When production problems keep appearing, buyers often respond by arranging more inspections. That may contain the immediate risk, but it does not necessarily address the reason the defects are occurring.
The first step is to establish whether the problem originates in the product design, its components and materials, or the manufacturing process itself. Buyers must then determine whether the supplier is experiencing understandable early-production difficulties or displaying a more serious lack of systems, controls and manufacturing discipline.
In this episode of China Manufacturing Decoded, Adrian and Renaud explain how to investigate recurring production problems, what evidence to request when a supplier claims an issue has been fixed, and when it may be safer to transfer production elsewhere.
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Podcast sections
- 00:00:13 – Introduction
- 00:00:59 – What to do when production problems keep appearing
- 00:02:14 – Design failures versus manufacturing problems
- 00:04:40 – Validating a new product before scaling up
- 00:07:00 – Problems during new product introduction
- 00:08:29 – When repeated mistakes mean it is time to walk away
- 00:10:15 – Using supplier audits to reduce risk
- 00:12:38 – Proving that a production problem has been fixed
- 00:15:38 – Fixtures, mistake-proofing and process improvement
- 00:19:09 – Corrective action versus more inspections
- 00:21:37 – When inspections become supplier babysitting
- 00:23:12 – Common weaknesses to investigate in the factory
- 00:24:58 – Conclusion
Further content
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- When and Why a Product Failure Analysis is Required
- QC During NPI: Build Quality In Before Mass Production
- Corrective Actions and Preventive Actions (CAPA) Guide
- Production Transfer: A Roadmap (Assembly Operations Only)
- Use a Corrective Action Plan After a Failed Inspection
- Supplier Quality Management: KPIs and Improvement Tools
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