Every quality engineer thinks before going for an interview, “What are the interview questions asked to manufacturing quality engineer?”
In this post, we will look into the learning questions that need to be answered before going to an interview.
These are the amazing steps to follow before going to interview,
If you follow and prepare in a likewise way, you will definitely succeed in an interview.
Let’s go in deep to know what matters more from interviewer’s perspective.
#1. Know the Job Description
Many of us are more excited about the interview calls. But forget to know the job description because of the confidence.
Confidence of “I got the interview call.”
But it would be best if you were very careful to see the job description and profile, which is the requirement of the company.
What to do:
When you get the interview call, you should approach the company or HR person to provide the job description. For which position and profile the requirement is?
Every recruiter provides the job description to give detailed clarity about the work and job profile. So understand the exact job requirements and you should prepare accordingly.
This will be a huge help for you to prepare and succeed in the interview.
If you follow this small step, you will be very confident and prepared for the selection.
#2. Know your Resume / CV
This step is a more important step to understand.
When we create resume, we generally add a lot of skills and activities in the resume. Which we are not doing in our daily work and don’t know. And you have done this to get selected for an interview.
This is not a good practice. This is your big mistake, and it’s obvious to many of us.
Because the interviewer is excited to know how much knowledge you have. Will ask the questions as per the information mentioned in your resume.
As a consequence, you will not be able to give answers and stuck in the interview.
This is just because you do not know all the skills and work mentioned in your resume.
What to do:
It is good that you mention a lot of skills and work in your resume. But you should go through it.
Before going to interview you need to review your resume. and try to be an expert in all the terms/skills/work as per your resume.
It is highly recommended that you please go through your resume because the interviewer spends 70% of the time on details of your resume.
The engineer who is highly skilled as mentioned in a resume has more chance to get selected.
It will show their competence towards the current job profile.
So the interviewer is also convinced that you should be considered for this position. these are the interview questions asked to manufacturing quality engineer
#3. Know the company profile
There is a very big risk when joining another company. Many engineers do not really know it.
What to do:
If you don’t know about the company profile, you will be either confused in the interview / not look confident.
The interviewer is looking for a candidate who will perform well in their company.
For this purpose, the engineer should have a well-versed knowledge of the company and the product range.
And if you go through the details of the company then you will be answer all the questions related for. This will lead to a higher chance of getting selected.
Technical side manufacturing quality engineer interview questions
These questions are related to the requirements of every quality engineer in the manufacturing field.
You must know these requirements.
If you don’t know these then immediately try to achieve and work on that.
Further questions will help you to understand the importance of quality engineer and at what level you are,
This will contribute in your interview selection and career,
#4. Quality Core Tools
Many engineers are working on the shop floor activity and mainly focus on the product quality.
The shop floor activity includes the inspection, supervision, etc. At a basic level every engineer should go through these steps but,
they do not know the exact purpose and work of a quality engineer.
To overcome this, you should know the quality core tools in detail, this will help you to understand the role and achieve a good quality product by using.
Now, the following are the 5 Quality core tools,
- Advance Product Quality Planning (APQP)
- Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA)
- Measurement System Analysis (MSA)
- Statistical Process Control (SPC)
- Product Part Approval Process (PPAP)
Engineers who are highly skilled in core tools have a higher chance to get selected.
The basic question ask on these tools are
What are the quality core tools?
How and when to apply these tools?
These are the interview questions ask to manufacturing quality engineer.
We will cover more about specific questions on each core tools in upcoming posts.
#5. Problem Solving Tools
If you are working on the shop floor, then you should be the master of problem-solving tools,
Industry experts are masters in the problem-solving methods,
The basic problem solving tools include
You can learn more about the skills of a quality engineer.
#6. Product Knowledge
This is the key step, on which the interviewer is more curious.
The interviewer will ask you about the product knowledge.
Which product are you manufacturing?
You should know the product and its function at customer end. What are the interface of your product at next step.
The feature of your product is responsible for the function and fitment.
How do you deliver quality products to customers?
You should have a good knowledge of the product. Because the quality engineer is directly more responsible for the product quality.
#7. Process Knowledge
Shop floor engineers still have a lack of process knowledge.
This is just because you only concentrate on the product side.
The quality engineer should be more focused on the process side. Because the process is the key area for improvement.
If your process is ok then the ultimate process output as product will be ok.
The basic questions asked in this step is,
Which process do you have?
What are the process characteristics?
What are controls in your processes?
Now you will learn what important interview questions ask to manufacturing quality engineers.
Try to understand these steps and remaining focus on the skills how you can improve day-by-day.
Additional Quality Engineer interview questions with Short Answers
Here are some common questions and their short answers for your overlook only.
Questions 1-10
| Sr No | Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is APQP? | Advanced Product Quality Planning is a framework for developing products in the automotive industry. |
| 2 | What is FMEA? | Failure Mode and Effects Analysis is a method to identify and prevent potential failures. |
| 3 | Explain MSA. | Measurement System Analysis is used to assess the accuracy and precision of measurement systems. |
| 4 | What is SPC? | Statistical Process Control monitors and controls a process using statistical methods. |
| 5 | What is PPAP? | Production Part Approval Process ensures that the production process meets customer requirements. |
| 6 | What are the 7 QC Tools? | They are tools like Pareto chart, Fishbone diagram, and Control charts used for quality control. |
| 7 | Explain 8D methodology. | 8 Disciplines problem-solving method used to identify, correct, and eliminate recurring problems. |
| 8 | What is 5-Why analysis? | A root cause analysis tool that identifies the underlying cause of a problem by asking ‘Why?’ five times. |
| 9 | What is Six Sigma? | A methodology that reduces process variation and improves quality through data-driven decisions. |
| 10 | Explain Control Plan. | A document detailing the process controls needed to ensure product quality. |
Questions 11-20
| Sr No | Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | What is a Capability Index (Cpk)? | A statistical measure of process capability that shows how well a process is performing. |
| 12 | Explain Gage R&R. | A Measurement System Analysis method to assess repeatability and reproducibility. |
| 13 | What is a Fishbone Diagram? | A visual tool to identify potential causes of a problem. |
| 14 | What is Process Flow Diagram? | A graphical representation of the steps involved in a process. |
| 15 | What is ISO 9001? | An international standard for quality management systems. |
| 16 | What is IATF 16949? | A standard for automotive quality management systems. |
| 17 | Explain the PDCA cycle. | Plan-Do-Check-Act, a continuous improvement cycle. |
| 18 | What is Kaizen? | A philosophy of continuous improvement. |
| 19 | What is the difference between QA and QC? | QA focuses on preventing defects, QC focuses on identifying defects. |
| 20 | What is Root Cause Analysis? | A process of identifying the underlying cause of a problem. |
Questions 21-30
| Sr No | Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Explain 5S methodology. | A workplace organization method: Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain. |
| 22 | What is Poka-Yoke? | A mistake-proofing technique to prevent errors. |
| 23 | Explain Process Capability Analysis. | A statistical measure to determine how well a process meets specifications. |
| 24 | What is a Control Chart? | A statistical tool to monitor process stability over time. |
| 25 | What is the purpose of a Check Sheet? | A tool for collecting and analyzing data. |
| 26 | What is a Pareto Chart? | A bar chart that identifies the most significant factors in a process. |
| 27 | What is the purpose of an Audit? | To assess compliance with standards and procedures. |
| 28 | Explain the concept of Continuous Improvement. | Ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. |
| 29 | What is Statistical Sampling? | A method to select a subset of items from a population for inspection. |
| 30 | What is Lean Manufacturing? | A methodology focused on reducing waste and increasing efficiency. |
Questions 31-40
| Sr No | Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | What is JIT (Just-in-Time)? | A production strategy that reduces inventory and delivers products as needed. |
| 32 | What is Process Validation? | Ensuring a process consistently produces products meeting specifications. |
| 33 | Explain Failure Rate Analysis. | A method to assess the rate at which a system fails over time. |
| 34 | What is the purpose of Calibration? | To ensure measuring instruments are accurate and reliable. |
| 35 | What is a Risk Assessment Matrix? | A tool to assess and prioritize risks. |
| 36 | Explain DFMEA. | Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis identifies potential design failures. |
| 37 | What is PFMEA? | Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis identifies potential process failures. |
| 38 | What is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)? | A set of instructions for performing a task consistently. |
| 39 | What is Supplier Quality Management? | Managing and improving supplier performance and quality. |
| 40 | Explain Customer Complaint Handling. | A process to address and resolve customer complaints. |
Questions 41-51
| Sr No | Question | Short Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | What is Traceability? | The ability to track materials and components through the production process. |
| 42 | What is an Inspection Plan? | A document detailing inspection procedures and criteria. |
| 43 | Explain Corrective Action. | Steps taken to eliminate the root cause of a problem. |
| 44 | What is Preventive Action? | Steps taken to prevent potential issues from occurring. |
| 45 | What is a Non-Conformance Report (NCR)? | A report documenting deviations from specifications. |
| 46 | What is the purpose of a Quality Policy? | A statement of the organization’s commitment to quality. |
| 47 | What is Quality Assurance Plan? | A document outlining quality objectives and actions. |
| 48 | What is a Quality Management System (QMS)? | A system to manage and improve quality. |
| 49 | Explain Statistical Hypothesis Testing. | A method to determine if there is enough evidence to support a hypothesis. |
| 50 | What is Reliability Testing? | Testing to assess product performance over time. |
| 51 | What is Acceptance Sampling? | A statistical method to inspect a sample rather than every item. |
I am a full time Engineer and Quality Professional with over 11+ years of experience in the automotive industry. My professional journey has started from a small enterprise quality inspector to a advanced quality expert. I am creating a good-quality content for engineers. Help them to grow in their career.Learn more here.
