Roles and responsibilities of Quality engineer | Function of Quality department

Role of Quality department is to sustain the quality of product and services in any organization. Quality department is responsible for all product related activities starting from raw material inspection to final inspection. When product undergoes manufacturing process,quality department do the inspection at each stage so that required quality of product can be achieved after completion of all required operations.

There are four functions of quality department which cover all aspects of quality areas. These four factors are backbone of quality department or on the basis of these factors, quality department gives great results. Following are the four functions of quality which are exlained in detail one by one :-

• Quality Planning

• Quality Assurance

• Quality Control

• Quality Improvement

As we discussed in previous article  about quality of product and how it very critical nowdays for business growth. So, Quality department is introduced which sustain the quality of product. To take care of all the activities related to quality, Quality Engineers are recruited by organizations. In this article we will learn about roles and responsibilities of quality engineers or manager.How detail functioning of quality department takes place. Topic Covered are :-

• Role of quality department

• Four functions of quality department

• Quality Planning

• Quality Assurance

• Quality Control

• Quality Improvement

Role of Quality Department

Quality Planning

Sustainability of Quality of product starts from Quality planning. This is first function to start with quality. How the quality is going to be controlled. Activities carried out in quality planning function are as below :-

• Planning for inprocess inspection. How inspection during inprocess takes place.

• Calibration plan for TMMEs - Testing monitoring and measuring instruments. How the calibration of instruments to be done and set the frequency period.

• Plan for Patrol inspection during manufacturing.

• Plan to draft Standards operating procedures to run the process smoothly. 

• Work instructions preparation plan for all process to attain the stability in process.

• Planning to perform all the necessary tests to comply with customer requirements as well as product standard requirements.

Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance gives the assurance of quality of product. Quality Assurance gives the assurance of product before manufacturing by setting up the systems. QA function always try to work on Proactive approach. Activities carried out by Quality Assurance function are as below :-

• It gives assurance of product before manufacturing by making stringent system with help of cross functional team from various departments.

• QA function believes in Prevention. it works on the things to avoid the occurance of problem.

• QA always focused on Process rather than product. It emphasizes on process so that while following the process, no problem can occur.

• It is responsibile for all drafting and implementing all quality related processes & procedures

Quality Control

QC function detects & controls the defects or any variation during product realization process. in other words, QC control the operation process through inspection of part and make possible corrections so tht any defective part can not be shipped outside organization. Activities carried out by Quality Control function are as below :-

• It controls the process by diagnosis defect or error in part during different operations stages.

• QC function believes in Correction. It works to correct the variation or defect produced during manuacturing process.

• QC function always focused on Product rather than Process. It emphasizes on product accuracy by complying all necessary inspections.

• QC function is department based approach. means QC function take the decision at department level only. No need to take decision by cross functional team members.

Quality Improvement

Quality improvement is the final function of quality department. This function is very important function in term of overall improvement of product, process, organization. It works on improvements of 3M i.e Man, Machine, Method. Activities carried out by Quality improvement function are as below :-

• It focus on Improvement in processes by considering standards of Quality Management System and with the help of Quality tools like APQP, PPAP, MSA, SPC, FMEA

• It works on continous improvement by initiating Quality improvement programs, Waste Control &  Kaizen.

• It works closely to solve problems by using various problem solving techniques like Pareto chart, Why Why analysis, 8D problem solving tool.    

Conclusion

As discussed above, there are so may activities in all four functions of quality department. Quality engineers & Quality managers are direct responsible for all these activities. If we summarize all the activities of all functions of quality department then followin are the job duties of quality department :

• All inhouse and thid party inspections and reporting

• Responsible for all TMMEs instruments

• Quality assurance plans - QAPs

• Standard operating procedures - SOPs

• Product Part approval process documents for customer approval -PPAP

• Calibration of all TMMEs instruments.

• Non-conformity closure

• Corrective and preventive action