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Purpose Hazard scenarios were created to assess and reduce the risk of planning errors in automated planning processes. This was accomplished through iterative testing and improvement of examined user interfaces. Methods Automated planning requires three user inputs: a computed tomography (CT), a prescription document, known as the service request, and contours. We investigated the ability of users to catch errors that were intentionally introduced into each of these three stages, according to an FMEA analysis. Five radiation therapists each reviewed 15 patient CTs, containing three errors: inappropriate field of view, incorrect superior border, and incorrect identification of isocenter. Four radiation oncology residents reviewed 10 service requests, containing two errors: incorrect prescription and treatment site. Four physicists reviewed 10 contour sets, containing two errors: missing contour slices and inaccurate target contour. Reviewers underwent video training prior to reviewing and providing feedback for various mock plans. Results Initially, 75% of hazard scenarios were detected in the service request approval. The visual display of prescription information was then updated to improve the detectability of errors based on user feedback. The change was then validated with five new radiation oncology residents who detected 100% of errors present. 83% of the hazard scenarios were detected in the CT approval portion of the workflow. For the contour approval portion of the workflow none of the errors were detected by physicists, indicating this step will not be used for quality assurance of contours. To mitigate the risk from errors that could occur at this step, radiation oncologists must perform a thorough review of contour quality prior to final plan approval. Conclusions Hazard testing was used to pinpoint the weaknesses of an automated planning tool and as a result, subsequent improvements were made. This study identified that not all workflow steps should be used for quality assurance and demonstrated the importance of performing hazard testing to identify points of risk in automated planning tools.

Improving the quality of industrial products quality still is a challenge. Despite using quality control, there is a constant need to support this process to achieve an effective, precise, and complex analysis of product quality. The purpose was to develop a universal model that supports improving the quality of products via the consistent and repetitive determination of the causes of product incompatibilities and actions leading to their elimination; the model can be integrated with any quality control of the product. The model verification was carried out for the incompatibility of the mechanical seal in alloy 410, in which the porosity cluster was identified by the fluorescence method (FPI). The purpose of the analysis was created by the SMART(-ER) method. Then, a team of experts was selected from which the brainstorming (BM) was realized. After the BM method, the source of incompatibility and initial causes were identified. Then, the Ishikawa diagram (according to rule 5M + E) was developed to group the initial causes. Next, during the BM method, the main causes were selected. In the last stage, the 5Why method was used to determine improvement actions, i.e., adjust clotting parameters, introduce the obligation to undergo periodic training, and set aside a separate place for storing the electrodes. Originality is the combination of selected quality management tools in a coherent model, the main aim of which is to identify the main causes of incompatibility and improvement actions. Additionally, this model is universal and has applications with analyzing any product and the causes of its incompatibility, and it can be integrated with any product quality control. Therefore, the model can be useful for improving the quality of products in any enterprise.

Material production processes are special processes. As part of continuous improvement, it is extremely important to find the causes of the incompatibilities that occur in them. To increase the effectiveness of these actions, different methods are used. The purpose of this study was to present an original method that allows the classification to improve the combinations of actions of product with material incompatibility. The originality of this method allows for the sequential and coherent operation of adequate analysis techniques of causes resulting in incompatibilities in the product material and, consequently, identifying the reasons that influence their quality. The presented method was developed using a new combination of brainstorming (BM), the Ishikawa diagram with 5M rule, the DEMATEL method, and the algorithm used in the MATLAB software. As a result of the proposed applied method, it is possible to create a sequence of actions that include interactions between important causes of product incompatibility, which was supported by the test of this method. This method was shown to support the creation of a rank of importance of improvement actions. This ranking allows for improvement of any product according to the possibilities of enterprises and simultaneously allows for reducing or eliminating products’ incompatibilities.

PurposeThe use of quality management (QM) to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) is a topic of growing interest in academia and industry. The IAQ (International Academy for Quality) established Quality Sustainability Award in 2020, a testament to this growing interest. This study aims to investigate how QM philosophies, methodologies and tools can be used to achieve sustainable development in organizations.Design/methodology/approachFive large manufacturing organizations – three from India and two from China – who reported their achievements about using QM in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were studied using multiple sources of data collection. A detailed within-case and cross-case analysis were conducted to unearth this linkage's practical and theoretical aspects.FindingsThe study finds that QM methodologies effectively met the five organizations' UNSDGs. These organizations successfully used OPEX (Operational Excellence) methodologies such as Lean, Kaizen and Six Sigma to meet UNSDGs 7, 11, 12 and 13. Moreover, UNSG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) is the most targeted goal across the case studies. A cross-case analysis revealed that the most frequently used quality tools were Design of Experiments (DoE), Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA), C&E analysis and Inferential statistics, among other essential tools.Research limitations/implicationsThe study's sample size was limited to large-scale manufacturing organizations in the two most populous countries in the world. This may limit the study's generalizability to other countries, continents, or micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, the study's conclusions would be strengthened if tested as hypotheses in a follow-up survey.Practical implicationsThis practical paper provides case studies on how to use QM to impact SDGs. It offers both descriptive and prescriptive solutions for practitioners. The study highlights the importance of using essential QM tools in a structured and systematic manner, with effective teams, to meet the SDGs of organizations.Social implicationsThe study shows how QM can be used to impact UNSDGs, and this is very important because the UNSDGs are a set of global objectives that aim to address a wide range of social and environmental issues. This study could motivate organizations to achieve the UNSDGs using essential QM tools and make the world a better place for the present and future generations.Originality/valueThis case study is the first to investigate at a micro-level how QM can impact UNSDGs using live examples. It uses data from the IAQ to demonstrate how QM can be integrated into UNSDGs to ensure sustainable manufacturing.

This study investigates the adoption and effectiveness of quality management tools in industrial sectors, highlighting their impact on organizational performance. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through structured questionnaires targeting professionals across various industries. Results show that traditional tools like the Pareto Chart and Ishikawa Diagram are widely adopted and highly effective, while advanced tools such as Statistical Process Control (SPC) face implementation challenges due to technical and organizational barriers. The findings underscore the importance of training, organizational readiness, and the integration of digital technologies to enhance tool utilization. This research contributes to the literature by providing actionable insights for improving quality management practices in diverse industrial contexts.

This article shows a systematic approach for raw material scrap control in a Brazilian metalmechanical industry using quality management tools, divided into three stages. First, the scrap reasons were identified using the failure mode and effects analysis. Subsequently, the identified raw material scrap reasons were evaluated and electronically grouped. Lastly, one workflow process and three rework flow actions were developed to minimize raw material scraps. A metal-mechanical industry able to manufacture items for agricultural and automotive parts was explored. A total of 223 raw material scrap reasons were identified, being related to stamping, welding, assembly, and painting processes, grouped into 82 raw material scrap reasons. Before the systematic approach implementation, without grouping raw material scrap reasons, 56% of scraps were categorized as unspecified reasons. After the systematic approach implementation, unspecified reasons decreased to 11.73%, reducing the total cost with unspecified reasons by approximately $55,000.00 in four months.

This study aims to investigate the impact of multidimensional quality management tools in establishing a medical adverse event management system, with the aim of continuously improving medical quality and safety while ensuring patient well-being. This study introduces risk management theories, such as the \"Gray Rhino Theory\", and employs quality management tools like the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, Quality Control Circle (QCC), and Root Cause Analysis (RCA), to provide relevant quality management education and training to employees. This approach facilitates the establishment of a medical adverse event management system that encourages reporting and fosters a blame-free reporting culture, while simultaneously implementing quality management across the entire process. The regular utilization of the QCC facilitates ongoing quality improvement. Furthermore, for sentinel events and patient harm incidents with educational values, the study employs the Incident Decision Tree (IDT) to determine appropriate actions. Additionally, the hospital initiates RCA for system-wide improvements, focusing on areas such as management, institutional processes, and environmental aspects. Moreover, an internal medical quality improvement case competition is organized, with outstanding cases being selected to participate in the multidimensional quality management competition organized by the National Quality Management Alliance. The study reveals a significant improvement in employees' awareness of adverse events, the percentage of employees reporting adverse events increased significantly from 39.15% in 2019 to 49.77% in 2022, P=0.002. Furthermore, the adverse event reporting rate has risen significantly from 2.78% (2019) to 5.96% (2022), P=0.002. Additionally, each department has been able to utilize QCC or RCA tools for quality improvement, thereby further reinforcing the development of a patient safety culture. Multidimensional quality management tools play a crucial role in establishing a hospital's adverse event management system, promoting continuous improvement in medical quality, ensuring patient safety, and effectively implementing a culture of patient safety.

The most critical activities influencing the success of each company are continuous improvement of the quality of manufactured products and monitoring of the production process. Skillful use of available technologies and quality management tools allows for eliminating casting non-conformities and preventing their repetition in the future. The research aimed to analyze the types of defects occurring in castings, the location of their most frequent occurrence areas, and to identify the causes of defects in castings of bearing housings used in rail vehicles. The benefits of a combination of quality management tools for diagnosing material discontinuities in the analyzed castings are presented in this article.

Background Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy complication that poses significant risks to both maternal and neonatal health, including preterm birth and macrosomia. Traditional GDM health education methods often lack clinical effectiveness due to insufficient personalized feedback and timely evaluation. This gap arises from the inadequate integration of nursing theories and quality management tools. This study explores the efficacy of combining King’s Theory of Goal Attainment with the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle as a novel approach to health education for GDM patients. Methods This randomized controlled trial involved pregnant women attending tertiary hospitals in Fujian Province from March 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023. Participants ( n  = 118) were randomly assigned to either an innovative health education group (integrating King’s Theory and FMEA-PDCA) or a conventional education group. Outcomes were assessed pre- and post-intervention, including blood glucose levels, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), anxiety levels, quality of life, and pregnancy outcomes. Results The experimental group showed significantly improved fasting blood glucose, reduced anxiety, and enhanced quality of life ( P  < 0.001). Additionally, the rate of cesarean sections was lower ( P  = 0.037) compared to the control group. However, no significant differences were observed in HbA1c levels ( P  = 0.671) or pregnancy-related complications ( P  > 0.05). Conclusion The integration of King’s Theory and FMEA-PDCA in health education significantly improves educational outcomes and clinical results for GDM patients, presenting a promising strategy for clinical practice. Trial registration The study was retrospectively registered on 25 April 2024 (registration number: ChiCTR2400083435) by the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: https://www.chictr.org.cn/ .

Environmental protection, sustainable development, quality, and value have become the goals of societal development in the twenty-first century. As the core of environmental protection, the new energy sector has become a widespread trend. In this article, we will look at how well and how satisfied customers are with the energy market’s service. A literature review of energy sector quality and value issues was conducted. The survey was conducted in 2021 in Poland with over 2404 respondents by the CAWI survey. Additionally, it was given a qualitative analysis. In the next step, we applied selected quality management methods and tools. The results of the study clearly show that the respondents expect energy companies to become more involved in building customer–enterprise relationships. Research shows that employees of energy companies should be trained more often in the field of customer service, especially in terms of an individual approach to the customer, which has value for the customer. The authors propose ways to build an arrow diagram to increase customer satisfaction levels. A model of elements determining quality as well as value for clients in the energy market was built.