Managing the Cost of Poor Quality With Your Fastener Distributor

A fastener distributor offers a wide range of products suited to your industry. The distributor works hard to ensure that quality materials, reliable designs and expert manufacturers are represented on their shelves, and they are ready to help you manage the cost of poor quality. Certain industries deal with this concept more than others, and […]

A fastener distributor offers a wide range of products suited to your industry. The distributor works hard to ensure that quality materials, reliable designs and expert manufacturers are represented on their shelves, and they are ready to help you manage the cost of poor quality.

Certain industries deal with this concept more than others, and many rely heavily on fasteners to keep these costs low.

Alternative energy manufacturers face significant costs to repair their products on site, including those manufacturing wind turbines and other alternative energy harvesting systems. Other industries that must monitor their COPQ regularly include the computer and automotive industries.

What is the Cost of Poor Quality Concept?

The COPQ (or cost of poor quality) concept measures the total of additional expenses incurred due to less than perfect products, systems and processes. These additional expenses include repairs and warranty replacements.

Similar to quality costs, COPQ helps manufacturers to realize that higher levels of quality do not necessarily have to cost more. Investments in failure detection equipment and testing mechanisms can be offset by fewer warranty claims and lower costs associated with product failures.

Field repairs on a typical wind turbine cost between 15 and 20 percent of the original turbine price. That represents a significant COPQ, and wind turbine manufacturers are wise to put stringent quality measures in place, ranging from sourcing materials to testing on the factory floor.

How Can a Fastener Distributor Help Manage This Cost?

Your fastener distributor will take care of a portion of your product’s materials. The assembly of wind turbines brings together about 8,000 components, including a significant amount of fasteners. Manufacturers rely on the services of distributors to create a top quality product each time, which is wise considering the massive COPQ to be expected in this industry.

Manufacturers demand particular fasteners and components, and often refuse to use substitutes. This limits the COPQ, but also requires the assistance of an experienced fastener distributor with dependable access to top quality fasteners. With the help of a solid fastener distributor these manufacturers can ensure top notch quality and reduce the additional costs for repairs and replacement.