In the face of ongoing market changes, multifaceted quality analyses contribute to ensuring production continuity, increasing the quality of the products offered and maintaining a stable market position. The aim of the research was to create a unified rank model for detection methods in the identification of aluminium casting non-conformities, in line with the paradigms of the fourth industrial revolution. The originality of the model enables the creation of a rank for the effectiveness of total inspection points allowing for the optimisation of detection methods. Verification of the model was carried out against the production process of aluminium casting. The model included the integration of non-destructive testing (NDT) methods and the analysis of critical product non-conformities, along with the determination of the level of effectiveness and efficiency of inspection points. The resulting ranking of detection methods indicated the NDT method as the most effective, which was influenced by the significant detection of critical non-conformities and the automation of the process. The study observed little difference in the visual inspection and measurement efficiency parameters, which was due to the identifiability of non-conformities with a lower degree of significance and the low level of inspection cost. Further research will look at the implications of the model in other production processes.

The publication analyses the way of managing and improving the quality of the production process of aluminum pistons for internal combustion engines. The aim of the article is to propose a method of analysis of the effectiveness of individual control methods used in the process of controlling the aluminium piston. Thanks to the location of a control point with the highest share of product non - compliance detection in the production process, it is possible to reduce quality control points by less effective points, which will contribute to lower costs or shorten the time of production processes. In view of the increasing demands on the efficiency of the checkpoints for components in internal combustion engines, the issue is important and topical.

The foundry industry consumes significant amounts of natural resources, metals, and energy, and it generates large amounts of solid waste and gases, which have a significant impact on the environment. Therefore, taking sustainability-based improvement measures in foundry companies is necessary and an important part of sustainable development for humanity. The aim of this study was to develop a universal indicator model for quality control improvement focused on the foundry industry. The model allows a multi-criteria analysis of various quality control methods and the determination of their gradation in the context of ensuring an objectively high level of product quality. A test of the model carried out in foundry companies confirmed its suitability. An optimisation of the relationship between product quality and quality control efficiency was carried out, which fulfilled the criteria of efficiency, reliability, low emissivity, low energy intensity, low cost, short lead time, and automation. Thanks to the indicated features, the model clearly fits into the concept of sustainable development and Industry 4.0. The result of the realised research, i.e., the ranking of the gradation of detection methods, allowed optimisation of quality control within the analysed production process. Future research directions will address the integration of digital solutions within the model.

The economic progress of recent years has contributed to the fact that both the quality of products and services offered and ISO standardization have become priority criterion that determines the success of manufacturing enterprises. Therefore, the monitoring and supervision of processes carried out in manufacturing companies is a key issue. These aspects support the achievement of key economic and quality objectives. The paper presents the results of a study on manufacturing enterprises in the context of process monitoring maturity. The research objective of the study was to determine the level of maturity in the use of process monitoring techniques and methods in manufacturing enterprises. The subject of the research were the techniques and methods used by the surveyed enterprises in such areas as: production management, machinery park management, warehouse management, transport management, inventory and supply management and IT tools. In order to determine the level of maturity, the author’s model was used, according to which the level of maturity of a manufacturing enterprise in the area of process monitoring depends on the instrumentation that is used in it.

An essential element of any industry is castings, which is determined by the technical conditions for their reception. However, conducting production in the foundry technology is burdened with many difficulties associated with, for example, the inability to control all of the parameters that may affect the casting quality. Therefore, it is essential to undertake improvement actions in this area. Efforts are being made to use non-destructive testing (NDT) as a part of quality control, but these methods are rarely combined in a single diagnostic run. As a part of quality improvement, it is also essential to identify the root cause of the problem. For this reason, it is justified to develop a model of diagnosing and searching for non-conformities, which would combine NDT tests and quality management tools. The model included the visual, ultrasound, and eddy current examination in the diagnostic part, and the Pareto–Lorenz diagram correlated with ABC method, histogram, and 5WHY method (asking five questions why). The study’s originality is manifested in the combination of several NDT methods with quality management methods in one model. Using integrally configured methods in the proposed model, it was possible to: reduce diagnostic uncertainty, characterize the critical group of non-conformities, and identify the root causes of the quality problem. The model is a new and universal method that can be implied in any foundry company in order to ensure the stability of the production processes. The application of the model contributes to an increase in the detection speed and enables the reduction of non-conformities in aluminium castings, thus increasing the quality level of the offered products.