Track: Quality Control and Management

Abstract

This study aims to improve the quality of Company A, a South African metal fabrication company, using quality control tools. These tools are crucial for continual improvement worldwide in various industries. The seven quality tools include Check Sheet, Histogram, Pareto Chart, Fishbone Diagram, Control Chart, Flowchart, and Scatter Diagram. Only two Quality Control tools were used in this research: Fishbone and Pareto diagrams. Various steps were taken to define problems, measure their impacts, identify root causes, and propose recommendations to ensure the production of non-defective items. This study shows how the tools of quality can be useful and effective in identifying and removing defects from the manufacturing process. Two machines were selected to identify the causes of non-conform products. The Ishikawa diagram identified various causes of the problem, but the Pareto diagrams revealed that the dominant causes include low properties of metal, scratches and dents, overproduction, metal misplaced, shortage from the press, and twists. This study also used a quantitative methodology where questionnaires were collected. 27 employees participated in the study, and the results revealed that most employees need training. The company must clearly define its quality policy, as many employees are unaware of it. This study adds value to the metal fabrication industry by identifying processes to improve quality and raise awareness about meeting quality standards.