Establishing Independent Quality Reporting Lines in High Velocity Hardware Manufacturing
Independent quality reporting lines insulate defect quarantine and stop-ship authority from factory volume pressure, eliminating field recall liabilities.
Quality Director Mandate
Meaning
Organizational charters define the authority and responsibilities of the senior quality executive in a manufacturing company. This quality director mandate gives the executive the power to override production managers and stop shipments of defective products. It covers all production lines and assembly facilities but does not govern commercial sales strategies.
Executive Power
Executive power allows the quality director to set strict limits on what is acceptable for shipment. The quality director mandate ensures that product standards are not lowered to meet shipment targets. This authority protects the brand from the long-term costs of selling bad products.
Audit Command
Inspections can be ordered at any time to verify that the factory is following approved quality plans. This command allows the quality team to check any process or tool on the floor without warning. These unannounced audits keep the assembly teams focused on compliance.
Production Halt
Stopping the production line is a serious action that can cost the company money in lost output. If this action is taken too early on a minor issue, it can disrupt the demonstrated run rate of the factory. However, the authority to halt the line is necessary to prevent bad products from reaching the customer, and it should be used when a major defect is found.