1. What is QUALITY CONTROL?
Introduction to QC
People Development Dept
What is QUALITY CONTROL?
QUALITY CONTROL (QC) is a tool / concept for
objectively determining , analyzing and solving
quality problem and for maintaining better quality.
QC has two main activities :
Maintenance activities : Keep current quality level
Improvement activities : Raise the quality level

2. QC is the system of means whereby the qualities of
Introduction to QC
People Development Dept
2. Definition of QC in JIS
QC is the system of means whereby the qualities of
products or services are
produced economically
to meet the requirements
of the purchaser.
3. QUALITY CONTROL do not
consist of only inspection.

3. QC = Meeting In order to implement the QC activities effectively and
Introduction to QC
People Development Dept
In order to implement the QC activities effectively and
economically,it is important to use the fundamental ideas
and tools for QC.
This text introduces 7 QC concepts for Seiko Epson Group.
The objectives of QC activities is to meet our customers’
requirement.
So this idea is most important for QC.
We have to use this idea every time.
QC = Meeting
customer’s
requirements

4. Contents Basic Quality Control --- an introduction 2
Introduction to QC
People Development Dept
Contents
Page
Basic Quality Control an introduction 2
1 Customers First 4
2 “ Actual Facts “
3 Plan - Do - Check - Act Cycle 10
4 Big Problems First 15
5 Variation
6 Problem Prevention 22
7 Process Control 25
TQC : QC at Every Stage 28 P1
QCDMS --- the rewards of quality control 30

5. QUALITY POLICY 品质方针 The Quality Policy of SINGAPORE EPSON INDUSTRIAL
Introduction to QC
People Development Dept
QUALITY POLICY 品质方针
The Quality Policy of SINGAPORE EPSON INDUSTRIAL
PTE LTD is based on 3 principles:
1. QUALITY ASSURANCE 品质 保证
We build quality into our product in every process by all
the staff performing to their maximum capacity.
2. CUSTOMER FIRST 顾客第一
Customer satisfaction is our first priority in our activity
and we always constantly improve to achieve it.
3. FACT CONTROL 实况管理
We act on the decision from 3 realities principle:
“Go to the real location, look at the real thing and
consider the real circumstances.”

6. QUALITY POLICY 品质方针 品质 保证 The Quality Policy of SINGAPORE EPSON
Introduction to QC
People Development Dept
QUALITY POLICY
品质方针
The Quality Policy of SINGAPORE EPSON
INDUSTRIAL PTE LTD is based on 3 principles:
1. QUALITY ASSURANCE
品质 保证
We build quality into our product in
every process by all the staff performing
to their maximum capacity.

7. QUALITY POLICY 品质方针 顾客第一 The Quality Policy of SINGAPORE EPSON
Introduction to QC
People Development Dept
QUALITY POLICY
品质方针
The Quality Policy of SINGAPORE EPSON
INDUSTRIAL PTE LTD is based on 3 principles:
2. CUSTOMER FIRST
顾客第一

8. QUALITY POLICY 品质方针 实况管理 The Quality Policy of SINGAPORE EPSON
Introduction to QC
People Development Dept
QUALITY POLICY
品质方针
The Quality Policy of SINGAPORE EPSON
INDUSTRIAL PTE LTD is based on 3 principles:
3. FACT CONTROL
实况管理
We act on the decision from 3 realities
principle:
“Go to the real location, look at the real
thing and consider the real circumstances.”

9. Introduction to QC
People Development Dept
Basic Quality Control
Recently a very successful greengrocer from Tokyo was on television. Until 10 years ago, he always bought his oranges at the market, but suddenly all the tasty oranges seemed to disappear. He decided to try and find out why.
He discovered that each farmer took their oranges to the Farmers Union, where all the oranges became mixed together. Then the oranges were divided into 36 classes--6 sizes (SSS,SS,S,M,L,LL) and six grades of shape and appearance. But the most important “quality factor” for oranges is taste. At the Farmers Union there was no taste test or taste classification.
Basic Quality Control , Page 2

10. QC is basic good business sense.
Introduction to QC
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Basic Quality Control
After discovering this, the greengrocer from Tokyo started buying directly from the farmers. Recently, he has started going to the farms and sometimes even trims the trees!
The greengrocer has never studied QC or TQC, but he
has put his customer first, investigated the cause of the
problem, and change his methods to improve his product.
QC is basic good business sense.
Basic Quality Control , Page 2

11. 1 Customers First ‘It tastes good to me’
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1 Customers First
‘It tastes good to me’
The owner of a cake shop is over 60
years old. He tastes the cakes and
adjusts the flavour until he thinks it
is best. Most of the shop’s customers
are between 15 and 20 years old. How
can an old man know what flavour
young people like ?
Many companies have a policy of “customers first”
but some only use it for the final customer ~ the
person who buys the final product or service.
Basic Quality Control , Page 3

12. Chefs (Internal customers) Eaters (External customers)
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1 Customers First
In QC we treat the people who receive the results of our
work as our customers. Sometimes this is called ‘ the
next process is our customer ’, but ’process’ doesn’t
only mean a manufacturing process.
Chefs (Internal customers)
Eaters (External customers)
Vegetable washer
All employees
Salary calculation
Callers
Telephone operator
Students
Teacher
Customers
Job
Here are some examples :
Basic Quality Control , Page 3

13. To satisfy our customers we must know what the
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To satisfy our customers we must know what the
customers want and expected. Good communication
with the next processes” is very important.
Of course, the “processes” before your work will want to
communicate with you because you are their customer.
To satisfy our customers we must be responsible for our
own work, and assure the quality of our work.
Basic Quality Control , Page 3

14. Basic Quality Control , Page 4
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A famous QC professor was trying to reduce the number of defective steel plates at a factory when he had the following conversation.
Professor : Why don’t you invite the workers from the next and previous processes to help investigate this problem?
Process Chief : Professor! Do you mean we should invite the enemy into our workplace?
Professor : Hey! Wait a minute. The next processes should be your customers, not your enemies! You should go to the next process and ask ”were the steel plates that we delivered today satisfactory?” That should improve relations with them.
Process Chief : Professor, we could never do that. If we go to the next process they will think we are spies! We will be chased away.
Basic Quality Control , Page 4

15. Explain who is the customer in Customer First ?
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Do you think your next processes are your enemies?
If the people working in the process before your come and ask you questions about your work, do you think they are spies?
Who are YOUR customers?
Explain who is the customer in Customer First ?
End-users and next processes are our customers.
End-users : The person who buys or uses our products
or services.
Next process : The person who in next processes will
receive the results of our works or
services.
Basic Quality Control , Page 4

16. We must implement following steps for Customers First:
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We must implement following steps for Customers First:
1. Verify who are our customers.
2. Determine our customers’ requirements clearly.
It is important to determine what our customers expect
so that we can satisfy them.
To do this , we must communicate with our customers.
3. Check whether the results of our work meet customers’
requirements before handing it to our customers.
Basic Quality Control , Page 4

17. 2 “ACTUAL FACTS” Are your facts “ACTUAL FACTS”?
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2 “ACTUAL FACTS”
Are your facts “ACTUAL FACTS”?
On a very dark night, 3 men meet an elephant but they don’t know what it is.
One man touches the nose, “It feels like a fat snake.”
The next man touches an ear, ”No, it feels like a large leaf.
”The last man touches the elephant’s large teeth, ”No, it is hard like a stone, and pointed like an arrow.”
Basic Quality Control , Page 5

18. Introduction to QC
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Actual Fact

19. ACTUAL FACTS 2 “ACTUAL FACTS”
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2 “ACTUAL FACTS”
Each man believes his description is true and complete.
If you try to improve quality without all the “actual facts”, you will be like the 3 men on the dark night.
ACTUAL
FACTS
Basic Quality Control , Page 5

20. 实况管理 3 REALITIES PRINCIPLE!! 3. FACT CONTROL
Always remember the
3 REALITIES
PRINCIPLE!!
3. FACT CONTROL
实况管理
We act on the decision from 3 realities
principle:
“Go to the real location, look at the real
thing and consider the real circumstances.”

21. Experience and Facts The Three Actualities Principle
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Experience and Facts
Experience is important when making decisions ; but facts are also important.You should base your actions on experience AND facts.
The Three Actualities Principle helps us to collect facts scientifically.
The Three Actualities Principle
Go to the ACTUAL location
look at the ACTUAL thing
and consider the ACTUAL circumstances
“ACTUAL location ” means the workshop, office, warehouse or
wherever the problem is.
“ACTUAL thing” means actual products, services, machines etc.
“ACTUAL circumstances” means the real situation. Look at the
problem objectively and without preconceptions.
Basic Quality Control , Page 6

22. When we tackle quality problem, we must objectively observe
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When we tackle quality problem, we must objectively observe
it by collecting actual facts.
It is very dangerous to make a judgment based on only
our experience.
2. We not deny our experience, but we should determine problems based on Actual Facts and Experience to observe quality problem objectively and to reach
the correct conclusion.
When a quality problem has occurred, we should not stay
in meeting a room to discuss the problem, but go to the
place where the problem occurred. We should objectively
observe the products, services, machines etc. whichever
having the problem without preconceptions.
Basic Quality Control , Page 6

23. A P C D CT LAN O HECK PLAN, DO, CHECK, ACT. 3 Plan-Do-Check-Act
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3 Plan-Do-Check-Act
PDCA Cycle is very
important in the
following activities:
maintenance
improvement A CT
LAN P C
HECK D O
We turn the PDCA
wheel and follow
each step:
PLAN, DO, CHECK, ACT.
Basic Quality Control , Page 7

24. 3 Plan-Do-Check-Act 4 Act 1 Plan Don’t forget this step!! 2 Do 3 Check
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3 Plan-Do-Check-Act
4 Act
Was the improvement
successful?
If not, take further measures
1 Plan
Decide your target or
objective. Decide how
to reach your target
Don’t forget
this step!!
2 Do
Training and education.
Explain the plan to
everyone implementing the plan. (ie.”do” )
3 Check
Check the effects of the
improvement. (collect data
And compare with data
before improvement.)
Basic Quality Control , Page 7

25. A P C D ∞ P D C A What to do THEME IMPROVEMENT How to do
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Permanent
action &
prevention
Theme &
Target plan
Detailed
plan how to
achieve the
theme or target
Temporarily
emergency
action A P P D C A C D
Evaluate Do
result
Education &
Training Do
according to
the detailed
plan
Check Do
result
THEME
What to do
Measure Do
result
IMPROVEMENT
How to do

26. The PDCA cycle is based on the “Deming Cycle”.
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The PDCA cycle is based on the “Deming Cycle”.
Dr. Deming introduced QC to Japan from the US
after World War 2.
The Union of Japanese Scientists and
Engineers (JUSE) invited Dr. Deming
to Japan in July He held a series
of lectures and seminars during which
he taught the basic principles of
statistical quality control to executives,
managers and engineers of Japanese
industries. His teachings made a deep
impression on the participants' minds
and provided great impetus in
implementing quality control in Japan.
Basic Quality Control , Page 7

27. Japanese achieved quality not by an inspection system
that spots the defects on an assembly line, but by a
concerted effort to “get it right the first time”.
This lesson was taught to the receptive Japanese in 1950
by a then little-known American business management
expert, W. Edwards Deming, who died at age 93. Until
10 days before his death, Deming was still conducting
seminars for American companies, belatedly eager for
his advice.
Corporate America, after World War II, told Deming to
get lost and he did, in Japan.

28. Deming advised the Japanese, who sought him out,
not to copy the American-style inspection system,
but to incorporate quality control principles into the
manufacturing process. He was rejected by the
American managers because of the belief that poor
quality products resulted mostly from management’s
failures, not from worker ineptness.
Japanese companies, however, were all ears. When
Deming first arrived in Tokyo, the top men in the
Companies didn’t send just their engineers for an
Eight-day seminar --- they came themselves!!

29. The Philosophy of the Control of Quality:
The Deming Cycle
Redesign 设计
After-sales
service &
market surveys
售后服务与
市场调查
Planning
and design
计划与设计
Move forward 前进
Production
生产 / 制造
Marketing
Concern for quality
与品质的关系

30. Check Basic Quality Control , Page 8 Introduction to QC
People Development Dept
In Seiko Epson we emphasize the “check” step to take more effective
action and draw the PDCA cycle like this (right).
When you have arrived at the ACT step,
don’t stop.You should return to the PLAN
stage and plan more improvements.
Act
Plan Do
Check
It is important to find the root of a problem.
It is not good enough to only stop the
problem, you must find the cause of the
problem and remove that (see Section 6,
Problem Prevention for more details).
Basic Quality Control , Page 8

31. 1. Plan 2. Do 3. Check 4. Act Target : To reduce the office heating
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Example of a QC circle using the PDCA cycle: “Reducing the cooling
costs in our office.”
1. Plan
Target : To reduce the
office heating
costs by 30%
in 3 months.
After investigation, we
found that people open
the windows in the
winter because it is too
hot.
We explained how to
use the thermostats to
all staff. We also asked
all staff not to open the
windows when the
heating is switched on.
2. Do
Rotate the
PDCA cycle
Again.
Everyone knows how to
use the thermostats. The
windows are not opened
when the heater is on.
We calculated that
heating costs were
reduced by 20% in 3
months.
Standardization : Check
every 3 months that all
staff can still use the
thermostats. Train all
new staff. We have not
reached our target by
10%, so repeat the
PDCA cycle again.
3. Check
4. Act
Basic Quality Control , Page 8

32. PDCA Cycle for MAINTENANCE :
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PDCA Cycle for MAINTENANCE :
When we keep current quality level, we rotate this cycle as
following :
Plan : Decide on a work procedure to keep current quality
level.
Do : Work according to the work standard.
Check : Check whether the quality level is maintained or not.
Act : Take corrective action depending on the results of
check.
If it has been maintained, we rotate the same PDCA Cycle
again. If it has not been maintained, causes of the problem
should be investigated and found out. Then we must take
countermeasures against the important causes.
We should rotate new PDCA Cycle.

33. When we want to raise the quality level, we rotate this cycle
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How are improvement activities performed according to PDCA cycle?
For IMPROVEMENT :
When we want to raise the quality level, we rotate this cycle
as following :
Plan : Decide on a new higher target and decide how to reach
it.
Do : Carry out the plan.
Check : Check the results (compare against the set target)
Act : Take corrective action depending on the result of check.
If the target is achieved, then rotate the PDCA cycle for
maintenance.
Else, investigate the causes of the problem and take
countermeasures against the significant root causes
and rotate the new PDCA cycle for improvement.

34. 3. Plan-Do-Check-Act (计划-实践-检证-对策) Poor QC No. 1 拙劣的品管(一)
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3. Plan-Do-Check-Act
(计划-实践-检证-对策)
Improvement 1
Improvement 2
Improvement 3
革新 (一)
革新 (二)
革新 (三)
Poor QC No. 1
拙劣的品管(一)
Quality level
品质水平
没有维持
No Maintenance
time
time
Quality level
品质水平
Poor QC No. 2
拙劣的品管(二)
No Improvement 没有革新 维持
Maintenance

35. 3. Plan-Do-Check-Act (计划-实践-检证-对策) Good QC 优良的品质管理 Is our job and
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3. Plan-Do-Check-Act
(计划-实践-检证-对策)
Good QC
优良的品质管理
Is our job and
responsibilities
这是我们的工作与责任 P D C A
Improvement 革新 P D C A
维 持
Maintenance
Quality level P D C A
Improvement 革新
品质水平 P D C A
维 持
Maintenance
time 时日

36. 劣 BAD 理想 What should be (Standard) 标准 No Maintenance 没有维持 Innovation
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没有维持
Maintenance No
BAD 劣
What should be 标准 理想
(Standard)
Innovation 革新
Actual Situation 实况
Time 时间

37. GOOD 良 Successful 成 功 Failure 失 败 维 持 Maintenance Improvement 改善
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成 功
Successful
GOOD 良
维 持
Maintenance
Improvement 改善
Working
工 作 P D C A
失 败
Failure
工 程 标 准
Engineering Standard
工序标 准
Process Standard
规 格 标 准
Specification
业 务 设 施
Business Facilities
知识 管 理
Management Facilities