Mitsubishi 2003 Annual Report Download - page 10

Download and view the complete annual report

Please find page 10 of the 2003 Mitsubishi annual report below. You can navigate through the pages in the report by either clicking on the pages listed below, or by using the keyword search tool below to find specific information within the annual report.

Page out of 78

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • 20
  • 21
  • 22
  • 23
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 27
  • 28
  • 29
  • 30
  • 31
  • 32
  • 33
  • 34
  • 35
  • 36
  • 37
  • 38
  • 39
  • 40
  • 41
  • 42
  • 43
  • 44
  • 45
  • 46
  • 47
  • 48
  • 49
  • 50
  • 51
  • 52
  • 53
  • 54
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 59
  • 60
  • 61
  • 62
  • 63
  • 64
  • 65
  • 66
  • 67
  • 68
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • 74
  • 75
  • 76
  • 77
  • 78

8
ANNUAL REPORT 2003 POWER TO CHANGE 8
ANNUAL REPORT 2003 POWER TO CHANGE
Akira Kosugi, Manager of Quality Control Department
The development of new models at MMC, from planning and development through to produc-
tion and beyond, is now managed using the Quality Gate System. The Quality Gate System has
been applied to all new passenger cars since the eK-WAGON. This has resulted in a huge reduc-
tion in the number of post-launch complaints and instances of quality problems with basic
vehicle functions. It is planned to improve this process further for new models to be launched in
the future, with the aim of achieving additional gains in quality. MMC is also developing a world-
wide Quality Gate System to supervise the development process for all minor model changes
and the new global engine program.
WHAT PROGRESS HAS MMC MADE IN GAINING ISO
QUALITY CERTIFICATIONS?
We aim to finish the certification process across the entire
company for the 2000 version of ISO 9001 by the end of
2003. This will help to upgrade and standardize our quality
control systems and procedures throughout MMC. All of our
manufacturing plants are already certified for the 1994 ver-
sion of ISO 9002.
ISO represents an internationally accepted and standard-
ized set of rules, not just in quality control but many other
fields. For manufacturers such as MMC, the 2000 version of
ISO 9001 stresses continuous improvement in quality con-
trol systems. ISO certification provides us with an indepen-
dent, objective confirmation of the efforts being made to
enhance customer satisfaction. We are therefore focusing
closely on gaining the relevant ISO certifications across MMC
in all areas, from design and development to manufactur-
ing and customer service.
WHAT IS MMC DOING ABOUT QUALITY CONTROL AT
THE PLANT LEVEL?
The old MMC mentality involved strict segregation of roles
between each function. Manufacturing produced the
vehicles and Quality Control (QC) inspected them. Each fo-
cused on its specific task, and there was no linkage between
the two.
We used the opportunity of the development of the COLT to mend the faults inherent in this situation. Now we refer to
our thinking as “In-Stage Quality Creation (ISQC).” This means that everybody working in the production process is respon-
sible individually for guaranteeing product quality.
QUALITY
Feature