As we welcome the new year, I’m reflecting on the opportunities for growth, collaboration, and innovation that lie ahead. At PEaQ, LLC, we’re passionate about helping businesses achieve Process Efficiency and Quality—empowering organizations to streamline operations, improve productivity, and unlock their full potential. In 2024, we were proud to make an impact, including helping a […]
Tag: #quality
Policies, Procedures, and Work Instructions
When talking with clients, I often find there is a misunderstanding when I ask about procedures or work instructions. Often, I am shown work instructions when I ask about a procedure, and vice versa. So, what are they, and what function do they serve? Starting at the top level, policies are usually implemented by senior […]
Five Core Principles of Lean Operations
When researching the topic of process improvement, the results can be overwhelming. I like to use the five core principles of lean operations to create permanent results:
5S: Mastering the Art of Sustaining Order
Usually, the fifth S, Sustain, is the biggest casualty in the work area,
ONE PIECE FLOW
A couple weeks ago, I worked with an assembler on one-piece flow of an item she was assembling. She was batching five at a time. When we started, she told me she had the best system and that there was no way my system was better. By the time we finished, she had changed her […]
What is Quality?
Quality is a multifaceted concept often misunderstood. While we’ve all heard car dealers tout the “high quality” of their pre-owned vehicles, the term remains elusive. In manufacturing and service industries, quality is more concretely defined as conformance to requirements. Essentially, it’s about how well a product or service meets its specifications or expectations. I often […]
PFMEAs are fun!
The Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is one of industry’s Risk Management Tools. I know a few people that dreaded having to perform an FMEA. Eyes would roll, depression set in, and they would start shaking with fear. When I think about FMEA, I get excited, especially when it pertains to processes (PFMEA). Done […]
Root Cause Analysis: A Lesson in Assumptions ️
Have you ever rushed through a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and think you found the root cause, only to have it proven false? I have. It’s not a good feeling. But good things can come from it: lessons learned. In a past RCA, I learned a valuable lesson about assumptions. A customer flagged a product […]
Ditch the Hunches: Data Analysis Wins the Process Improvement Race
I was once told that determining KPIs and collecting data to establish a base line takes too long and to just make certain changes and then determine if the change worked. We’ve all been there – relying on intuition for process changes. But in today’s data-driven world, gut feelings often fall short. Panic then sets […]
Building Better: Top Quality Engineering Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
In engineering, even small mistakes can have big consequences. Here are some common quality pitfalls I’ve seen, along with tips to ensure your projects are built to last: