It has been realized that inspection alone cannot build quality into a product unless quality has been designed and manufactured into it. Therefore quality awareness must beings at the very conception the product and continue during the various stages of the development and manufacture and even during its usage to provide feedback from the users which are so essential for quality improvement.
Total Quality Management deals with the product in its totality. It has been recognized that Quality is determined by the combined efforts of various departments such as design engineering , purchase, production, and Inspection. Various activities which are specifically aimed at building quality into the production are given in table below. The departments primarily responsible for the activities as well as those having contributory responsibility are shown against respective activities. Total Quality Management is an across the company and controls widespread quality activates with a view to achieving the desired quality of the end product. This concept of quality management is illustrated in figure above. This configuration signifies the integrated Quality system covering all quality control activates during various phase of product development. The quality cycle begins and ends with the user it starts when the user need is analyzed to design a product for its fulfilment. During the development and manufacture of the product ,various departments and sections of the company make their contribution in building quality into it. The cycle ends with the user because the final proof of product quality comes during it service with the user whose satisfaction is the ultimate aim. In this concept Quality is no longer the exclusive domain of the inspectors. Designers process planners production engineers and even sales personnel have their role to play in the achievement of the primary quality objective which is Maximum user satisfaction at minimum cost.