What Is Quality Control? Quality Control VS Quality Assurance
Companies that put a lot of focus on quality control are better positioned to remain competitive in any market.
A company only remains in business as long as its product or service stays in demand. People want the best, so companies must deliver it. Quality control is vital for any business because it ensures that the product or service meets customers’ expectations. QC technicians help companies by:
When a company’s product is its employees, quality control is done differently from manufacturing. These QC specialists generally don’t need to have a degree in a particular industry, but having work experience in the specific service area they analyze is beneficial. For example, a quality control specialist in the restaurant industry may monitor customer reviews, use social media to interact with customers and participate in secret shopper visits. Having previous experience in the restaurant industry makes it easier for a person to identify problem areas and recommend improvements. However, an employee with a restaurant background may not be helpful for a plumbing business. This company would benefit more from a person with a plumbing background.
Another industry that relies heavily on quality control is the automotive industry. From raw materials to OEM parts and final assembly, each part of the vehicle must meet the company’s guidelines according to government regulations for safety and other considerations. Many manufacturers use Six-Sigma to reduce waste, improve processes and put the customer first. Technicians in this industry receive additional training to obtain a Six-Sigma certification.
Quality control within the electronics field is also highly specialized, but it differs from food and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Some companies, such as those in the microchip business, conduct quality control testing in clean rooms. Workers must be trained not only how to perform microscopic electronic tests but also how to follow the cleanroom regulations. Employees may have a background in electronics assembly or engineering .
People who work in quality control within food and pharmaceutical manufacturing may have degrees in chemistry because of the high level of analysis that this position requires. These industries are highly regulated, and their products must meet strict federal guidelines. Technicians in this industry verify that all ingredients are in the amounts they should be, ensure no foreign particles are in the product and test for appearance, taste, and effectiveness.
Quality control technicians may have different backgrounds depending on a business’s industry. While any of these positions demands that analysts pay close attention to detail, be proficient in analyzing data, and understand quality regulations, various industries may also have unique job requirements.
While quality control identifies issues with the product, quality assurance determines how to fix the problem. Similarly, in service industries, quality control focuses on the customer’s satisfaction, while quality assurance monitors the performance of the employees.
While quality assurance is comprehensive in oversight, quality control is a very specialized area. Employees in this department focus primarily on testing the product or service. In manufacturing, this may be a sample of the finished item, while at other times it may be a piece from the middle of the line. This analysis allows the company to monitor where the problems are.
Quality assurance specialists are vital to any company because they ensure that the system creates the best product while also improving the business.
The quality assurance department oversees a company’s process used to get a final product. It may include the following job requirements:
Quality assurance oversees the process that leads to the finished product, while quality control tests the final product to ensure it meets expectations. Both departments are vital to any business and often work together to solve problems. Here’s a closer look at each specialization to understand their differences.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a AboutMechanics 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.
Nicole’s thirst for knowledge inspired her to become a AboutMechanics 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.
Discussion Comments
anon990961
May 18, 2015
What is the importance of quality control in cosmetics in general?
anon351524
October 14, 2013
I found out I worked as quality control officer in a food organization after reading this post.
anon283812
21 hours ago
What does quality control has to do with a juice manufacturing company?
anon274989
June 15, 2012
What are the opportunities for quality control in present day life?
anon256254
March 21, 2012
How can I define quality for a product?
anon245355
February 5, 2012
What is the hierarchy of quality control department in industry?
anon241214
January 18, 2012
I want to know the instrument used in QC departments?
anon219184
October 2, 2011
I have been working for a jewelry company for the last 10 years. Would you guide me in quality assurance? –from bala
anon213535
September 11, 2011
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.
anon195484
July 11, 2011
what is involved in quality control in a food manufacturing company and how does a microbiologist fit in?
anon192033
June 30, 2011
Thanks for the article. It’s really helpful.
anon191116
June 28, 2011
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.
anon184106
13 minutes ago
What is the difference between Quality Control and Total Quality Management?
anon167441
April 12, 2011
Please where can I undergo a QC and QA program in Lagos, Nigeria?
anon158428
6 hours ago
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.
anon157861
March 4, 2011
i want to be a quality control manager. how do i do about this? what kind of training do i need?
anon145884
January 25, 2011
What is the relationship between reliability and quality control and product design and manufacture?
anon140947
January 9, 2011
what is the difference between quality control and quality assurance?
anon133277
December 10, 2010
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?
anon133267
December 10, 2010
what is qa qc in structural manufacturing and boiler components of pressure parts?
anon126268
November 12, 2010
what is column efficiency? how do we check it?
anon102097
yesterday
what are the applications of quality control?
anon98132
July 22, 2010
what is ISO and their role in chemical and pharmaceutical industry? What are the types of ISO and differences between them in simple language.
anon97226
July 19, 2010
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?
anon94337
July 8, 2010
Please tell me about QA/QC in the pharmaceutical industry and all the tests about QA/QC. Dr. israr
anon93381
July 3, 2010
What are the 10 most important components of a quality control organization?
anon93380
July 3, 2010
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.
anon92140
June 26, 2010
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.
anon91842
June 24, 2010
what are the functions of a quality control manager/officer in a manufacturing industry?
anon90425
June 16, 2010
can you tell about quality control jobs and related tests?
anon90232
June 15, 2010
what can i do to win a job in the quality control department of a company?
anon88625
yesterday
where can i find a quality control training center in mumbai.
anon86897
May 27, 2010
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.
anon84368
May 15, 2010
quality control is the process of controlling the product variability in an organization.
anon81991
May 4, 2010
what is quality control in the business industry?
anon81941
May 4, 2010
i have my diploma in mechanical engineering and am interested in quality control. Can you please tell me the courses related to my field?
anon79875
April 25, 2010
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.
anon74485
April 2, 2010
What are the 10 most important components of Quality Control Organization?
anon73085
March 25, 2010
what is quality and how we can control it? Quality assurance is related to quality or someone?
anon72196
March 22, 2010
what is the definition of quality control in the pharmaceutical industry?
anon68134
March 1, 2010
Please specify the functions of quality control manager in the garment manufacturing company.
anon67360
February 24, 2010
I am a microbiologist, and i got a job in as a quality control officer.I want you to tell me all about it.
anon64883
February 10, 2010
Can anyone explain what DR stands for?
The basic difference between NCR (Non confirmative) and DR.
anon63437
February 1, 2010
Can anybody explain to me the difference between Quality Control and Quality Assurance with live examples? Thank you.
anon62364
January 26, 2010
what are some steps business can take to ensure it produces a good quality product?
anon57872
December 28, 2009
Please provide real life examples of quality assurance.
anon55398
38 minutes ago
If you have a business, describe two quality control measures the business should adhere to.
Hum
November 1, 2009
what’s software quality control?
anon49059
October 17, 2009
Where we can get the quality control training?
anon47894
October 8, 2009
Please give me the full information.
anon45384
September 16, 2009
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.
anon44204
yesterday
Where we can get the quality control training?
anon43726
September 1, 2009
can you discuss more about centralized quality control?
anon43537
August 30, 2009
Hi, could you please explain how quality control affects the final product in regards to chicken, duck, goose and other avian products?
anon42259
August 20, 2009
what is a centralized quality control?
how does it work for a furniture selling industry?
anon41974
August 18, 2009
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.
anon41721
August 17, 2009
i am working in a RFID (radio frequency identification device) manufacturing company. how can i control the quality system?
anon41458
August 15, 2009
Describe the ways in ways of ensuring high quality control for a service, for example, a chocolate company that opened a theme park.
anon41332
August 14, 2009
what does an orange have to have to be passed by the quality control workers?
anon39251
July 31, 2009
what are the point you will keep in mind about the concept of quality control and inspection if you are the quality systems manager of a rubber products manufacturing unit?
anon38725
July 28, 2009
Hi, could you please explain how quality control affects the final product in regards to chicken, duck, goose and other avian products? Thanks, Eddy
anon38260
July 24, 2009
How can we control the quality in present day midday meal production?
anon22215
November 30, 2008
Can we have a standard product, that has quality issues?
anon17709
September 5, 2008
what is the statistical quality control?
anon15816
July 22, 2008
I have been reading about quality control. I would like to get more data on its impact on organisational performance.
anon14592
June 20, 2008
Dear Sir, What is an ideal set up? The Quality Assurance is under by a Quality Management System or vice versa? Thanks, Leovie
mogapij
March 15, 2008
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.
anon9008
February 26, 2008
what is the relationship between principalship and quality educational assessment?
anon8892
February 23, 2008
What is the importance of quality control in present day soap production?
anon7800
February 3, 2008
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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