The Future of QA/QC in Advanced Manufacturing
Speed, smarter sensors, and the human-in-the-loop advantage
As reshoring, reinvestment, and rapid innovation reshape North American manufacturing, one area is emerging as a cornerstone of competitiveness: quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC). Manufacturers are facing unprecedented pressure to get products to market faster, operate efficiently, and ensure uncompromising quality — all while bridging workforce and skills gaps. In this environment, speed to market, cost efficiency, and reliability can determine whether a manufacturer wins or loses business, which means QA/QC is becoming the foundation for maintaining customer trust and protecting market share.
So, what will QA/QC look like five years from now? On a recent episode of the EWI Technology Podcast, three of EWI’s experts — Logan McNeil (Automation & Controls Engineer), Connie LaMorte (Inspection & Sensor Technology Specialist), and Alex Kitt (Data Science & Advanced QA/QC Specialist) — shared their insights on what will truly change the game for manufacturers.
Speed at quality
For McNeil, the future lies at the intersection of speed and quality.
“Traditionally, you could optimize for speed or for quality,” he explains. “But now, we’re seeing the convergence of technologies that allow us to achieve both.”
Thanks to advances in data management, neural networks/machine learning, and high-speed processing, QA/QC systems are evolving beyond simply flagging defects after the fact. They are moving toward real-time predictive control. As McNeil explains, bringing together multiple modalities of input — such as images from external sensors and process data acquisition — enables real-time control of manufacturing processes. Manufacturers will not only Be able to detect when a problem is occurring but also predict and take immediate corrective action.
In practice, this means production lines will increasingly run faster without sacrificing quality. And many of these actions will be automated. “People are going to look up in five years and realize that entire segments of QA/QC are now automated,” McNeil says. “Not because it was a nice-to-have, but because it’s what we had to do to keep pace.”
Smarter, multifunctional sensors
If automation and speed are one side of the future QA/QC equation, smarter sensors are the other.
LaMorte predicts a major leap in how inspection and sensor technologies are deployed on the manufacturing floor. Today, adding sensors can be complex, requiring significant setup and calibration. Tomorrow, she envisions automatic deployment: simple, user-friendly tools that allow for quick installation, reconfiguration, and scaling across multiple processes.
“Imagine a single cube-shaped sensor that doesn’t just measure one thing, but three or four,” she explains. “It could capture optical data, process signals, even imaging — all in one compact package. And you’d be able to turn on the function you need in real time.”
This flexibility means manufacturers could easily move QA/QC capability across production lines or adapt a single sensor to multiple stages of a process. Multifunctional sensors would also cut costs, reduce complexity, and make high-level QA/QC more accessible to smaller operations.
As LaMorte notes, the shift will be about adding “more dimensions” to sensors — moving from today’s one-to-one inspection tools toward versatile, adaptive devices that deliver richer data and broader insights.
The human-in-the-loop future
But what about the people on the manufacturing floor? Kitt emphasizes that QA/QC innovation isn’t only about automation — it’s also about empowering the workforce.
Reshoring and demographic shifts mean many manufacturing roles will be filled by individuals with less direct experience. Instead of replacing workers with robots, the future of QA/QC can make human roles more dynamic and engaging.
“The exciting opportunity,” Kitt explains, “is human-in-the-loop tools that guide people in real time. Imagine finishing a weld, and your system immediately tells you, ‘Your torch angle was a little off. Adjust it on the next one.’ That immediate feedback improves quality and helps people build skills faster.”
Rather than removing humans from the loop, advanced QA/QC can make their jobs more meaningful, blending human adaptability with data-driven precision. Heads-up displays, wearable sensors, and augmented-reality interfaces could soon become everyday tools that turn quality management into an interactive, technology-augmented experience.
EWI’s role in shaping the future
At EWI, we see these trends as real directions that manufacturers need to prepare for now. Speed with quality, multifunctional sensors, and human-in-the-loop systems are all areas where innovation is already happening.
Our experts work directly with manufacturers to test and validate advanced QA/QC solutions in real-world production environments. We help companies take complex challenges and turn them into competitive advantages.
The future of QA/QC will be about convergence. Automation, sensing, data science, and workforce development are coming together to transform manufacturing quality from a reactive function into a proactive, predictive, and adaptive capability.
Ready to take the next step?
The manufacturers who thrive in the next five years will be the ones who act today. Partnering with EWI gives you access to leading-edge expertise, collaborative innovation, and practical solutions tailored to your production challenges.
If you’re ready to explore how advanced QA/QC can give your organization a competitive edge, reach out to us at [email protected].