Product defects are very common in the manufacturing industry. A product defect is a mistake that is made while producing the output.
Product defects can range from minor to serious flaws that make the product completely unusable or even hazardous to consumers.
Although all products are subject to some defects, there are some product defects causes that can be controlled by the manufacturer and some causes of product defects that cannot be controlled.
Poor Design
Poor design and engineering can lead to many defects in the manufacturing process, which will then be passed on to customers.
Eventually, the poor design could impact the customer and cause injury. Remember that an item could be designed poorly and fail during production without actually being produced incorrectly.
Complexity
A complex product will contain more moving parts than a simpler one, which means there will be more chances for it to fail.
The higher the complexity or number of moving parts, the greater likelihood of failure. For example, a car contains more “moving parts” than a bicycle, which means more opportunities for it to break down.
Improper labeling or failure to warn
All products carry a label that states the dangers associated with the use of the product. If this label is missing or inaccurate, it is likely that the manufacturer or vendor will be held liable for any resulting injuries.
For example, a power tool sold without warning against using it in wet conditions could cause electrocution if used in a damp environment.
This kind of defect is called “strict liability” because the injured party does not have to prove that there was negligence on the manufacturer’s part—the injury alone is enough to hold the manufacturer liable for damages.
Manufacturing defects
When a defect occurs during assembly, the manufacturer is more likely to be held liable for any injuries caused by that defect.
Most times, a manufacturing defect results from an error on one employee rather than an error in company policy.
However, it is also possible for flaws to go undetected during quality-control inspections and then cause harm when they are released into circulation.
Bottom Line
We can have any number of preventive measures in place, but there is always the potential that a product defect will occur at the end of the day.
Our goal should be to discover and correct these issues as quickly as possible, learn from them and find out why they occurred in the first place.
We can better ensure that we catch these defects before even more products reach their consumers.