My ordinary quality journey: 23 years from an operator to a consultant
01 Huizhou Electronics Factory: The "diligent efforts" from an operator to a complaint handler
In Huizhou in December 2000, the winter wind still carried some damp warmth. I stood in front of the electronics factory with a snakeskin bag in my hand. Behind me was the coach that had brought me south, and in front of me was the iron gate with the words "XX Electronics" on it. That day, I was assigned to the assembly line to do the job of "sticking labels". I had to stick the self - adhesive labels printed with "Made in China" on the player casings. I had to check whether the positions were aligned every time I stuck 100 labels.
I tend to be "talkative" when doing things. When I see the line leader throw a scratched casing into the defective box, I'll ask, "Why is it scratched?" When I see the quality inspector pick out a machine with a black screen, I'll write it down in my notebook - "On December 8th,"
Line 5, 2 machines with black screens, Operator: Wang Fang, Injection molding machine
3". Unexpectedly, this "talking too much" helped me. Three months later, there was a shortage of staff in the Quality Department, and the line leader recommended me, saying, "This young man can remember details and help find problems."
The job of a quality technician is to "handle customer complaints". The first thing to do every morning is to look through the "Complaint Registration Book" on the desk: A customer from Shenzhen reported that 5 out of 100 players had black screens, and a customer from Dongguan said the product casings were scratched... I have to first confirm "if it's our problem" - look through the inspection records, check the production batches, and verify with the operators; then find out "why the problem occurred" - for example, the black screen was caused by the excessively high mold temperature during the night shift, which led to the cable being compressed; the scratches were due to the use of old cartons for packaging without foam pads; finally, figure out "how to solve it" - ask the workshop to rework, write an 8D report (8 Disciplines, 8 steps to solve a problem), and attach the inspection records after rework.
In that half - year, I learned the most practical truth: complaints are not troubles, but helping you find loopholes. For example, once a customer complained about battery leakage. I checked the complaint records for three months and found that they were all problems with a certain batch of batteries. So I suggested that the procurement department change the battery supplier, and there has been no more leakage since then.
02 Taiwan-invested factories: Practice "solid skills" under the strict requirements of PHILIPS
Two and a half years later, I jumped to a Taiwanese-funded factory in Dongguan and worked as a quality engineer, in charge of the PHILIPS project. PHILIPS' requirements are "extremely meticulous": For the first samples, a PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) needs to be submitted, including part drawings, inspection reports, and process capability analysis (CPK); Each batch of goods must be accompanied by a "material certificate", and even the stainless-steel grade of the screws should be clearly written.
I first encountered "rejection" in the third month after I joined the company. PHILIPS said that the "hole diameter size" of a certain batch of casings was out of tolerance (the requirement was Φ5.0±0.1mm, but the actual size was Φ5.2mm). I spent the whole night in the workshop, checking the parameters of the injection molding machine
The mold temperature of Machine 6 is 180°C, which is 20°C higher than the SOP. Adjust the mold temperature to 160°C and conduct a trial production of 100 pieces again. All the measured dimensions are within the tolerance range. At 3 a.m., I sent the CPK report (CPK = 1.67, meeting PHILIPS' requirement of ≥1.33) to the customer before I dared to go home and sleep.
At that time, I also served as an "in - house training teacher" - teaching ISO9001 to new employees and the "fishbone diagram" (cause - and - effect analysis diagram) to workshop supervisors. For example, I taught them to "find the causes": write "shell scratches" on the fish head, and then divide it into six fishbones of "people, machines, materials, methods, environment, and measurement". For "people", it means the operators didn't wear gloves; for "machines", it means the conveyor belts didn't have protective pads; for "materials", it means the shell material is too brittle... Previously, supervisors only knew how to say "the operators were careless", but now they will hold the fishbone diagram and discuss with me: "Look, is it a problem with the conveyor belt?"
During the three years in the Taiwan-invested factory, I developed "solid skills": Quality is not "inspected out", but "designed and controlled". For example, PHILIPS requires "process capability". I have to measure 100 parts every day and calculate CPK. For the requirement of "traceability", I have to stick a "batch code" on each part. By scanning the barcode, one can find out the production time, operator, and supplier.
03 Shanghai foreign-funded factory: The "system thinking" from assistant engineer to quality supervisor
In 2006, I went to a foreign-invested factory in Shanghai to work as an assistant quality engineer. The system of the foreign-invested factory was more "strict": FMEA (Potential Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) had to be carried out for each new product. For example, when designing a player, one had to think about "What would happen if the cable was loose?" and "What would happen if the battery leaked?"; SPC (Statistical Process Control) charts had to be checked every day. For instance, if the resistance value fluctuation of resistors increased, one had to trace it back to the raw material batch of the supplier and require the supplier to provide corrective measures.
Later, I was promoted to Quality Supervisor, managing five engineers. My work became "establishing systems and managing teams". For example, I helped the workshop establish "Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)", clearly stating "what to check before starting the machine", "what to measure during the operation", and "what to record after the operation". Another example was dealing with customer audits. When Dell came for an inspection, I prepared one month in advance. I classified the documents into "incoming inspection", "process inspection", and "final inspection", labeled the defective boxes on - site with "non - conforming products", and debugged the traceability system (scanning the barcode could trace the entire process of each part).
Once during a DELL audit, they asked, "How do you trace non-conforming products?" I took out the tablet and scanned the barcode of a player. Immediately, the following information popped up on the screen: "Production time: May 12, 2010, Operator: Li Min, Injection molding machine"
4. Battery supplier: XX Battery, Batch number: 20100508. The customer nodded and said, "That's right."
At that time, I understood that the quality system is not a "pile of documents", but "a basis for every step". For example, SOP is not "paper posted on the wall", but "an operation guide for operators"; the traceability system is not a "decoration", but "a tool to help you quickly find problems".
04 Management Consulting: Transform Experience into "Replicable Methods"
In 2014, after eight years of working in quality management, I decided to switch to consulting. The reason is quite simple: what small and medium-sized enterprises lack is not "standards", but "methods to implement the standards".
My first consulting client is an auto parts factory in Suzhou, which wants to implement ISO/TS16949 (the quality management system for the automotive industry). The boss said, "Our parts are always returned by customers because the dimensions are out of tolerance." The first thing I did was to "sort out the processes":
1. Incoming inspection: Only check the critical dimensions (such as aperture and length), measure with a micrometer, and record them in the "Incoming Inspection Record".
2. Process inspection: The operator shall self-check the dimensions once for every 10 parts produced. The QC shall randomly select 5 parts per hour, measure the critical dimensions, and draw the control chart (SPC).
3. Final inspection: Randomly select 10% of each batch of goods for "full-dimension inspection" and attach the "Inspection Report".
Then teach them to use APQP (Advanced Product Quality Planning). For example, when developing new parts, first conduct DFMEA (Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) — think about What will happen if the hole diameter is made smaller? and What will happen if the material strength is insufficient?, and modify the design in advance. Then conduct PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) — think about What will happen if the pressure of the injection molding machine is insufficient? and What will happen if the operator doesn't follow the SOP?, and add control measures in advance.
Three months later, the customer return rate dropped from 8% to 1% —— The boss said with a smile, "It turns out that product quality is not ensured by 'human supervision' but by 'process management'."
I also help clients conduct "in-house training": I teach quality personnel "how to handle customer complaints" using my previous cases, such as "black screen", "scratch", and "liquid leakage". I teach them to use the 5WHY method (ask 'why' five consecutive times) to find the root cause:
- Problem: The player screen goes black.
- Why? The cable is under pressure.
- Why is it under pressure? The outer shell is deformed.
- Why is there deformation? The mold temperature is too high.
- Why is the mold temperature high? The night - shift operator didn't adjust the parameters.
- Why wasn't it adjusted? The SOP doesn't state that "the mold temperature should be adjusted during the night shift".
- Root cause: Lack of SOP.
5WHY doesn't mean "ask five times"; it means "ask until you can't ask anymore" —— only by finding the root cause can the problem be completely solved.
05 Seven Insights from a 23 - year Quality Career
From 2000 to 2023, I've been involved in quality work for 23 years – from an operator to a consultant. I haven't done any "big things," but only "done every little thing right." To sum it up, here are the 7 points I most want to share:
1. Learning is not a "task", but a "survival instinct"
I never attended college. All my skills are learned.
- When working as an operator, learn to read the Inspection Standard Manual.
- When handling complaints, learn to write an 8D report.
- When working as a quality engineer, I learned to calculate CPK and prepare PPAP.
- When doing consulting, learn ISO/TS16949 and APQP.
Learning is not "for promotion" but "for being able to solve problems". For example, when I first worked on the PHILIPS project, I didn't know how to calculate CPK. I bought a copy of Statistical Quality Control, read two chapters every night, and calculated examples with Excel until I could proficiently use Minitab to generate graphs. When doing consulting, I didn't know how to explain APQP. I attended courses given by industry experts, took notes, and then explained it with my own cases: "APQP means 'think things through in advance'. When developing a new product, first think about what the customer wants, then think about whether I can achieve it, and finally think about what to do if I can't."
2. Don't set a "ceiling" for yourself: You can do more than you think
I used to think that "operators just put on labels", but unexpectedly I became a quality technician; I thought that "quality engineers just conduct inspections", but unexpectedly I became an in-house trainer; I thought that "quality supervisors just manage teams", but unexpectedly I became a consulting advisor.
The ceiling is not "set by others" but "set by oneself". For example, once I provided consulting services for a hardware factory. The boss said, "We produce low - end products, so there's no need to talk about quality." Then I showed him the return list: 5,000 parts were returned last month, resulting in a loss of 80,000 yuan. After that, I helped him establish an "incoming inspection process", which only checked the key dimensions. As a result, the return rate dropped to 1%, and the cost was reduced by 60,000 yuan. Later, the boss voluntarily requested to implement ISO9001. He said, "It turns out that quality is not just 'a matter for high - end products', but 'a matter for all products'."
3. Stick to "the right things" and give up "ineffective busyness"
I adhere to "finding the root cause" and abandon "dealing with complaints superficially." When I first started handling complaints, the line leader said, "Quickly write a report to appease the customer." However, I insisted on finding out "why the problem occurred." For example, the "battery leakage" was due to the problem of the supplier, not "the operator's carelessness."
I advocate "establishing a prevention system" and abandon "fire - fighting rework". When I was a quality supervisor, there was rework in the workshop every day. Instead of helping with the rework, I counted the reasons for rework. I found that 70% of the rework was due to the non - compliance with SOP. So I provided SOP training to the operators and added a "pre - operation confirmation" step (checking equipment parameters before starting the machine). As a result, the rework rate dropped from 5% to 1%.
Doing the right thing doesn't necessarily mean being "fast", but it must be "effective".
4. "The early bird catches the worm" doesn't mean being slow. It means "making up for the weak points in advance"
I'm not a "smart person", but I'm willing to "spend more time":
- When I was a quality engineer, others could generate a control chart using Minitab in 10 minutes, while it took me half an hour. So I arrived at work one hour earlier every day to practice the operation.
- When working as an in-house training teacher, I was afraid of making mistakes when explaining ISO9001 clauses. So I memorized the clauses and paired each clause with my own case (for example, for "7.5.3 Control of documented information", I would talk about "documents should be stamped with the version number and obsolete documents should be destroyed").
- When doing consultations, if you're afraid of not understanding the quality requirements of new energy batteries, listen to industry courses, take notes, and consult friends in the new energy field.
The so - called "stupid efforts" won't be in vain. For example, the Excel table of complaint records I made helped me identify the "Top 3 complaint reasons"; the PPAP document library I saved helped me quickly meet the requirements of new customers.
5. Interact with more people and learn new knowledge: Information is the "key to solving problems"
I like to "join in the fun": I participated in a quality forum, got to know Engineer Li who works in automobile quality, and learned TS16949. I went to the customer's site for an audit, saw them using the "batch traceability system", took photos, and came back to recommend it to other customers. I had a meal with a former colleague, listened to him talk about the MSA (Measurement System Analysis) of new energy batteries, took notes, and later used this knowledge when providing consulting services for a new energy factory.
I also love to "ask more questions": When seeing the defective product boxes in the workshop, I'll ask the operator, "Why is this one unqualified?"; When seeing the material certificate from the supplier, I'll ask, "What does this stainless steel grade mean?"; When seeing the customer's audit report, I'll ask, "Why did you check this clause?"
Information is not the more, the better, but the more useful, the better. For example, the TS16949 I learned from Engineer Li helped the auto parts factory pass the customer audit; the batch traceability system I learned from the customer helped the electronics factory solve the problem of difficult traceability.
6. Think long-term: When doing things now, leave room for the future
I like to "think one step ahead" when doing everything:
- When handling complaints, record each complaint in an Excel spreadsheet. Later, when I became a quality supervisor, this spreadsheet helped me identify the "Top 3 complaint reasons".
- When working on the PHILIPS project, I saved the PPAP files in electronic format. Later, when I changed jobs, this file library helped me quickly adapt to the requirements of new customers.
- When doing consulting, build a system for the client - not by "copying the standards blindly", but by "leaving room for modification" (for example, in the incoming inspection process, it doesn't specify "how many samples to check", allowing the client to add this information themselves). In this way, the system will have flexibility.
"Think long - term" doesn't mean "think about future things". It means "the things you do now can help solve future problems". For example, the "batch traceability system" I built for a client. Later, when the client faced a "product recall", they could quickly find all the affected parts, which saved a great deal of time.
7. When doing things, you should make "linear progress" instead of "jumping forward greedily for quick results"
My steps for handling problems are always "linear":
1. Receive the problem: Clearly record the customer's requirements (problems, quantity, batch).
2. Verification question: Test it yourself to confirm whether it is really unqualified.
3. Find the reasons: Use 5WHY and fishbone diagram;
4. Implement corrections: Rework, adjust parameters.
5. Verify the effect: Test the corrected product and confirm that it is qualified.
6. Preventive measures: Revise the SOP and add inspection steps.
7. Provide feedback to the customer: Write a report and attach evidence.
For example, one time I was in a hurry to reply to a client and skipped the "verification question". As a result, the client said, "Your report doesn't mention how many products were tested." I had to redo the verification, which actually wasted time.
"Linear progress" does not mean "slow"; it means "steady". Only by taking one step at a time can we thoroughly solve problems.
Finally: Quality is "ordinary perseverance"
Someone asked me, "What is the essence of quality?" I thought for a while and said, "Quality means 'doing every little thing right and then repeating it ten thousand times'."
I've never done anything "earth-shattering": I just remembered a few more details when labeling, checked the reasons a few more times when handling complaints, spent a little more time practicing CPK when working on projects, and helped clients come up with a few more "replicable methods" when providing consulting services.
But it is precisely these "little things" that have transformed me from an operator into a consultant, enabling me to understand that even an ordinary path can lead far as long as one walks steadily on it.
This is my ordinary quality journey.