The reliability and the performance of the final products are strongly influenced by the reliability of the electronic parts used in the production of these products. This is because a small deviation from the optimum design of a single component will lead to the failure of the whole system or its performance will be below the desired level. This is why quality assurance plays a crucial role in both production and supply of electronic parts. During the design, production, testing, and delivery processes, suppliers employ rigorous quality control measures, which help reduce defective parts and guarantee that they meet the stipulated requirements.
Design Quality Control
Quality control is recognized as a continuous process, implemented at the design phase of the product. Cross-functional teams ensure the parts are not only functional but also manufacturable and reliable to ensure that the final product is manufacturable and reliable. Lean product development methods such as Design for Six Sigma aim at reducing the levels of variation and defects throughout the production process. Device physics, material compatibility, average expected stresses, use throughout a product's lifetime, and process control variability are all taken into account when designing the product, as well as the processes which will create it to be of high quality. Simulations, modeling and prototyping done widely ensure that all the designs produced are good enough to be released to the market. Cross hierarchical design reviews still enhance the quality.
Production Quality Control
Suppliers of electronics products assure the manufacturing process has adopted good quality measures. Statistical process control controls the manufacturing processes, and the minute any variation from the set norms is noticed, it is addressed. Raw materials that enter the facility are subjected to inspection and tests to determine their suitability to be used in production. Robotic inspection is complementary to other types of inspection that are performed in production lines. Maintenance of production equipment is also a good way of ensuring that production is consistent since it includes calibration of equipment. Whenever they can, many suppliers predetermine and incorporate tasks such as soldering and fabrication into automation because it is less likely to be as variable as the people who operate it. Companies have to document processes, especially changes, to maintain uniformity across different batches of the completed products. International Organisation for Standardisation specifies its quality management standards such as ISO 9001 or sector standards have guidelines on how to systematically apply these production control.
Testing and Validation
This item goes through several tests in the production process to ensure that it is of the right quality. During the manufacturing cycle, tests can be done at line to ascertain that the units produced are within required standards before moving to the next level. End of line functional test detect final defects, thereby making it a form of testing during production. Reliability tests ensure that a sample of devices produced from each batch will be able to handle use stresses such as vibration, temperature, voltage, etc As with other batch testing, long-term reliability tests provide feedback for further enhancement of manufacturing quality. Destructive physical analysis focuses on the examination of the sound, structure, and uniformity of samples from each production batch. More complex methods include the use of X-ray for inspecting internal imperfections which are almost invisible to the naked eye. Statistical quality control techniques quantitatively examine test and inspection data on the control chart parameters to assert the stability and capability of runs in production. Batch acceptance, on the other hand, can only be made once it meets certain quality levels in all these tests.
Delivery Quality Control
It is also important to maintain integrity during delivery which is a paramount step in the implementation of a plan or strategy. Products packaging standards also help to contain parts in a way that they do not have any defects when handling or when in transit. Measures like holograms, inks, forensic markers etc. help the organization avoid effects of counterfeiting by preventing fake products to find their way in the supply chain. Bar code numbering of products provides visibility to the tracking of products with numbers like serial numbers for inventories. Information such as caution needed when handling, and other important instructions are best passed through proper labelling. Shown below are some measures that are implemented to avoid the effects of dust or static electricity: Environment and electrostatic controls. Qualified distribution partners and anti-tampering packaging eliminate or reduce mishandling of the product. The third way of enhancing the quality of the supply chain is to conduct training necessary logistics teams on critical processes and risk control.
Advantages of Strict Adherence to Quality Assurance
Investing in high quality assurance returns a huge premium profit in that it avoids Field failures and associated wastage. The main advantage of this form of quality control is that problems are detected as early as possible before the start of the latter production, test or customer usage phases which when corrected may lead to high costs. The best quality control systems are those that are special with solutions being developed to match certain product or part. The increase in costs of enhanced inspections tests and process controls is relatively negligible in comparison to the costs that come with defects getting to the end consumers. The electronics suppliers that offer quality and perfect products on a per order basis will be able to foster trust and long lasting business relations with the buyers and other stakeholders. In a similar manner, it is imperative that only high quality components which surpass the minimum required specifications should be shipped by the suppliers to cut on warranty costs and liabilities arising from failure in the field. This enhances operational profit and attainment of exceptional quality and reliability of its products in the market.
As the business world in the contemporary supply chain environment becomes more and more challenging and competitive, electronics manufacturers must assume full responsibility for the quality of components delivered. The key message of this paper is that strict quality control methods throughout different levels of the supply chain combined with advanced statistical tools and methods ensures superior quality, reliable and defect-free electronic components. Purchasing is considered to play a strategic role in providing customers with quality electronic products, which different electronics component suppliers consider as their main source of competitive advantage.
