As stated in Ecliptek’s Mission Statement, Ecliptek is in business to profitably supply frequency control products. In an effort to ensure that Ecliptek upholds this company directive, Ecliptek’s executive management established a Quality System. Ecliptek’s Quality Improvement Manual describes the authority and tenets of this system. Within the Quality Improvement Manual is a Quality Policy that states the objectives of the Quality System which is Ecliptek Corporation will deliver defect-free products and services on time to our internal and external customers. The word "Quality" has several meanings. Ecliptek uses the International Organization of Specification’s ISO 8402 definition. Quality is the totality of specified or implied characteristics. This means that quality is not attached to the price of a product but rather to the ability of a product to meet its specification.

Products are more than just tangible items such as crystals and oscillators. A product can also be a service, something that is intangible. Some of the Ecliptek services include front end product information, technical assistance, oscillator and crystal added value options, customized shipping, and billing. Ecliptek considers all tangible and intangible items to be products. Simply put, the following statement expresses Ecliptek’s belief in quality: Say what you do, do what you say, and prove it. This statement is a powerful concept in Ecliptek’s Total Quality Management (TQM) Process.

In order for Ecliptek to meet its goals, Ecliptek consistently uses a Plan, Do, Check, Analyze (PDCA) cycle. Ecliptek plans the processes, implements the plans, measures the process results, and analyzes the measurements. The analysis results are then used to aid in additional planning to further reduce process variation and to increase quality and reliability.

1. Step #1 of Ecliptek’s TQM system is to define the outcome. To state that Ecliptek’s task is to deliver defect-free products to customers is an error of simplicity. Ecliptek needs to specify what actions must take place in order to meet accepted purchase order requirements. To satisfy this requirement, on a regular basis, Ecliptek performs over two hundred different processes. In the most general sense, the Quality Improvement Manual states Ecliptek’s most basic policies. This document lists the tasks that Ecliptek performs to satisfy its fundamental Quality Policy. From this manual, comes a set of Standard Operating Instructions that clearly state each process that accomplishes the requirements of the Quality Improvement Manual. The Standard Operating Procedures state the processes required to fulfill the requirements of the Quality Improvement Manual. The Standard Operating Procedures reference one or more Work Instructions that specifically describe the operation of each process. From its Quality Improvement Manual, Standard Operating Procedures, and Work Instructions, Ecliptek clearly says what it does.
2. Step #2 of Ecliptek’s TQM system is to perform its processes in the manner specified. Not only do specified processes have to occur, each occurrence of the process must be performed exactly as previously performed. The only effective method in continuously supplying defect-free product on time to customers is by constantly performing each operation in exact accordance with its process specification. At this time, the nature and outcome of the specification is unimportant. What is important to note is that Ecliptek does as it says and performs the processes as specified.
3. Step #3 of Ecliptek’s TQM system is to prove that it performed its processes as specified. No matter how good Ecliptek’s intention is in accomplishing its specified tasks, without measuring the outcome of the tasks there is no means of verification. One of the most serious conditions to face is that a process is out of control and nobody knows about the problem. Not only are mistakes happening, causing customer problems, the mistakes will continue to happen. Measurement of important parameters is the only effective method in determining the outcome of a process. There is a cost of quality and a cost due to a lack of quality. To be successful, the cost of quality must be less than the cost due to the lack of quality. Every action not leading to the proper operation of a process step costs money and time. The outcome of each process may be individually measured or combined with the measurements of a different process. Quality Plans have been established to determine the number and nature of needed measurements. These acts allow Ecliptek to prove whether it accomplished what was specified.
4. Step #4 of Ecliptek’s TQM system is to analyze the collected data. The examination of the collected data is required in order to determine whether Ecliptek satisfied, failed, or partially succeeded in meeting process requirements. Usually, the latter is true in that some, but not all, of the requirements have been satisfied. Quality Assurance uses different statistical techniques to analyze the data so that the resulting information may be effectively used to improve the outcome of future operations.

Whether a process is for the ink marking of an oscillator or the entering of a sales order into the main computer system, the operator must perform exactly as is required by the process. Any action that does not comply with the process instructions is done so at the sacrifice of process control, quality, and productivity. The process is not to be modified even if an operator knows that a particular change would be beneficial. The result of such an action would be to eliminate the ability of each person to deliver the same process output given the same inputs. These acts increase process variability, increase costs, and decrease customer service. When an alternate processing method is believed to improve a process, this modification must be channeled through management for evaluation. After careful review of the proposal, if the proposal is determined to benefit the output of the process, then the process documentation must be officially modified so that all personnel may be trained to the new process. In this manner, all affected personnel will be able to perform the process in an identical manner. The training will allow the process to have low variability, high quality, and high customer service.

Ecliptek Corporation will deliver defect-free products and services on time to our internal and external customers. Our goal is simple; our task is formidable. Every action, which we take, determines whether we have or will meet our goal.