Quality and Technical Management Question List

Part 1
Question 1: Could you define what is lean manufacturing?
Lean Manufacturing’s fundamental philosophy is to provide superior quality
products for more Customers at a significantly lower price and to contribute to a
more prosperous society. It is important to build a Company production system
based on this philosophy.
Lean Manufacturing has endeavored to rationalize production by:
• Completely eliminating waste in the production process
• To build quality into the process
• To reduce costs - productivity improvements
• To develop its own unique approach toward corporate management
• To create and develop integrated techniques that will contribute to corporate
operation.
Question 2: Draw a Lean house!

Question 3: What is the 8 wastes?

Question 4: What is the definition of kazien?
Kaizen is Japanese for “improvement” or “change for the better”. Frequent small
improvements, the cycle is:
• Standardise an operation.
• Measure the standardised operation.
• Gauge measurements against requirements.
• Innovate to meet requirements and increase productivity.
• Standardise the new, improved operations.

Question 5: What is the definition of 5S?

5S is a simple tool for organising your workplace in a clean, efficient, repeatable
and safe manner to enhance your productivity, visual management and to ensure
the introduction of standardised working. Some companies add a 6th (6S) of
Safety, although this should be an integral part of the steps of 5S and not a separate
stage in itself.
• 5S Seiri: Sort, Clearing, Classify; All unneeded tools, parts and supplies are
removed from the area.
• 5S Seiton: Straighten, Simplify, Set in order, Configure; A place for
everything and everything is in its place.
• 5S Seiso: Sweep, Shine, Scrub, Clean and Check; The area is cleaned as
the work is performed.
• 5S Seiketsu: Standardise, Stabilise, Conformity; Cleaning and identification
methods are consistently applied.
• 5S Shitsuke: Sustain, Self-Discipline, Custom, Practice; 5S is a habit and is
continually improved.

Question 6: What is the definition of TPM?

Total preventative or preventive maintenance is a simple method to ensure that
you get reliable and efficient performance from your plant and equipment within
your organization. It is important to ensure that machinery does not break down
when you need it most and this simple maintenance program will help you to
achieve that.
Question 7: What is the definiton of TQM?
Total Quality Management (TQ, QM or TQM) and Six Sigma (6s) are sweeping
“culture change” efforts to position a company for greater customer satisfaction,
profitability and competitiveness. TQ may be defined as managing the entire
organisation so that it excels on all dimensions of products and services that are
important to the customer. We often think of features when we think of the quality
of a product or service; TQ is about conformance quality, not features.

Question 8: History of QM. Deming’s 14 points.

• 1911: Frederick W. Taylor publishes "Principles of Scientific Management."
• 1924: Walter A. Shewhart introduces statistics in quality control, highlighting the
productivity benefits of reducing variation.
• 1931: Shewhart writes "Economic Control of Manufactured Product."
• 1950: W. Edwards Deming and Joseph M. Juran, students of Shewhart, initiate
Japan's transformation from "shoddy" to "world class" goods.
• 1960: Dr. K. Ishikawa formalizes "quality circles," advocating small groups to
eliminate variation and enhance processes.
• In the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s:
o Deming returned from Japan to write Out of the Crisis, and began his
famous 4-day seminars in the United States
o Phil Crosby wrote Quality is Free
o NBC ran “If Japan can do it, why can’t we?”
o Motorola began 6 Sigma
• Deming’s 14 Points:
1. Create constancy of purpose for improvement.
2. Adopt a new philosophy.
3. Cease dependence on mass inspection.
4. Do not award business on price alone.
5. Work continually on the system of production and service.
6. Institute modern methods of training.
7. Institute modern methods of supervision of workers.
8. Drive out fear.
9. Break down barriers between departments.
 10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the work force.
11. Eliminate numerical quotas.
12. Remove barriers preventing pride of workmanship.
13. Institute a vigorous program of education and retraining.
14. Take action to accomplish the transformation.

Question 9: History of total quality.

• According to Dr. Joseph M. Juran (1991):
“On the assembly line at the Ford Motor Company in 1923, most of the workers
producing Model T’s were immigrants and could not speak English. Many were
also illiterate. Workers learned their trade by modeling the actions of other
workers. They were unable to plan, problem-solve, and make decisions. As a
result, the Taylor scientific school of management flourished, and MBAs and
industrial engineers were invented to do this work. Today, however, the
workforce is educated. Workers know what is needed to improve their jobs, and
companies that do not tap into this significant source of knowledge will truly be
at a competitive disadvantage.”
• According to Phil Crosby:
Quality is:
▪ An attitude:
• Zero Defects
• Continuous Improvement
▪ A measurement:
• Price of Conformance, plus
• Price of Nonconformance (defects)

Question 10: What is six sigma?

Six Sigma is a transformative initiative aiming for near-perfect customer satisfaction
and business success. It involves a significant cultural shift within a company to
enhance customer requirements, profitability, and competitiveness. This
comprehensive and flexible system relies on a disciplined use of facts, data, and
statistical analysis, coupled with a keen focus on managing, improving, and
reinventing business processes. The methodology is distinguished by its
 commitment to understanding customer needs and maintaining a relentless pursuit
of excellence across all organizational facets.

Question 11: What is the backgorund of ISO TS?

ISO/TS16949 is an ISO technical specification created by the International
Automotive Task Force and the Technical Committee of ISO. Published in June
1999, it focuses on developing quality management systems for continual
improvement, defect prevention, and reducing variation and waste in the
automotive supply chain. Based on ISO 9001, the standard harmonizes country-
specific quality management regulations. While around 30% of over 100
automobile manufacturers adhere to it, major Asian manufacturers often have
distinct requirements. TS16949 applies to design, development, production, and
relevant services of automotive products, encouraging certification across the
supply chain, including vehicle assembly plants.

Part 2
Question 1: What is VDA 6.3?
Since August 1, 1997, the Quality Management Center (QMC), a part of
Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V. (VDA), has served German automotive
manufacturers and suppliers. Led by Mr. Heinz-Günter Plegniere under Mr. Dr.-
Ing. Ulrich Eichhorn's business unit, QMC addresses diverse quality
management issues in the automotive industry. The QM Committee, chaired by
Mr. Frank Tuch of Volkswagen AG, guides QMC's developments, involving
VDA member organizations and representatives from automotive
manufacturers and suppliers. This committee sets and evolves quality
standards, fostering a common platform for harmonized quality strategies and
methods in the automotive industry. The VDA QMC provides specialized quality
management training, imparting subject matter developed in working groups
and published in VDA bodies of rules. VDA 6.3 specifically focuses on defining
a process-based audit standard for evaluating and improving the quality
management system of automotive manufacturers and their suppliers. It is often
used as a tool to assess and enhance the effectiveness of processes related to
product development and realization in the automotive industry.
Question 2: What is SPC?
Statistical Process Control (SPC)
“The use of statistical techniques such as control charts to analyze a process
or its outputs so as to take appropriate actions to achieve and maintain a state
of statistical control and to improve process capability.”
• Detects variation in process measures to enable:
o reduction of variation
o prevention of defects / waste.
• Applied to all processes whose output measures offer:
o Variable data e.g., part dimensions
o Attribute data – conforming; yes/no - that can be counted e.g.,
parts received on-time.

Question 3: What is MSA?

What is it?
An MSA is a statistical tool used to determine if a measurement system is
capable of precise measurement.
Objective or Purpose
• To determine how much error is in the measurement due to the
measurement process itself.
• Quantifies the variability added by the measurement system.
• Applicable to attribute data and variable data.
When to use it?
• On the critical inputs and outputs prior to collecting data for analysis.
• For any new or modified process to ensure the quality of the data.
Who should be involved?
Everyone that measures and makes decisions about these measurements
should be involved in the MSA.
Question 4: Describe 2 problem solving techniques!
The Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa Diagram) and 5 Whys are problem-solving
techniques in quality control.
 Fishbone Diagram:
• Purpose: Identifies and explores potential causes of a problem using a
visual representation.
• How it Works: Diagram resembles a fishbone, categorizing causes into
factors like people, processes, equipment.
• Application: Analyzes root causes of issues, aiding effective problem-
solving by addressing underlying factors.
5 Whys:
• Purpose: Identifies the root cause of a problem by asking "Why"
repeatedly.
• How it Works: Involves asking "Why" five times or more, probing deeper
into responses to uncover successive layers of causes.
• Application: Helps understand the chain of events leading to a problem,
facilitating a thorough investigation and addressing the root cause.

Question 5: What is 8D report?

The basic idea of 8D is to correctly identify the cause of the problem and apply
actions to prevent recurrence of the problem.
Advantages of 8D Report:
1. Easy and logically method, clearly shows Next
steps of problem solution.
2. The method is known and used by all companies
from the automotive industry.
3. Often this is a required method of documenting the
correction action for the customer.
4. An excellent way of reporting nonconformance’s to
suppliers and their corrective actions.

Question 6: What is PPAP?

The Production Part Approval Process is an extensive approval process for new
or changed designs or processes. It is very formalized, so it inevitably causes
some administrative work.
Question 7: What are the official PPAP requirements?
Official PPAP Requirements:
1. Design Records
2. Authorized Engineering Change Documents
3. Customer Engineering Approval, if required
4. Design Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) applied in special
situations.
5. Process Flow Diagram
6. Process Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (PFMEA)
7. Control Plan
8. Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA)
9. Dimensional Results
10. Records of Material / Performance Test Results
11. Initial Process Studies
12. Qualified Laboratory Documentation
13. Appearance Approval Report (AAR)
14. Sample Production Parts
15. Master Sample
16. Checking Aids
17. Customer-Specific Requirements
18. Part Submission Warrant (PSW)
Question 8: What kind of PPAP submisson levels do you know? What are their
main properties?

Question 9: What is the definition of risk?

 • High Risk
o Parts associated with multiple critical features, complex design, or
high-end technology that is not yet established in the general
manufacturing environment.
o Supplier’s quality system and/or quality performance is not to NCR
satisfaction.
• Medium Risk
o Parts have at least one critical feature
• Low Risk
o Parts have no critical features and can be manufactured by any
manufacturer in the commodity category.
o Supplier’s quality system and quality performance are acceptable.

Question 10: What is process flow diagram?

What is it?
A visual diagram of the entire process from receiving through shipping,
including outside processes and services.
Objective or Purpose
To help people “see” the real process. Process maps can be used to
understand the following characteristics of a process:
• Set-by-step process linkage
• Offline activities (measurement, inspection, handling)
• Rework, scrap
When to use it?
• To understand how a process is done.
• Prior to completing the PFMEA

Question 11: What is PFMEA?

What is it?
A tool used to identify and prioritize risk areas and their mitigation plans.
Objective or Purpose
• Identifies potential failure modes, causes, and effects. Inputs come from
the process flow diagram.
 • Identifies key inputs which positively or negatively affect quality,
reliability and safety of a product or processes.
When to use it?
• After completion of the process flow diagram
• Prior to tooling for production

Question 12: What is Control Plan?

Control Plans
• summarize the systems used to minimize process and product variation,
guiding manufacturing on how to control the process and ensure product
quality
• structure the approach to design, selection and implementation of value-
added control methods
• describe the actions required at each phase of the process to ensure all
process outputs will be in control.
• are living documents - updated as measurement systems and control
methods are evaluated and improved.

Question 13: Describe the main properties of Gage R&R!

Gage R&R is the combined estimate of measurement system Repeatability and
Reproducibility (R&R)
• Typically, a 3-person study is performed.
o Each person randomly measures 10 marked parts per trial.
o Each person can perform up to 3 trials.
• There are 3 key indicators:
o EV or Equipment Variation
o AV or Appraiser Variation
o Overall % GRR
Question 14: What is the difference between CP and CPK? (with drawings)
In quality control, CP (Process Capability) and CPK (Process Capability Index) are
statistical measures used to assess the ability of a process to produce products
within specified tolerances. These indices help organisations understand how well
 their processes are performing and whether adjustments are needed to meet
quality requirements.
CP (Process Capability): CP is a measure of how well the process variation fits
within the specified tolerance limits. The result is a ratio that indicates how many
standard deviations fit within the tolerance range.
CPK (Process Capability Index): CPK takes into account both the process
variability and the deviation from the target value. CPK provides a more
comprehensive view by considering how well the process meets the specifications
relative to the target value.

Question 15: What is charge number?

A charge number is a unique identifier or code assigned to a batch or lot of parts in
manufacturing, facilitating the tracking of production history. It links components to
a specific run, date, or raw materials. Essential for quality control, inventory
management, and recalls, the system enables swift identification and isolation of
specific batches in case of issues. Charge numbers may include production details
like date, line, or machine, aiding in quality monitoring and management of
manufactured parts.