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Quality Manual	8 – Measurement, Analysis, and Improvement
Section 8.5	Section Revision: A	Revision Date: 7/12/2010
8.5 – Improvement
Approved By: Todd Gifford		Date: 7/12/2010

GENERAL POLICY

Dee Electronics deploys a continual improvement philosophy throughout the entire organization. The improvement effort is driven by goals defined in the quality policy and quality objectives. Improvement opportunities are identified by analyzing quality performance data and information. Improvement projects are defined and implemented through the system of corrective and preventive actions and management review actions.

Causes of identified nonconformities are investigated and, where appropriate, corrective actions are implemented to ensure that nonconformities do not recur. Preventive actions are implemented to eliminate the causes of potential nonconformities. Corrective and preventive actions taken are recorded and are followed up to ensure that they have been properly implemented and that they are effective.

PROCEDURAL POLICIES

1. CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT

1.1 Opportunities for improvement

1.1.1 Opportunities and priorities for improvement are identified by comparing present quality performance to objectives defined in the quality policy and quality objectives.

1.1.2 Quality performance is determined by analyzing information about customer satisfaction, records of product and process nonconformity, results of internal audits, and other data and information relevant to quality performance. Section 8.4, Analysis of Data, defines the scope and system for collecting and analyzing such information.

1.1.3 Quality performance is evaluated by management reviews of the quality system. Where quality performance falls short of a defined objective, the management review identifies specific improvement actions to reach the objective. When a quality objective is reached, the management review may set a new, higher objective in this area and specify new improvement actions for reaching it.

1.1.4 This process of facilitating continual improvement through the use of quality policy, objectives, and analysis of data, is defined in Operational Procedures QOP-85-01, Continual Improvement, and QOP-56-01, Management Review.

1.1.5 In addition to management reviews, departmental supervisors/managers identify improvement opportunities continually, based on daily feedback from their operations and other activities. Employees are also encouraged to come forward with ideas for improving products, processes, systems, productivity, and working environment. These improvement opportunities are evaluated and prioritized by the President and, where appropriate, are implemented through the system of corrective and preventive actions.

1.2 Implementation of improvement projects

1.2.1 Improvement projects are usually implemented through management review actions and through corrective and preventive actions. Where appropriate, improvement projects may be also initiated by management directives, such as policy statements, announcements, memoranda, and so forth.

2. CORRECTIVE AND PREVENTIVE ACTION

2.1 Preventive versus corrective action

2.1.1 Preventive actions are requested and implemented when there are trends of decreasing quality capability and/or effectiveness of the quality system that create a risk for a potential nonconformity. Corrective actions are used when an actual nonconformity is identified.

2.1.2 Recognizing this difference, Dee Electronics has separate systems for identifying the need for corrective and preventive actions. However, once the need is identified, a common system is used to process both types of actions. Forms, logs and other documents and records for processing of corrective and preventive actions are the same.

2.2 Corrective actions

2.2.1 The need for corrective action is determined on the basis of identified actual nonconformities. Corrective action requests are typically triggered by such events as a failed inspection, customer complaint and/or product return, nonconforming delivery from a supplier, or a quality system audit finding.

2.3 Preventive actions

2.3.1 The need for preventive action is determined on the basis of information and data regarding capability and performance of processes, product nonconformity rates, post-order fulfillment experience feedback, customer complaints, quality system audit findings, and management review ideas.  Such information and data are collected and analyzed to detect unfavorable trends that, if not checked, will increase the risk of nonconformities. The system for collecting and analyzing quality performance information and data is defined in Section 8.4 of this manual.

2.4 Processing of corrective and preventive actions

2.4.1 Preventive and corrective actions are initiated, processed and followed up using a CAR (Corrective Action Request)/RMA form (QF-85-02-01) or Internal Audit/Management Corrective/Preventive Action Form (QF-82-02-01). The forms document the unsatisfactory condition and the corrective or preventive action to be taken, and is used to record the verification and closure of the action. Open CARs are reviewed regularly to ensure that the actions are implemented and followed up in a timely manner. Procedure QOP-85-02, Corrective and Preventive Action, explains how to use the CAR system.

2.5 Continual improvement

2.5.1 Continual improvement actions are often defined as corrective and preventive actions. This is especially true for preventive actions. Operational Procedures QOP-85-01, Continual Improvement, and QOP-56-01, Management Review, explain how the corrective and preventive action system is used for facilitating continual improvement.

2.6 Effectiveness of Corrective Action and Preventative Action

2.6.1 The effectiveness of Corrective Action and Preventative Action taken is reviewed and records of this are maintained in QF-85-02-01 and Management Review Meeting Minutes.

ASSOCIATED SECTIONS AND DOCUMENTS

QF-85-02-01 Form: Corrective Action Report CAR/RMA Form

QF-82-02-01 Form [Cedar Rapids Location/Shared between CR and DM]: Internal Audit/Management Corrective/Preventive Action Form

QOP-85-01 Operational Procedure: Continual Improvement

QOP-85-02 Operational Procedure: Corrective and Preventive Action

QOP-56-01 Operational Procedure: Management Review