Quality control tests ensure products are safe and meet specifications. Tests can be internal, outsourced, or user-based. Internal testing is most common, while outsourced testing is required in some industries. User test panels provide feedback on consumer experience.
In the world of manufacturing and industry, quality control tests are as varied as the products for which they are designed. Quality control tests are used to determine whether a product is safe for the consumer, is manufactured to specification, and meets guidelines for utility or other quality measures. Quality control testing is an important part of the manufacturing industry because these tests ensure end-user safety and satisfaction with their purchases.
Quality control tests and methods are generally divided into three basic categories. These categories are internal, outsourced, and user test panels. While not all manufacturers use all three types of quality control tests, nearly all manufacturers implement some form of quality control audit in the manufacturing process.
Internal quality control testing could be something as simple as visually inspecting the product for correct piece count, correct coloring, or visible damage, or this type of testing could involve a complex series of carefully calibrated laboratory tests to determine the chemical compositions and other properties of a manufactured product. Internal quality control testing is the most commonly used form of quality control. A manufacturer might choose to have a separate quality control department, or quality control testing could be performed along various parts of the production line.
Outsourced quality control testing is a quality control method commonly used in industries such as food processing or medicine manufacturing industry. An external quality control auditor is contracted to perform a series of product tests to determine whether the product meets quality guidelines and manufacturer claims. In the case of specific industries, this outsourced quality control testing may be required by the government to ensure the safety of consumers of pharmaceutical or food products.
The third category of QA tests are user test panels. In this type of quality control testing, the product, or a functional prototype of the product, is given to a user to test and then provide a report based on his or her personal experience. This test is almost always the last in the series and is used to better understand how consumers will use a product and what the product may have. When products are tested in user test panels, the sample product is usually given to the test panel members in exchange for participating in the quality control test. In other cases, the test panelist may receive other rewards or cash payments for your services.
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