What Is Quality 4.0 and Why Does It Matter?

You may hear “Quality 4.0” being thrown around a lot, but what exactly is quality 4.0 and what are some of its effects on the quality management?

Quality 4.0 references the future of quality excellence and how to apply established quality principles to new and disruptive technologies. Quality 4.0 is often tied into what some call “Industry 4.0” or what is considered to be the fourth industrial revolution that we are currently in.

Quality Control Through Emerging Technology

At a birds-eye view, the core meaning of Quality 4.0 is about harmonizing the principles of quality management with the emerging technologies and advancements of Industry 4.0. The overall goal is, of course, to drive businesses forward to organizational excellence. There are a diversity of tools that broadly constitute Quality 4.0, including the following:

• Big Data Infrastructure
• Cloud Connectivity, Computing, and Data Storage
• Data Science
• In-line/On-Machine Measurement and Sensing
• Machine Learning

The 3 Pillars of Quality Management

Quality 4.0 encompasses almost every aspect of an organization, but can be basically grouped into 3 main areas; People, Technology, and Processes.

People

An organization culture is made up of its people. While many companies strive to create a culture of quality, a study by LNS Research found that only 13% of cross functional teams understood how quality contributes to success. By utilizing new data and technology, Quality 4.0 improves connectivity and collaboration. This makes it easier for quality professionals to chart a path for their organizations and peers towards a true culture of quality.

Technology

Since the industrial revolution, productivity and technology have been advancing at a rapid rate, and there are no signs of that slowing down anytime soon. These technological advancements include new tools and resources at our disposal. In Quality 4.0, professionals must adapt at the same rate as technology. This also means that it is increasingly important in Quality 4.0 to be able to decipher through the vast amounts of data that is increasingly available, and to know which new tools to use and when to use them.

Processes

The effectiveness of an organization often comes down to the efficiency of its processes. With automation increasingly becoming a technology in many organizations’ processes, Quality 4.0 emphasizes the need for continuous improvement. The process advancements that come from new technology means that in Quality 4.0, organizational training and compliance will need to advance in parallel with those new technologies. This means developing protocols and infrastructure —both human and digital— to effectively utilize the new accessibility of big data and millisecond-to-millisecond control.

Why Does Quality 4.0 Matter?

Simply put, establishing a Quality 4.0 plan will allow organizations to meet the requirements in today’s fast changing industries. It provides the backdrop for re-evaluating quality practices and policies so that they can have the effect that they are intended to have on an organization. Quality 4.0 sets out to provide the direction for achieving organizational excellence through quality in today’s world, and putting the principles of quality to use to allow for growth.

Ready to implement automated sensing and metrology into your process? Contact us today to learn how you can bring the benefits of Quality 4.0 to your business.