In the world of manufacturing and industry, quality control tests are as varied as the products for which the tests are designed. Quality control tests are used to determine whether a product is safe for the consumer, is manufactured to specifications and meets guidelines for usefulness or other measures of quality. Quality control tests are an important part of the manufacturing industry because these tests ensure the end-users' safety and satisfaction with their purchases.
Quality control tests and methods are usually divided into three basic categories. These categories are in-house, outsourced and user test panels. Although not all manufacturers utilize all three types of quality control testing, nearly all manufacturers implement some form of quality control auditing in the manufacturing process.
In-house quality control tests might be something as simple as visual inspection of the product for the correct number of pieces, correct coloration or visible damage, or this type of testing might involve a complex series of carefully calibrated laboratory tests to determine chemical compositions and other properties of a manufactured product. In-house quality control testing is the most commonly employed form of quality control. A manufacturer might choose to have a separate quality control department, or quality control testing might be done along various parts of the production line.
