“QC will catch it” — that’s the most expensive lie in manufacturing.
Because if your process creates defects faster than QC can detect them, you’ve already lost.
Toyota calls it:
“Quality must be built in at every step — not checked in the end.”
We call it:
No surprises at dispatch. No excuses in QC.
What Is Built-in Quality?
It’s not a final checkpoint.
It’s a mindset that says:
If a defect can happen, it will — unless you stop it early
QC isn’t a department. It’s a responsibility
The goal isn’t to find bad parts. It’s to not make them at all
Real Example #1 – Bore Rejection Found at Dispatch
A CNC shop in Coimbatore had a job rejected by the buyer — bore size out by 0.07 mm.
Inspection sheet showed OK.
But here’s the truth:
Operator forgot to re-zero after tool change
QC team only checked 1 out of every 20 parts
The bad batch passed unnoticed
Fix:
Tool change now triggers a mandatory in-process QC
Bore gauge is now placed on the machine — not in QC room
Operator logs measurement every 10 parts
Result:
Rejections dropped by 90%
No more “surprise” at dispatch
Real Example #2 – VMC Shop Used Operator Checkpoint to Save $320 in Scrap
In Pune, a VMC supplier used a visual clamp alignment pin on fixture base.
Earlier, misclamped parts weren’t caught until final inspection — 3 hours wasted.
Fix:
Pin had green/red indicator — operator had to align it before starting cycle
Supervisor could see status without asking
Result:
6 misclamp issues caught early in 1st month
Saved time, tooling, and $320 in scrap
Why Buyers Should Care
Without Built-in Quality:
❌ You don’t know there’s a problem — until parts are packed
❌ You lose 5 days fixing what could’ve been paused in 5 minutes
❌ You hear “we’ll rework” more than “we got it right first time”
With Built-in Quality:
✅ Errors are prevented — not repaired
✅ Accountability is shared
✅ You get consistency — even across batches
What TheSupplier Checks
We ask:
Do you wait until QC to find issues — or prevent them at source?
Can operators measure tolerances during machining?
Are quality steps built into the process — not added afterward?
Because a good QC lab is a bonus.
A good process is non-negotiable.
📣 Want Reliable Parts — Without Hidden Rework?
👉 See TheSupplier’s QA Screening Process
📎 Upload Your RFQ
💬 Question for You
Have you ever had a part rejected after it passed inspection?
👇 Share your story — it might help someone avoid the same mistake.
📚 References
Toyota Global: https://global.toyota/en/company/vision-and-philosophy/production-system/
“The Toyota Way” – Jeffrey K. Liker
TheSupplier QA audit logs (2023–2024)
