Quality assurance at Apator Powogaz
For us, quality is not just about monitoring; it is also about continuous improvement, verifying the capability and stability of our processes, identifying the root causes of problems and developing solutions to address them. We take a preventive approach to quality management.
We want the water meters we manufacture to meet all our customers’ requirements and be reliable. We work hard every day to continuously improve our processes and those of our suppliers. Development and quality assurance are not only part of our daily tasks, but above all, they are our passion.
Quality assurance
The key principles of TQM at Apator Powogaz are, above all, a customer-focused approach and employee engagement in a process-based and systems-based approach to quality management.
We focus on continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making and ensuring good cooperation with suppliers and customers.
Continuous and comprehensive quality management is based, amongst other things, on conducting customer satisfaction surveys, monitoring production indicators, and ongoing cooperation with suppliers. We hold ISO standards and certificates from notified bodies for the drinking water industry. We are the only water meter factory in Poland to also hold a certificate as an accredited water meter calibration laboratory. Compliance with requirements is verified on a regular basis through a series of external and internal audits.
The key principles of TQM at Apator Powogaz are, above all, a customer-focused approach and employee engagement in a process-based and systems-based approach to quality management.
We focus on continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making and ensuring good cooperation with suppliers and customers.
Continuous and comprehensive quality management is based, amongst other things, on conducting customer satisfaction surveys, monitoring production indicators, and ongoing cooperation with suppliers. We hold ISO standards and certificates from notified bodies for the drinking water industry. We are the only water meter factory in Poland to also hold a certificate as an accredited water meter calibration laboratory. Compliance with requirements is verified on a regular basis through a series of external and internal audits.
Continuous improvement and the raising of quality standards at Apator Powogaz are made possible by a range of support systems, real-time process monitoring, and the generation of regular and periodic reports. Analyses of this data serve as a compass, guiding the organisation towards the actions it needs to take to ensure quality.
Weekly QIT meetings are held within multidisciplinary teams, which, based on the PDCA quality cycle, are tasked with improving production processes. Any product non-conformity detected in relation to specifications is recorded in a dedicated system and requires not only corrective action but also the implementation of corrective and preventive measures to eliminate the root cause of the problem. The overarching aim of TQM is to predict risks and effectively eliminate them before a problem arises.
Quality tools
| Quality indicators and process measurement |
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| Root cause analyses |
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| Preventive quality management |
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| Preventive quality management |
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| Preventive quality management |
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The key principles of TQM at Apator Powogaz are, above all, a customer-focused approach and employee engagement in a process-based and systems-based approach to quality management.
We focus on continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making and ensuring good cooperation with suppliers and customers.
Continuous and comprehensive quality management is based, amongst other things, on conducting customer satisfaction surveys, monitoring production indicators, and ongoing cooperation with suppliers. We hold ISO standards and certificates from notified bodies for the drinking water industry. We are the only water meter factory in Poland to also hold a certificate as an accredited water meter calibration laboratory. Compliance with requirements is verified on a regular basis through a series of external and internal audits.
The key principles of TQM at Apator Powogaz are, above all, a customer-focused approach and employee engagement in a process-based and systems-based approach to quality management.
We focus on continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making and ensuring good cooperation with suppliers and customers.
Continuous and comprehensive quality management is based, amongst other things, on conducting customer satisfaction surveys, monitoring production indicators, and ongoing cooperation with suppliers. We hold ISO standards and certificates from notified bodies for the drinking water industry. We are the only water meter factory in Poland to also hold a certificate as an accredited water meter calibration laboratory. Compliance with requirements is verified on a regular basis through a series of external and internal audits.
Quality statement and objectives.
Key objectives
and quality objectives
- Ensuring compliance with all product and customer requirements
- Supporting quality development among our suppliers
- Partnership-based cooperation with customers
- Active involvement in the initial design and development phases of new products
- Active participation and initiation of improvements in the production process
- Precise monitoring and swift decision-making regarding non-conformities
- Developing the capabilities of the quality team, as well as supporting quality development across all departments within the organisation
What does quality assurance
quality?
- Customer satisfaction
- Improved corporate image
- Minimisation of complaints
- Reduction in costs of poor quality (COPQ)
- Optimisation of raw material consumption
- Stability of the production process
- Ensuring product safety and compliance with legal requirements
Awards and honours
- Winner of the 26th Polish Quality Award – Gold Medal category.
- European Quality Certificate 2022.
- “Commended for the pursuit of excellence” in the European Quality Award 2003.
- Winner of the 6th edition of the Polish Quality Award competition.
- First-class distinction in the 4th edition of the Polish Quality Award competition.
- Distinction in the 3rd edition of the Polish Quality Award competition.
Examples of control methods
- Conformity assessment testing of manufactured water meters. 100% of products are tested in accordance with the MID Directive.
- Resistance testing and gear ratio verification for manufactured water meter counting mechanisms.
- Pitronix machine checking the positioning of the anti-magnetic ring and the bearing block in the plate. It also verifies the quality of the weld and the correctness of the sleeve’s clamping in the plate.
- An optical machine for measuring the dimensions of plastic components with an accuracy of 1 μm.