The role of the audit checklist in manufacturing
A checklist in production is used to evaluate their quality. Thus, a manufacturing audit checklist is a comprehensive guide that helps inspectors to carry out inspections effectively and ensure that all product requirements are met by the manufacturer. This tool is important for the early detection of potential defects in production to prevent financial and production losses.
This article informs about the following topics:
1. 5 reasons for the product audit checklist
2. The 5S manufacturing audit checklist
3. A mobile solution for the quality control checklist in production
Top 5 Reasons for more quality in production
Using a quality control checklist in production helps both manufacturers and suppliers. This enables them to guarantee the quality of the end products before they reach the sales floor. In addition, checklists also help to improve other aspects of the business.
The following four points are the most important reasons why a checklist is essential in production:
1. Recognize even small problems immediately
With a manufacturing audit checklist in production it is easier to detect and eliminate errors before they become major problems. This is why many companies employ checklist-similar systems like Kanban to keep track of their tasks and to avoid having to start production from scratch.
In addition, comprehensive product checklists provide a reliable reference for quality managers coming to companies from external service providers, making it easier for them to familiarise themselves with the processes of the manufacturing company.
2. Be sure of the product quality
In production, quality assurance tools such as a quality control checklist help standardise processes and ensure that every product coming off the production line meets quality standards. Effective quality audits help the manufacturer to ensure a better return on investment for suppliers because they can rely on product quality.
3. Reduce the Risk Level
Manufacturers operate in a high-risk environment, be it in the area of security or finance. Checklists are an important part of quality control in production. They help to identify critical areas at an early stage to effectively reduce the risk of a financial impact on the company and, above all, on customer satisfaction.
4. Promote the intelligent use of resources
Every process in manufacturing must be well calculated to work cost-effectively. Product Audit Checklists are effective means to support this goal. They help to avoid false starts and to use resources and materials efficiently.
5. Establishing manufacturer-supplier relationships
Checklists in production promote cooperation between the manufacturer and the supplier. Both must agree on the points in the checklist to implement an effective quality audit. In this way, responsibilities are clarified and costly misunderstandings avoided.
The 5S manufacturing audit checklist
A well-established method in production is the 5S method for the workplace. This method improves efficiency, quality, order and cleanliness as well as safety at the same time. A checklist is usually also used to carry out this type of audit regularly. The 5S checklist is part of the Lean Production activities and has proven its worth with experts.
The checklists provide you with all the relevant points for conducting a 5S audit in an orderly sequence. Also, the template contains essential information on the necessary documentation and offers the possibility of evaluation. The 5S method for organising the workplace is the basis for Lean Production.
5S checklist in production includes the following contents:
- Sorting – SEIRI (SEPARATE THE CREAM FROM THE WHEAT)
In the first step, all items that are in the workplace are recorded and examined more closely to identify items that are not needed. This includes, for example, tools of the same type that are present several times as well as unusable and dirty work equipment - Set and arrange – SIDE (CREATE VISIBLE ORDER)
The remaining working materials and aids are then arranged clearly and ergonomically. When everything is in its place, nothing is searched for, and there is more time for the actual work or customer service. In other words: unproductive time is reduced! - Cleanliness – SEISO (CLEANING)
All employees are responsible for cleanliness at the workplace. If necessary, responsibilities are defined, cycles are determined and published on site, e.g. in the form of shift schedules. - Standardisation – SEIKETSI (CREATING STANDARDS)
A standard serves to do something in the best, simplest and safest way. Standards are important so that order, cleanliness and improvements remain sustainable. Standards are also important for safety, such as the wearing of protective clothing. - Self-discipline – SHITSUKE (SELF-DISCIPLINE SECURE)
In terms of the PDCA cycle, cycles are now defined in which all steps are repeatedly run through and improved.
By involving employees directly in the process, weaknesses are more easily identified and improvements are implemented and a high degree of sustainability is achieved. The 5S checklist in production helps to carry out better and evaluate the process.
Check the product quality with a digital audit checklist
A checklist for quality in production enables companies to keep control from the start of production to the end. It also makes it easier to detect, evaluate and eliminate errors at an early stage. These procedures can be implemented more quickly and efficiently with digital checklists in a mobile app. This comes in especially handy for quality tests like when conducting an audit for a factory acceptance test.
Lumiform’s mobile app makes it easy to perform quality and safety checks, report problems in a flash and quickly assign corrective actions to responsible colleagues. The easy communication with all team members and third parties allows to improve internal processes and to solve occurring incidents up to four times faster.
Production downtimes due to faulty processes are costly. By regularly checking all internal standards via mobile app, errors in the production process can be avoided. By regularly checking and easily analysing the data in the Lumiform software, productivity losses and downtime are avoided.
The advantages of a digital checklist for quality in production:
- With the super intuitive mobile application, any test can be carried out on-site with ease and in a time-saving manner.
- Receive real-time data via internal processes This makes quality and safety measurable, and processes can be continuously optimised based on data.
- Reports are created automatically – this saves the complete postprocessing.
- Increase internal processes: Through more efficient communication within the team, with third parties and with management, as well as faster reporting of incidents, incidents that occur are up to 4 times faster than before.
- Saving time by facilitating analysis of all data and faster identification of areas requiring special attention.
A collection of best practice checklists for production can be downloaded free of charge via the Lumiform App and desktop software. The quality audit checklists are easily customisable to the company’s quality assurance program. No programming skills are required!
