Innovation in technology is groundbreaking, but it requires a reliable supply chain that can provide the necessary parts to bring products to consumers. These parts not only need to support the required technology capabilities but also the smooth production of innovative products. Consistently receiving good quality materials or parts from upstream suppliers should be a top priority for any manufacturer. Here's why:
⚙ Once the part reaches the manufacturer, there is little that can be done to impact the part's form, fit, and function.💲Materials account for the highest cost breakdown of finished products.🚫Most line down situations are due to poor quality materials, which can impact delivery schedules to customers.❌Reject materials have hidden costs associated with handling and returning them to the supplier, which are related to quality costs. A supplier might offer cheaper materials, but if there are quality issues and high warranty costs, the total cost of ownership could double or triple the actual material cost.
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| Process input material are from external source |
While material is among the most challenging inputs to control, it can also be an easy one to manage. The key is for suppliers to control all five process inputs (man, machine, method, measure, and environment) in their manufacturing process and incoming materials. With a capable supplier quality engineer in place, suppliers can ensure they have the appropriate controls in place for all process inputs to consistently deliver quality parts to the SQE's organization. No matter where a manufacturer is in the supply chain, it's equally important to receive good quality materials or parts from upstream suppliers to produce consistently good quality products for customers. Unfortunately, many organizations, especially those closest to consumers, struggle with poor supplier management programs.
For an effective supplier management program, it is vital to implement a systematic approach that covers seven essential areas, beginning with the qualification of supplier quality and concluding with supplier quality engineers' proficiency in all seven areas. To learn more about this, please refer to the video above.
