Quality 4.0 is a concept that focuses on the role of quality in an increasingly digitized and automated world. With the help of digital tools, organizations can manage and deliver high-quality products and services to gain a competitive advantage. These tools improve operational efficiency, product quality, factory outputs, and supply chain flexibility. In order to understand the evolution of Quality 4.0, it is important to look back at its predecessors.
Quality 1.0, the founding principles of the quality profession, relied on inspection and measurement to ensure quality. Quality 2.0 emerged during the industrial revolution and introduced the concept of adhering to specified standards to indicate acceptable quality levels. Quality 3.0, which spanned from the time of Taylor to the end of the 20th century, emphasized customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, and standardized work. It can be seen as the analogue equivalent of digital transformation.