The objective features of a product are called its properties. They are manifested in the manufacture, storage, consumption, establishment of cost. Quantitative and qualitative indicators include one or more properties of the goods. The latter, in turn, can be complex or simple. The first include a set of features that manifest themselves together. For example, nutritional value has a number of parameters: digestibility, energy, biological, as well as physiological usefulness for consumers.
Quantitative and qualitative indicators: general information
Each product has its own range of parameters. It depends on the purpose of the products, the conditions in which they are produced and operated, and other factors. Indicators can be expressed in various units. For example, it can be a meter, kilogram, pieces, seconds, km / h, watts, seconds, and so on. There are also arbitrary units by which the assessment of quality indicators. These include the ruble, score, percentage of voters and so on. In addition, units can be dimensionless - the probability of the occurrence of an event, for example. In the form of technical requirements, qualitative performance indicators are included in the terms of reference for the developed product and conditions.
Parameter Formation
The final formation of the nomenclature of indicators is carried out at the stage of product design , since it is here that they are included in the design (model). Then the parameters are implemented at the production stage. At the operation stage, quality indicators characterize the consumer properties of the product. Parameters become an individual feature of products, distinguish them from other types of goods. Thus, they make the product competitive and attractive. Product parameters, in turn, reflect the quality indicators of the enterprise. This, in particular, is about the integrity of the manufacturer, the desire to satisfy consumer demand, the use of modern technology and so on.
Important point
It should be noted that the desire to take into account as many parameters as possible for the most complete characteristics of the goods makes the design task difficult. In this regard, it is necessary to single out only the most important properties, which can be reflected by certain product features. In addition, for certain production and operating conditions there are mandatory quality indicators. This mainly relates to product safety.
The minimum allowable limit of requirements is established by the relevant regulatory acts of the executive bodies of the federal government. They are authorized to conduct quality control and product safety. Such authorities, in particular, include Rospotrebnadzor, Gosgortekhnadzor and others. In addition, if the goods are intended for the sale of a certain category of citizens or can be sold to them in any way, then the quality indicators of the products must comply with additional standards provided for by law protecting consumer rights.
Primary requirements
Quality indicators should:
- Visually display the properties of a process or object.
- Resistant to random interference.
- To have a monotonous relationship with quality with the constancy of other indicators.
- Be sensitive to property changes.
- Simply defined, controlled and measured.
- Conform to declared properties.
The name of the parameter is a qualitative characteristic of the product. For example, the mass fraction of dry matter. The value of the parameter is the result obtained by qualitative and quantitative measurement. It is used to establish compliance or non-compliance with requirements. The value is also applied when stating the measurement results. For example: "Mass fraction of dry matter - 9%." Qualitative indicators by names are divided into groups according to the properties or purpose they describe.
Classification
Depending on the described properties, quality indicators are:
- Single. These parameters reflect the simple properties of the products. For example, they include acidity, integrity, shape, color, and so on.
- Integrated. These quality indicators determine the complex properties of the product. So, the state of the bread crumb is a complex parameter that describes elasticity, porosity, color and so on.
- Integral. They are qualitative indicators of the effectiveness of the use of goods. They are established as the ratio of the total utility from operation to the costs of design, manufacture, marketing, storage and consumption. Qualitative performance indicators, as a rule, are used in a simplified calculation of the competitiveness of products.
Parameter Assignment
On this basis, all values are divided into:
- Basic, taken as a basis when comparing quality indicators. For example, it may be the color of the standard, which corresponds to the color of the flour of a particular variety. As basic quality indicators, parameters of samples of similar products can be used, reflecting innovative scientific and technical developments, as well as those included in standards or technical regulations.
- Defining. These indicators are crucial in the process of assessing the quality of the goods. These include many organoleptic parameters. So, for many products, the determining quality indicator is appearance. This category also includes the smell and taste of food products, color, physico-chemical properties (mass fraction of ethyl alcohol, fat, dry component, etc.).
Values
All of the above indicators are characterized by certain limits. These values are divided into:
- Relative.
- The limit.
- Regulated.
- Optimal.
- Valid.
The achievement of qualitative indicators of the optimal level indicates the most complete satisfaction of the share of needs that caused one or another parameter. So, the most acceptable value of such a property as “the appearance of vegetables and fruits” is described by the color, shape, dry and clean surface typical of the natural variety without any damage. Optimality in this case will indicate the most complete satisfaction of physiological needs for the functional purpose of the object, in terms of aesthetics and safety - due to the lack of microbiological damage, mycotoxins. Quite often, this value is used as a norm established by standards. In this case, it acquires the status of regulated.
Optimum values are most desirable, but in practice are not always obtained. In this regard, when an analysis of quality indicators is carried out, the actual level is established. It is found by single or multiple measurement. For example, in one grade of oil the mass fraction of fat is 80.5%, and in the other - 82.5%. The indicated results are considered valid values.
The regulated level is established by current industry regulations. So, the fat content for butter, for example, is determined by GOST and should be at least 82%. This value is simultaneously considered regulated and limiting. The latter definition indicates that exceeding or decreasing the specified level is regarded as non-compliance with the standard.
Limit value
It can be range (from and to), maximum (no more) or minimum (no less). The latter is used when the indicator provides quality improvement. In the example above, the oil content of fat is critical to its quality. Moreover, the higher the level, the greater the value of the product. Accordingly, if the set value is not achieved, the quality deteriorates. The maximum level is set for parameters that reduce consumer properties, if the limits are exceeded. Non-compliance resulting from this can lead to critical or significant defects that do not allow the product to be used for its intended purpose or reduce its safety. In such cases, the product goes into the category of unsuitable, dangerous for consumption, and must be recycled or destroyed.
Along with this, there are a number of indicators that, although they worsen the quality, but when the limits are exceeded, their values do not make the product dangerous for direct consumption. Such parameters, for example, include the mass fraction of water in food products. With its increased content, the value of the product decreases. At the same time, water does not directly affect safety, but if its mass fraction is significantly exceeded, some types of products can become potentially dangerous. This is due to the fact that there is a high risk of their microbiological damage.
Range values are set when both exceeding and decreasing the regulated limit causes quality deterioration. For example, the size of root crops of carrots is not less than 2 and not more than 6 cm. This is due to the fact that products with a size of less than two centimeters will have a lesser yield for the usable part. In addition, they are worse preserved. Root crops, the value of which is more than six centimeters, are characterized by reduced nutritional value.
Tolerances
They relate to the limit values of quality indicators. Tolerances establish normalized levels of non-compliance with regulated or optimal parameters. Such values are used for many products. This is due to the fact that with the modern development of technology and technology it is extremely difficult and disadvantageous to produce goods only with optimally high quality limits. Many tolerances do not have a significant effect on consumer properties. Deterioration is noted only when these discrepancies are exceeded.
Relative values
This limit is determined by the ratio of the actual indicator to the regulated or basic. Consider an example with a mass fraction of fat in butter. The actual value is 83%, the base value is 82.5%. The relative indicator will be: 1.06% (83 / 82.5). The quality level is determined by comparing the actual values with the base values for one parameter. When it is established, the properties of standards-samples of products of the best domestic or foreign manufacturers can be used as a basis.
Qualitative economic indicators
These parameters include:
- Profit of manufacturers and sellers of products.
- The cost of goods, including the costs of the enterprise associated with its release, marketing and subsequent maintenance.
- The price of products (wholesale and retail).
- Operating costs of consumers. In general, they are formed from various deductions (taxes, payment for emissions, insurance premiums, etc.) and cost:
- Energy consumption, efficiency and volume of its consumption.
- Consumables (batteries, grease, etc.), tools and accessories.
- Services (payment for instruction, salary for security, etc.).
- Disposal and repair (payment for the services of warranty workshops, repairmen, dismantling, removal to a landfill or a processing plant).
Technical specifications
They are represented by several categories and characterize the ability of the goods to properly perform their functions. These include the requirements:
- Performance. They include the parameters of the required power, developed speed, carrying capacity and others, describing the function to be performed.
- Efficiency. These indicators reflect the degree of usefulness of the use of products for their intended purpose. For example, it can be energy (efficiency), kinematic (accuracy of movement), power and other parameters.
- Constructiveness. They describe, for example, dimensions, weight and other advantages of the model.
Reliability indicators are also referred to as technical. They combine such properties as:
- Reliability.
- Maintainability.
- Durability.
- Safety.
Technical indicators, among other things, include:
1. Ergonomics. They describe the social properties of the product as an element of the system of interaction between people and machines, the ability to maintain the health of citizens through increased convenience during operation due to compliance with hygienic, psychological, physiological, anthropometric and other standards.
2. Multifunctionality. It represents the opportunity to use the goods for different types of activities and work.
3. Security. It characterizes the exclusion of probable accidents during normal and unskilled work, under the influence of the environment and humans, in extreme and emergency conditions, as well as during the manufacture of products in ordinary and hazardous industries. The types of security include:
- Fire fighting.
- Sanitary and hygienic.
- Thermal.
- Electromagnetic.
- Electric.
- Magnetic.
- Mechanical.
- Radiation.
- Chemical.
4. Environmental friendliness. Its indicators characterize the adaptability of the product to existence in conditions of interaction with the living environment of various living organisms and the surrounding nature and the exchange of heat with them), substances (clogging with combustion products, oil leaks, etc.), signals (making noise, whistling, etc. )
5. Aesthetics. It involves the manifestation of beauty in the appearance of the product. Aesthetic parameters include, for example, rationality of form, informational expressiveness, stability of form, perfection of performance, integrity.
6. Utilization indicators. They describe the methods of liquidation of goods at the end of their use during dismantling and actual destruction.
Design and technological parameters
They describe the effectiveness of the technical solutions used. This category includes:
- Levels of standardization, continuity, unification.
- Technological parameters. They describe the possibility of manufacturing goods with the lowest production costs and as soon as possible.
- Indicators of transportability. They describe the ability to move goods in space with minimal cost. In particular, we are talking about the movement of products inside the shops, from the manufacturer to the seller and then to the buyer and so on.
- Safety. It characterizes the ability of the product not to depend on the adverse effects of various external factors (intentional, random, climatic).
Patent Legal Parameters
These indicators characterize the quality of goods in terms of legislative norms. In particular, the parameters describe patent purity and product protection. These include the degree of application of technical solutions that are not subject to patents, and the level of protection of products and technologies in the Russian Federation and countries of intended export.