How should non-conforming material be handled?

Handling non-conforming material is a crucial aspect of maintaining quality and safety in manufacturing processes. Setting aside non-conforming material ensures that it is clearly identified and does not get mixed with conforming products. This approach allows for a systematic assessment of the material to determine if it can be reworked, discarded, or scrapped appropriately without causing any further issues in production or quality control.

This practice aligns with quality management principles, where segregation of defective items is essential for tracking, analyzing, and preventing future occurrences of similar issues. It keeps the production line operational and safeguards the integrity of the manufactured products by preventing the installation of faulty or non-compliant materials.

In contrast, disposing of non-conforming material immediately may not allow for further evaluation regarding potential rework, while reworking it on the line without proper inspection can lead to repeated errors. Using non-conforming material for training purposes is also inappropriate, as it risks promoting poor quality standards among employees. Overall, setting non-conforming material aside promotes a disciplined approach to quality assurance.