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This post was last edited by woliaibo on 2012-6-14 10:03. Originally from the mechanical processing industry in product manufacturing lines. I currently work at a small equipment manufacturing factory (no mass production; each piece of equipment is somewhat different). I am a technical specialist, and my supervisor also handles quality control in the workshop on a part-time basis. But it differs greatly from my previous workplace in terms of quality control. How should colleagues dealing with such a situation proceed?
The manager also handles quality control in the workshop; their main task is to resolve the conflicts that arise between production speed and quality/safety on the production floor. On one hand, there are demands from production to proceed quickly, while on the other hand, safety requirements dictate high quality standards, and business considerations require good efficiency. However, how can the conflict between production progress and quality and safety be properly resolved? First, it is necessary to address the points where quality and safety at the production site come into conflict with production progress. In the actual production process, when it is necessary to meet production deadlines while also ensuring quality and safety, the key question is to determine where the conflict between quality and safety requirements and production deadlines lies Once the root cause of the problem is identified, on-site workers must first align their thinking and firmly follow the unified instructions from higher authorities regarding production, safety, and quality. They need to clarify the objectives of their tasks, make every effort to ensure quality and safety, and create conditions for the smooth progress of production and operations. Blind production, neglect of quality, and disregard for safety must be avoided at all costs ; Secondly, it is necessary to insist on leaders working on-site, with project team members joining them in their tasks, so as to collect and keep track of developments at the site in a timely manner. This helps to provide accurate and reliable information for making sound decisions regarding safe production; it is important to avoid merely talking without taking action, adopting a perfunctory attitude, or ignoring potential hazards. Second, it is necessary to address the key issues where quality and safety at the production site come into conflict with production progress. In actual production, whether it is to focus on standardized management of safety and quality, or to address issues related to violations of regulations, inefficiencies, and improve work efficiency, professional technical knowledge and strict control over key processes are essential. To effectively ensure that daily management tasks are carried out on site, it is only by managing at the grassroots level that key aspects can be brought under control, thereby enabling proper management of the entire construction process. In their work, they focus on ensuring safety and providing logistical support, constantly instilling in the employees the idea that \"life is the highest value, and safety is the best benefit.\" The project leadership team leads by example by working alongside the workers; during breaks, they regularly communicate with the workers to gather their opinions. At various meetings, before and after shifts, they discuss production progress, quality, and safety, helping employees understand that without quality, safety cannot be ensured, and without safety, there can be no benefits – only safety can enable production. This approach lays a solid foundation for safe production. Third, it is essential to address the key issues arising from the conflict between quality and safety at the production site and the production schedule. When there is a conflict between quality and safety on the production site and production progress, it is only by firmly establishing the management philosophy that \"minor safety issues depend on management, while major safety issues rely on technology,\" by identifying the key points behind such conflicts, and by implementing targeted solutions based on the actual production conditions that it is possible to effectively resolve these conflicts, ensure the required quality, eliminate safety hazards, and promote production development.
Managing both production and quality means having one’s left hand oversee the right hand – how is it possible to avoid compromise in such a situation? Many private enterprise owners tend to compromise on quality issues – isn’t that because they have to act as both parents?
This problem is really difficult to handle; not to mention whether a person has enough energy, technology and quality sometimes truly conflict with each other.
Learning is a powerful tool; when there are changes in work, one must adapt to them by learning. Starting from scratch, of course, if one already has some prior knowledge, the learning process will be much faster.
Since one cannot have multiple selves, one should focus on doing things well when it comes to quality, and concentrate on improving technical skills when that’s the task at hand.
Learn more*, seek advice frequently, adapt to the new environment again, and be mentally prepared.
Quality, technology, and production – it is clear that everyone believes they should be kept separate, as conflicts can sometimes seem difficult to resolve. For example, quality concerns focus on ensuring that products meet quality standards, technology considerations are about fulfilling design requirements, while production is more concerned with completing production plans while still meeting quality standards. Their conflicts mainly arise from the tension between quality and output. Ideally, it would be possible to meet both quality standards and production targets, but in many cases, especially during so-called \"peak production periods,\" meeting quality requirements prevents the achievement of production goals, while trying to meet production goals makes it difficult to ensure quality. In other words, it’s hard to complete tasks while maintaining both high quality and high output. There are various reasons for this: for instance, the processing precision of existing equipment may not be sufficient, the technical skills of current staff need improvement, it’s difficult to control quality when the volume of work is high, and workers may struggle to maintain focus in high-intensity working environments, among others. However, have you ever considered that separating these issues apart doesn’t solve the problem at its root? It merely results in more people arguing over the same issues. The best approach is to establish clear minimum standards that must be met; products that don’t meet these standards need to be reworked, workers who don’t meet the requirements need training, equipment that fails to meet standards should be replaced promptly, and managers who don’t fulfill their duties need to be adjusted accordingly. Only by eliminating these objective factors that give rise to complaints can we unite everyone’s efforts and thereby improve the quality of products and the efficiency of production. Another point is the issue of efficiency. If you are familiar with workshops, you should understand that sometimes it’s not the case that efficiency is low; rather, efficiency increases and more work needs to be done, but the workers don’t receive corresponding compensation. As a result, no one is willing to work hard, and no one is motivated to improve efficiency. They think: For the same components, if I produce 5 pieces in an hour, I get 100 dollars, and if I produce 50 pieces, I still get 100 dollars, or maybe 120 dollars – so why work faster? Therefore, my suggestion is that both managers and operators must be clear about the quality standards; those who ensure quality and quantity should be given attractive rewards (I believe such rewards are worthwhile as they contribute to continuous improvement), while those who make mistakes deliberately must be severely punished, and those who intentionally violate the standards need to have their behavior corrected. Only by having clear rewards and punishments can work be done well. I appreciate it if fellow sailors can offer their guidance on the shortcomings
For large companies, technology, quality, and production certainly need to be separated. If it’s a small company, the technical department can handle the management of three departments simultaneously. The issue of efficiency, the problem of not being paid more for doing more work, can only be resolved through piece-rate payment.