Quality Systems
Executive Summary:
Researchers addressed the following mandate for the Quality Modular Building Task Force: “Recommend practical and useable quality control practices that can be used in modular manufacturing.” To develop an industry baseline, the team performed a series of quality system reviews for five modular manufacturers who indicated that they had a formal quality system. During each on-site review, researchers interviewed company executives as well as functional management in charge of production, quality, sales, engineering, purchasing, and customer service. Researchers also accompanied inspectors as they walked the line. After establishing a baseline for the modular industry, researchers went in search of best practices being used by acknowledged quality leaders. This included:
National Housing Quality Award winners – this included a visit to Palm Harbor Homes - Florida Division, the 2000 Gold Level award winner and the first industrialized housing manufacturer to win the award
Quality leaders in the yacht building industry – Regal Marine and Sea Ray
2000 Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award Winners – Dana Spicer, Karlee, Los Alamos National Bank and OMI
All modular manufacturers said that they valued quality and all inspected for quality. However, when compared to the quality leaders, none were obsessed with quality and none had institutionalized the following seven fundamental concepts that were common in the quality leaders:
Recognize the overriding mission of satisfying your customers and the related need to satisfy your team members and owners
Measure how well you are satisfying them
Improve continuously and forever all product realization and associated business processes
Empower your team members, giving them ownership of the improvement process
Train your team members, providing skills necessary for success
Recognize and reward your team members for success
Lead by involvement
The research team documented numerous best practices for each of the seven fundamental concepts and reported the findings at the 2001 meeting of the Quality Modular Building Task Force. [download quality presentation (1MB)]
Research findings were well received by Task Force members. Two manufacturers representing 4 modular factories have already begun renewal of their quality systems. Researchers have worked actively with the manufacturers planning these changes. Key challenges currently under investigation include performance measurement, employee empowerment and employee recognition and reward systems.
Technical Reports & Papers:
Elshennawy, A., M. Mullens, I. Nahmens, “Quality Improvement in the Modular Housing Industry,” Industrial Engineering Research ‘02 Conference Proceedings, Orlando, May, 2002.<Back to Modular Homebuilding>
