Why Inspection Cannot Create Quality

Many believe that strengthening product inspection will improve product quality, but this is actually a misconception. Inspection can only identify existing quality issues; it cannot fundamentally prevent them from occurring. The nature of inspection is "after-the-fact gatekeeping." It acts like a sieve, filtering out non-conforming products, yet the waste and losses already incurred cannot be recovered.

True quality should be controlled during the production process, not discovered only at the final stage. Quality is designed and manufactured in, not inspected out. Only by optimizing processes, improving techniques, enhancing employee training, and implementing preventive measures can defects be reduced at the source, thereby improving product consistency and reliability.

Inspection can serve as part of quality assurance, but it should not be relied upon to create quality. Genuine high quality must be achieved through company-wide participation, process control, and continuous improvement.