What is the Difference Between Quality Assurance and Quality Control?

One of the most commonly asked questions about quality engineering is “What is the difference between quality assurance and quality control?”

Quality assurance (QA) is a systematic approach to ensuring that products, processes, and systems meet the required quality standards. It involves the development and implementation of processes, procedures, and policies to ensure that products and systems are designed, developed, and tested to meet the required quality standards. QA is typically focused on preventing defects and ensuring that products and systems are of high quality before they are released to customers.

On the other hand, quality control (QC) is a process of evaluating products, processes, and systems to ensure that they meet the required quality standards. QC involves the inspection and testing of products and systems to identify and address defects or issues that may impact their quality. QC is typically focused on detecting and correcting defects and ensuring that products and systems meet the required quality standards before they are released to customers.

In summary, QA is focused on preventing defects and ensuring that products and systems are of high quality, while QC is focused on detecting and correcting defects and ensuring that products and systems meet the required quality standards. Both QA and QC are important components of a comprehensive quality management system, and are typically carried out by quality engineers or other professionals who are responsible for ensuring that products and systems meet the required quality standards.

Author’s Biography:

Ray Harkins is the Quality and Technical Manager for Ohio Star Forge in Warren, Ohio. He earned his Master of Science from Rochester Institute of Technology and his Master of Business Administration from Youngstown State University. He also teaches manufacturing and business-related skills through the online learning platform, Udemy.