Quality Assurance

Quality assurance (QA) is an engineering discipline that identifies the resources and controls required to design, manufacture, and service a product that satisfies all customer requirements. QA is integral to the entire product life cycle from the first review of customer requirements through resolution of problems in use. QA emphasizes both prevention of defects and problem solving to assure that the root cause of defects has been eliminated. QA also leads the improvement of product realization processes and the company's quality management system. ISO 9001 is the international standard that guides the establishment and improvement of quality management systems.

APEX design, manufacturing, and quality assurance experts are adept at building teams and solving problems quickly using the Eight Discipline (8-D) process.

WHY APEX:

• Gain access to world class QA capabilities
• Obtain independent and impartial feedback
• Achieve lower cost
• Improve product and manufacturing reliability
• Assistance with ISO 9000 compliance
• Draw on extensive QA engineering and management experience

APEX QUALITY ASSURANCE UTILIZES:

• Qualitative tools including:
  • Brainstorming
  • Cause and effect analysis
  • Process flow charts and prioritization matrices
  • Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)
  • Value stream mapping
  • Interrelationship diagraphs
• Quantitative tools such as:
  • Pareto, run, and control charts
  • Scatter diagrams
  • Design of experiments
  • Measurement and process capability studies

EXAMPLES OF APEX QUALITY ASSURANCE RESULTS:

• Assessed complete manufacturing facility for ISO certification
• Developed a QA plan for off-shore brazing process for aluminum heat sink
• Provided Design of Experiments for qualifying shielded modular jacks
• Reduced the reject rate of a coaxial connector by 57%
• Revised QA plan for Asian production facility
• Conducted FMEA for complex antenna manufacturing process