According to the American Society of Quality’s annual Manufacturing Outlook and Global State of Quality, most manufacturers have some level of supplier quality verification, inspection, or audits. In more regulated industries like automotive, aerospace, and medical devices, incoming inspections or Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) are mandatory for critical parts, with sampling done for the rest.
But, if you’re not measuring your supplier’s quality for any reason, here’s why you should and how you can ramp up quickly.
Why Supplier Quality Measurement Matters
The saying “Garbage In, Garbage Out” (GIGO) exists for a reason (and has a fascinating origin story). It applies to everything from computer science to manufacturing. If you use parts that are out of spec, they can:
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Fail during production—causing scrap, rework, or line stoppages
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Fail in the field—leading to warranty claims, recalls, or worse, safety issues
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Damage your brand reputation
All of those outcomes are bad. And you already know that—otherwise, you wouldn’t create specifications in the first place. So why aren’t you measuring them?
How to Get Started (and Gain Confidence Fast)
Mark Twain said it best: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex, overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and starting on the first one.”
Here’s how to break it down into simple steps:
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Start with Acceptance Sampling: Take random samples from your supplier. Use Minitab to create a sampling plan so you can decide whether the entire batch is acceptable or needs to be rejected based on your sample.
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Collect and Analyze Measurement Data: Use Prolink software to automatically capture and analyze the data for immediate insights.
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Request Capability Studies: Ask suppliers for capability studies to ensure their process is in control. If they don’t know how, send them to Minitab—they’re easy!
Your Quality Journey Starts Here
By following these steps, you can improve the quality of your production before it even begins. From here, you can keep building—whether through training, deeper analysis, or adding more layers to your program.
