Electronic component quality

Report of a discussion meeting supported by the IEE, BSI, NSI and the Electronic Industries Component Policy Council. The UK quality system BS9000 takes into account the needs of three parties: the component manufacturers, the equipment manufacturers and the equipment users. Is it compatible with the Western European system of the CECC, and, in turn, the international system of IEC(Q), initiated in 1982. Six contributors presented the several points of view, including the role that universities can play in teaching the concepts of quality systems, the views of the designer of computer electronics and of the producer of consumer electronics. The Japanese were demonstrating some ten years ago that very high levels of quality and reliability were both feasible and economic; the UK electronics industry recognised this, and has been active in following the same route. There should be only one level of quality produced, and there is no intrinsic reason why a certified product should cost more. Quality applies not only to the engineering of a product, but is a total issue in all management functions, including the aspects of delivery, information and servicing. The management of the process has to start at the top with a quality strategy, key targets of performance must be agreed, and the results expressed numerically and fed back.