What are Boeing’s recent quality problems? - A Quality Professional’s View

Boeing’s Quality Failures

What are the Causes of Boeing’s Quality Problems?

Aside from the specific technical issues with the 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner, Boeing faced broader production and supply chain challenges that ultimately led to quality problems.

• Assembly Line Problems: Boeing’s assembly lines have experienced various issues, including errors in the installation of key components and discrepancies in manufacturing standards. These problems have led to production delays and increased costs.
• Supplier Quality Control: Boeing’s extensive network of suppliers has contributed to variability in component quality. Ineffective oversight and communication with suppliers have led to inconsistencies that affect the overall quality of the aircraft.
• Regulatory and Compliance Issues: Boeing has faced difficulties in meeting evolving regulatory standards and compliance requirements. This has included challenges in adapting to new safety regulations and addressing deficiencies identified during inspections.
• Disregard of Quality Issues: It’s emerged that Boeing’s largest supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, regularly ignored quality defect issues raised by their own quality inspectors. A whistleblower who worked at the company told of how he was nicknamed a ‘showstopper’ for slowing down production when he tried to raise his concerns. He stated that his company was solely concerned with getting their products shipped out and meeting quotes. The FAA also found that Boeing has a history of pushing its factory employees to move fast and this led to defective pieces.
• Management Failures: Whistleblower evidence from Boeing’s former employees at its 737 factory in Renton, Washington tell a story of dangerously unstable production environments, overworked employees, chronic part shortages, extreme schedule pressure to deliver the MAX plays, and ignoring internal staff recommendations that Boeing’s leadership shut down production operations.

Where to now for Boeing?

The fallout from Boeing’s quality problems continues. The FAA pursues its investigations into the company’s quality management practices and the whistleblower complaints. In May 2024, Boeing provided its corrective action plan which was to show all the actions it would take to strengthen its quality management system, operator work instructions, supplier oversight, employee and training programmes, and internal audits of the production system. Boeing just appointed a new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, whose first move was to base himself in Puget Sound, Washington, to be closer to the production floor rather than be in Boeing’s headquarters in Washington D.C.

AMREP’s Quality Perspective on Boeing

For quality professionals like AMREP, Boeing’s quality problems are a parable and frightful example of just how poorly a company can handle quality issues. Quality Inspection Services are critical in identifying and mitigating risks before they escalate into major issues, as starkly demonstrated by the fatal crashes of the 737 Max airplanes and the incident with two astronauts stranded in space.

Boeing’s situation contains all the prime examples of what not to do in quality. Most of all, it shows us that good quality can only be attained if the management wills it and is open to acting on quality issues. It also shows that management has to be proactive in creating an open, transparent, and safe environment where employees can fearlessly report on quality issues and have confidence that management will consider their recommendations seriously. This open management culture has to be promulgated at every organization involved in a company’s supply chain.