Scenario:

An engineering company has, until recently, only supplied components to the agricultural and other general engineering industries. Products have been relatively simple with generous tolerances and customers who are sometimes willing to accept late deliveries. In a change of strategic direction, the company has decided to diversify into smaller volume but more lucrative business areas to add to their existing range and minimise risk with a wider customer base.

As part of this strategic change, the company has fully supported the Quality Manager during the last 12 months into achieving several specialist quality standards which now allows them to supply aerospace, medical and nuclear industries. Some of their manufacturing costs have increased considerably with some parts using higher value materials, several being manufactured to much tighter tolerances and a small number having to satisfy far more stringent standards, some of them safety and medically critical.

Question:

1. From the case study detailed, you are to explain what items need to be considered to satisfy standards which can vary widely dependent upon customer specifications, legislative and regulatory requirements.

• You need to think about how to balance the obligation of a business to satisfy the customer whilst achieving quality conformance to defined external standards and keep operating costs to a minimum.

• You should also consider what internal standards the business might use to maintain efficiency, ensure Right First Time quality and control costs.

Answer should include of 10+ points