A Quality Management Case Study: Defects in Spacecraft Electronics Components

Production of spacecraft components presents a management challenge in that the systems are complex, costly to build and launch, and once a spacecraft is launched, it is extremely difficult and expensive to repair. For these reasons, strict standards for quality and reliability are essential. This paper presents a project quality management case study for the production of spacecraft electronics components as part of an overall spacecraft project. Printed circuit board data is examined by project managers using a Pareto analysis of different defect types to reveal process problems. Corrective actions to the production process that were implemented by project managers are explained, and ideas to improve future quality management studies, regardless of the industry, are discussed.