ASQ RRD Webinar: What’s Best For Your Environment: 100% Inspection, Statistical Sampling Or Other Techniques?

Presenter: Michael Ford

Thursday, Sept 7 2023 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

(UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)

Abstract:

We may recognize two fundamental realities. (1) Business operations have a fundamental need to ensure quality products are provided to customers. (2) Lean principles dictate that inspection does not add value. How do we reconcile the apparent contradiction of these two statements?

Operations may adopt several approaches to this dilemma, that each have underlying assumptions. 100% inspection is the challenge of proving all parts are good. In contrast, no inspection assumes all parts are good. In between, we have statistical sampling which is akin to the position of “I’m not sure if the parts are good or bad, so I will perform an analysis and draw a conclusion.”

The choice of which approach to adapt may include the risk associated with a defect, for example, pilots performing pre-flight inspection of an aircraft. Alternatively, companies that utilize certified suppliers may have confidence that receiving inspection is not necessary. We may also utilize statistical process control as a means of ensuring quality, focusing on the process rather than the part.

Session participants will attain the following learning objectives:

• Learning the four costs of quality
• Understanding the appropriate use of 100% inspection
• Understanding the appropriate use of no inspection
• Understanding the appropriate use of statistical sampling
• Learning when and how to replace product inspection with process auditing

The facilitator will include timely examples addressing the following discussion points:

• How do we ensure products bought online have quality (is produce fresh, do clothes fit, etc.)?
• Should we trust auto-pilot functions to perform pre-flight inspection (and the same for self-driving vehicles)?