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The risk of not achieving process outcomes in key processes should be identified and reduced to achieve better results. The identification of risks involves defining the possible events that compromises the achievement of process outcomes and also the consequences of the occurrence of these events. This paper proposes a methodology to minimize operational/technical risk across different processes or departments, minimizing the possibility of spending excessive resources in a given process while other processes pose bigger risks to the organisation or considered system. The probability of occurrence of the events that hinder the achievement of outcomes can be influenced by some technical, administrative or management actions. The methodology is tested through a case study of a CNC milling section on a furniture manufacturing process. The reliability of a key item, electrospindles, is determined and the influence of maintenance activities on such reliability and therefore on risk is analysed.

Continuous improvement or more generally improvement is a necessity for companies in a dynamic context. The effectiveness and efficiency of such improvement can foster company sustainability, particularly if it exhibits characteristics of a learning organisation. This paper shows a methodology to develop organisational learning through the use of one quality improvement methodology known as Quality Control (QC) Story. The work is based on a case study from a manufacturer of electronic products. It describes QC Story application over 10 years and its effects on key performance indicators. Organisational learning is assessed through a questionnaire survey. A method to manage knowledge based on a lessons-learned procedure is described and a generalisation is induced. Results suggest that repetitive use of QC story along with the presented procedure of lessons-learned contributes to improving processes performance over long periods. It is also concluded that this company using the presented procedure exhibit characteristics of a learning organisation.

This case study arises from the need to make more robust and effective quality assurance procedures of the products by automating the final inspection process. The case study explains how the automation of the inspection process was performed in a company from the automotive sector. Knowledge, involvement and commitment of operators and respective managers should not be neglected because their reaction against the change procedures influence the success of any automation performed. The successful introduction of automation contributed to a more efficient process and from the pilot station to the remaining stations problem solving and continuous improvement was evidenced.