At Fass, we have developed an integrated quality control system that allows us to monitor every stage of production, from the receiving of raw materials to the finished product. This system was designed six years ago to ensure that all materials used and production processes meet the standards agreed with our customers, improving efficiency and traceability while minimizing nonconformities.
Our approach to quality control is divided into two phases: an inspection at the goods acceptance stage and one at the production stage. The quality manager and the integrated system manager, define the specifications to be monitored, also taking into account any parameters provided by customers.
Quality control at the acceptance stage
The first check takes place when the raw materials are received. At this stage, we check the conformity of the material, as well as perform checks on the packaging and the quantities indicated in the transport documents. For example, one of the parameters we can monitor is delta E, which measures how light reflects off colors to ensure a perfect color match to customer expectations.
As a result of the checks, we were able to find that in 2023, out of approximately 3,950,000 kilograms of purchased iron, there were 13 reports of nonconformity totaling approximately 87,000 kilograms of nonconforming material, or 2.2 percent of the iron received. This data is stored and analyzed to ensure that nonconforming raw materials are identified and isolated before entering the production process.
Quality control during production
Quality control continues during production, with two stages:
-A one-time check at the start of production, aimed at ensuring that machines are properly set up and ready for processing.
-Subsequent hourly checks, to continuously monitor production quality.
The above checks can be customized according to specific customer requirements, and if a product does not meet standards, it is automatically excluded from the production cycle.
Technology and training
Some of our machines are capable of performing checks independently and continuously: for example, the machine that makes mops measures the weight of items once an hour, while the profiling machine records thickness and diameter of profiles. When manual checks are needed, however, our in-house trained specialists are ready to respond thanks to the automatic notifications that the integrated system sends, ensuring that every step is under control.
Advantages of the integrated quality control system
Our integrated quality control system has several advantages, both operational and managerial:
–Data traceability and historicization: all controls performed, from acceptance to production, are stored in the system, making it easy to access and consult historical data. This makes it possible to quickly identify any recurring problems and improve processes.
–Production efficiency: the constant monitoring of quality and the integration of automated controls reduce intervention time and improve operational efficiency.
–Waste reduction: the system enables immediate detection of defects or nonconformities, improving resource management.
With this approach, we are able to maintain high quality standards at all stages of production, minimizing errors and ensuring greater reliability of final products.
