In today’s challenging manufacturing environment, quality obstacles can be difficult to foresee and prevent—and recover from.

A paradigm shift, identified and coined by American physicist and philosopher Thomas Kuhn, is a fundamental change in the approach, concepts, and assumptions of a practice. 

Inspection reports are an invaluable part of the manufacturing process in many industries, and first article inspections are especially common in aerospace, defense, automotive and medical devices. In other words, if high quality is essential, these reports often are too.

Quality 4.0 is the latest initiative for companies looking to improve operational efficiency and product quality through digital technology. Transforming quality management is essential to address the major challenges posed by changing global markets and disruptive technologies, particularly in regulated industries.

It has happened to all of us. We are inspired by a compelling idea that will drive gains in quality, only to have our bubble burst by peers that don’t share our enthusiasm.