produced by a certain company resulted in color variations in the plastic parts made using the company’s products, due to insufficiently strict color control. As a result, customers stopped using the company’s plastic products altogether.

　　Case Four: Due to inadequate moisture control in the plastic, plastic product manufacturers encountered various air bubbles during processing, resulting in a significant number of defective items. Ultimately, dozens of tons of plastic had to be returned entirely, along with compensation for the losses incurred. Instances of quality issues arising from plastic products are unfortunately all too common. Yet, if every such situation ends up being blamed on the quality control department, it would be deeply unfair. In my view, every step of the quality management system requires rigorous quality control—tasks that clearly cannot be fully handled by just the inspection or quality management teams alone. Instead, these responsibilities must be carried out by the individuals best positioned to identify and address potential issues. For instance, while some product defects are easily spotted during production, they can often slip through unnoticed during final inspections. In such cases, production operators are typically far more attuned to quality problems than inspectors. If operators don’t proactively take charge of quality control—and instead rely solely on inspectors to catch flaws—then ensuring consistent product quality at the root level becomes nearly impossible.

　　How to comprehensively control product quality

　　The product’s positioning is essentially established during the design phase, and its ultimate quality relies entirely on effective procurement, processing, manufacturing, packaging, and transportation. By meticulously managing these critical steps, you naturally ensure that quality is maintained throughout. In other words, product quality is achieved not just in the design stage, but also during the production process—and it’s realized through robust process management. So, how do you control product quality?

　　First, recognize that quality is the lifeblood of your business. Everyone must understand: if a product lacks quality, it will fail to find a market. Without a market, the company loses its primary source of profit—and over time, this could lead to bankruptcy, ultimately resulting in job losses for employees. Of course, even when the market for your products is thriving, companies should remain vigilant and proactive by continuously striving to enhance product quality, thereby building a stronger brand reputation. As the saying goes: "If you bloom beautifully, the gentle breeze will naturally follow."

　　Second, cultivate a customer-focused mindset—putting the customer at the center of everything. See yourself as the customer, as the operator in the next process, and even as the ultimate consumer of your own product. By doing so, you’ll naturally strive to deliver high-quality work. After all, when everyone does their part well, the quality of the final product is guaranteed. But if you cut corners or compromise on standards in your work, you’ll ultimately harm your own interests.

　　Third, cultivate a proactive mindset toward quality. "Product quality is created through production and design—it’s not something discovered solely through inspection. Instead, it’s about doing things right the first time." This isn’t just a slogan; it perfectly embodies the preventive approach to product quality. If quality control doesn’t start at the very beginning of the process, it becomes incredibly challenging to maintain consistent product standards. Even if you invest heavily in inspection teams during production to catch defects, the sheer volume of substandard or outright scrap items resulting from poor initial controls will drive up costs significantly. Moreover, some product quality issues may be impossible to detect or rectify in later stages of manufacturing. That’s precisely why it’s crucial to get it right from the outset—preventing quality problems before they even arise.

　　Fourth, establish a strong awareness of procedural quality. Quality management is a company-wide, end-to-end process, and seamless, efficient coordination among all processes and departments across the organization is essential. All quality managers and operators are required to follow procedures meticulously—because failing to adhere to these guidelines significantly increases the risk of errors, ultimately jeopardizing product quality.

　　Fifth, cultivate a sense of responsibility for quality. Eighty percent of quality issues stem from management, while only 20% originate with employees. This means that managers control approximately 80% of defects, whereas operators typically have influence over fewer than 20% of defects. While managers work to enhance their own management capabilities, it’s equally crucial to ensure that operators fully understand the following four key points:

　　A. The operator knows how to perform the task and understands the rationale behind it; B. The operator is aware of whether the product they’ve produced meets the specified quality standards; C. The operator understands the potential consequences of producing non-conforming products; D. The operator has the ability to properly handle any unexpected or abnormal situations. If all four of these conditions are met, and if the necessary physical resources—such as equipment, tooling, testing instruments, and materials—are also available during production yet failures still occur, then the issue is considered an operator-controlled defect. However, if even one of these four criteria is not fulfilled, or if critical production resources like equipment, tooling, testing tools, or materials are missing when a failure arises, the responsibility clearly lies with management. Only by fully understanding where responsibility for quality issues truly resides can we effectively address the root causes and implement targeted improvements to elevate overall quality standards.

　　Sixth, cultivate a continuous mindset toward quality improvement. There is no "best" in quality—only "better." Enhancing quality is an ongoing, iterative process that follows the PDCA cycle, which can be summarized as follows:

　　P—Plan: Develop an improvement plan based on product requirements; D—Do: Implement the plan; C—Check: Inspect processes and products according to product specifications; A—Act: Take corrective actions to continuously enhance product quality. Only in this way will our product quality steadily improve—and only by consistently elevating quality and fostering innovation can we continually outpace the market.

　　Seventh, cultivate a cost-conscious mindset centered on quality (i.e., an awareness of quality standards). Ensuring quality while striving for profitability remains a company’s enduring goal. For businesses to thrive, they must pay close attention to production costs—yet cost and quality are intrinsically linked. When quality is managed effectively, it can drive product costs to their lowest possible level. Conversely, poor-quality products often lead to frequent customer returns and complaints, resulting in persistently high costs—and potentially pushing the company to the brink of collapse. Many companies fail not because they lack customers or orders, but rather due to internal mismanagement that prevents them from cutting costs effectively, making it impossible to compete in the market. This should serve as a sobering lesson for all businesses. However, maintaining excessively high quality standards isn’t always beneficial for a company either. On the contrary, overemphasizing quality can lead to "quality excess," which, in turn, drives up production costs unnecessarily. That’s why, during production, we must ensure that every process and step strictly adheres to customer-specified quality requirements. Only then can we minimize costs to the greatest extent possible and strengthen our competitive edge in the marketplace.

　　Eighth, cultivate a strong awareness of quality-focused education. As times evolve, the very concept of quality management is continuously being refined—and it demands ongoing learning. In the 21st century, success will belong to companies that embrace a culture of continuous learning and growth. By investing in robust internal training programs and fostering innovation across the entire workforce, these organizations will thrive, driving steady progress and staying ahead of industry trends. Indeed, as the saying goes, "Quality begins with education—and ends with education." History has proven that the most successful enterprises adhere rigorously to the principle that "products are made through meticulous processes." These companies leave no room for compromise, carefully overseeing every step of production to ensure flawless quality at each stage. With each link in the chain working seamlessly together, they deliver products that not only meet but exceed market expectations—ultimately proving their worth in the competitive marketplace.

　　Details determine success or failure; attitude shapes everything. Only by cultivating a strong sense of quality, striving for excellence in every aspect, and relentlessly pursuing perfection can we truly deliver outstanding quality—and elevate it to new heights, enabling us to go even further and achieve greater success.

E-mail:
chiyuan@chiyuanmachine.com

Phone/WeChat:
+86-15100871888

Address:
Botou Economic Development Zone, Cangzhou City, Hebei Province, China