QUALITY CIRCLE | HISTORY OF QUALITY CIRCLE | QSQTECH.COM

QUALITY CIRCLE

Hello friends, 

Today, We'll discuss on Quality circle. Quality circle is a problem solving approach.

Lets, start discussion on this important topic. Hopefully,  you'll understand this topic. 

Thanks for visiting.

Now, below topic that are covering today.

• INTRODUCTION 
• HISTORY
• PROBLEM
• PROBLEM SOLVING APPROACH
• 7 PROBLEM SOLVING TOOLS
• 12 STEPS OF QUALITY CIRCLE 

INTRODUCTION: 

Quality circle is very important to know the actual causes and root causes of defect. 
QC circle is a small group of 6 to 10 employees who work together to identify the problem in their work areas and eliminate the problem using various tools & techniques and, if possible, make further improvements. Membership of the quality circle is the most voluntary. Each circle is lead by a supervisor. Group Members of quality circle meet regularly every week or according to an agreement. Team members are specially trained in technique of analysis and problem solving tools and techniques.

Definition: 

A QC Circle is a small group consisting of first-line employees who continually control and improve the quality of their products and services.

OR

Quality Circle is a small group of 4 to 5 people in any organization who work on any problem for problem solving.

It is based upon the human resource management as one of the key factors to improve product quality and productivity. There are three key features of the quality circle concept: 

• Quality circle is a form of participatory management. 
• Quality circle is a human resource development technique. 
• Quality circle is a problem solving technique. 

So now first we will talk about the problem that,
what is problem? 

Problem : 

It is an opportunity for improvement. 
          Or 
Problem is the result of the performance of various contributing factors. 

That means, there are many contributing factors that create the problem. So in problem solving, we are find out those contributing factors and take action on it and try to improve it. This is opportunity for improvements that we improve. 

Yes guys, so now understand that,
What is Problem solving? 

Problem solving: 

Problem solving is a set of activities that is required to find out the effective solution of the problem. 

Many problems solving approaches used in industries. For example: PDCA, DMAIC, A3, 8D & Quality circle etc. 
But we will discuss on one approach named Quality circle which is most popular today and also interesting. 

Hey guys, I am giving an example in which you will understand that why Quality circle is important. This example is very good and simple in understand. 

Example:

I Hear ➖ I Forget : 

Generally, we listen to things and after some time we  forget.

I See ➖ I Remember : 

When we see things, we try to remember something and we understand a little bit.

Do ➖ I Understand: 

But, When we do it practically,  then we get to know about it & its challenges and we are understand it properly. Then we know what really happens and our efficiency also increases.
What I mean to say is that whatever problem solving tools that you learn, try practically applying them in your manufacturing processes or any processes to get the improvements. Only after that you will have understanding of everything.


Friends, now lets talk about what is Quality circle approach?

Quality circle approach: 

Quality circle approach is the way to bring improvements in the processes by capturing the creativity of workforce in industry.
In Quality circle approach, basically
The associates and supervisors of the shop floor identifies the problem, Form a team leads the project to make improvements.
Every companies have fix team of quality circle to which they give different - different name. Every Quality circle team consists of 4-5 members who select one of the major work related problem on the shop floor and work to eliminate and improve it.
Quality circle team identify the problem whether it is from the Quality, productivity & other line. And it converting a project and solve it through quality circle approach.

HISTORY:

Origin of the quality circle in Japan:

1. After WW2, the plight of Japanese companies. 
2. Dr. Edward Deming's expert statistical quality control technique from the U.S. to Japan at the request of Japan's Ganeral Mac Arthur. 
3. In 1956, the quality control program organized by JUSE was broadcast on radio and television. 
4. In the year 1960, the government of Japan declared the National Quality Month every November. 
5. In 1962, the first quality circle was established under the leadership of professor K. Ishikawa. 
6. In 1971, the first National Quality Circle conference and In 1978, the first International Quality Circle conference was held in Japan. 
7. Thus, this ideology was also made increasingly in other countries. 

Origin of Quality Circle in India: 

1. In January 1981, an article was published in financial export magazine. That was it "If Japan can why can't we". 
2. In November 1981, Mr. S.R Udappa who was the general manager and having 5 Quality Circles project in Bhel. And In India, the first book on Quality Circle is from him. 
3. In January 1982, he was broadcast through radio what he had learned while leading to first 5 QC circles project. 
4. After that, In April 1982, QCFI (Quality Circle Form of India) launches in India. 

To complete a project 7 QC tools is very important steps. Let's understand about 7QC tools and discuss the name of 7 QC tools.

SEVEN QC Tools: 

1. Check sheet 
2. Histogram 
3. Pareto diagram 
4. Scatter diagram 
5. Cause and effect diagram 
6. Flow diagram 
7. Control chart 

1. Check sheet :-

It is a format used to collect data in a real time at the location where the data is generated.

Purpose :-

• Tools for collecting &  organizing measured & counted data 
• Data collected can be used as input data for other quality tools 

2. Histogram :- 

Histogram is very important tool and used for understand the distribution of collected data.

Histogram की मदद से हम collected data के distribution को समझते हैं उसके बाद हमे आगे action लेने में आसानी रहती हैं।

3. Pareto diagram :- 

Pareto diagram हमें problem का analysis करने के बाद priorities करने में help करता हैं।

It is a prioritization tool.

When to use Pareto :-

• Prioritising problem 
• Analyzing symptoms 
• Proving effectiveness of remedy 

4. Scatter diagram  :- 

To identify the correlation between two variables. 

It shows the graphical representation of relationship. 

5. Cause and effect diagram  :- 

It is also known as Isikawa diagram. 

Fishbone diagram is a tool to identify potential cause, root cause to identified after validation. 

Purpose :- 

Graphical representation of potential causes of a problem. 

Benefits :- 

• यह potential causes को identify करने में मदद करता है। 
• Brainstorming relationship को establish करता हैं। 
• Problem के causing factor को समझने में मदद करता है। 

6. Flow chart  :- 

Visual illustration of the sequence of operations required to complete a task. 

यह हमे किसी process के sequence को समझने मे help करता हैं।  यह एक schematic drawing होती है जिसमे हम Process को step by step समझते कि process हमारा कैसे Flow करेगा। 

Benefits :-

• यह हमे process improvement की opportunity को identify करने में मदद करता है। 
• Process को समझने मे help करता है और अगर process मे कोई non value added activity है तो हम उसको भी identify करके improve कर सकते हैं। 

7. Control chart  :- 

A control chart is a line graph used to display variation on time order interval. 

(Control chart एक line graph होता है जिसका Use हम एक interval of time मे process के variation को देखने मे करते हैं।) 

A centre line and control limits are placed on graph to help analyzing the pattern of data. 

Purpose :- 

• Control chart indicates whether a process is in control or not. 
• It ensures product quality level 
• To identify the dynamic or special causes of variation in a repeating process 

TWELVE STEPS OF QUALITY CIRCLE:

There are 12 steps of Quality circle are as follows: 

1. Identification of work related problems 
2. Selection of problem 
3. Define the problem 
4. Analyze the problem 
5. Identification of cause 
6. Finding out the root cause 
7. Data analysis 
8. Doveloping solution 
9. Foreseeing probable resistance 
10. Trial implimentation 
11. Regular implimentation 
12. Follow up & review 

We hope you will understand this topic.

👍

Thank you 😊 

 Some of related question that help to improve your basic knowledge.

• What is Root cause analysis? 

• To know about Defect analysis 

• What do you mean by Quality control? 

• What is Quality assurance? हिन्दी में भी available हैं। 

• Meanings of Quality? 
• TQM 
• what is quality assurance? 
• what is quality control?