Quality does cost $$

The Saturday Feb,5 2010 Lexington Herald Leader had an article concerning the current Quality issues that a local Toyota manufacturing plant has experienced the last couple of weeks. This issue has not only made local news, but national news as well, due to the fact that is was a critical safety issue and the quantity of vehicles involved with this recall.

The article raises the question, are manufacturing companies cutting to deep in an effort to remain competitive, or meet the company profit goals? We are finding many companies are cutting positions, and tasks to remain profitable. The author speculates that this is a contributing factor to the root cause of this problem.
One of the areas that is the first to be cut during a recession is the Quality department, therefore the disruption of procedures jeopardizes the Quality of products that are being manufactured.

The Quality department has several functions within a manufacturing company; one of which is testing to assure proper performance in the field. Every component, or sub-assembled part has to meet certain specifications, both dimensionally as well a test requirements. The test specification often simulate in field conditions, including environmental conditions, mating parts to assure no interferes issues, and often a part will be functioned to failure. An example, of a functional test, would be a window regulator, installed in a door skin (simulating the car door) cycled a specific number of times with a certain amount of weight to simulate the glass, then the same part will be cycled under certain environmental conditions to test the durability of the plastic component pieces and parts

These tasks do require technical folks that are often well compensated for their abilities and knowledge; to many of the top management these folks do not "add value" to the product, therefore these positions are considered a cost to manufacture. However, in contrast, they prevent scrap, an internal failure, and product failure in the field, therefore assuring a satisfied customer. An example of the importance of quality in manufacturing is the sticking accelerate pedal issue that has and will continue to cost Toyota billions of dollars, and a tarnished reputation.