Product costs are the costs allocated or the costs accumulated to create a product.  In general, Product costs will include direct labor, direct materials, consumable production supplies (MRO), and factory overhead.  A product cost is typically calculated on a single unit or on a batch of units and divided by the number of units manufactured.  This is why ordering in "bulk" or "batch" is often times more cost effective, because the cost of the batch is spread over the entire group rather than accumulated to one piece.  Keep in mind that product costs are initially recorded as inventory on a companies records.  Once the product is sold, it then becomes an expense (cost of goods sold).

  Muri is the overburdening of operators or equipment.  Muri often asks or sometimes requires either people or machines to work much harder and much longer than a regular or "appropriate" schedule would. 

  Along with Mura and Muri, Muda is one of the three origins of waste.  The phrase muda means uselessness or wastefulness.  There are two types of Muda that are non-value added activities.  

  ​A function check or functional test will help you measure the ability of your equipment to perform and work as it should.

  Single minute exchange of die is a concept developed by Shigeo Shingo which seeks to perform all setup/changeover times under ten minutes (single minute).

  Along with muda and muri, mura is one of three origins of waste.  Mura is the unevenness or variability in a workplace.  The term mura originated within the Toyota Production System.  Mura often causes disruptions in flow, throughput and places unnecessary strain on employees.  

  The 5 why technique is a simple and effective method of performing a root cause analysis.  The approach is most often used with the cause and effect or fishbone diagram. 

  Critical Characteristics are the attributes or, "characteristics" of a product or piece of information that must function properly so that no failure of the product or needed information occurs.

  A checklist is a tool that can be used to ensure that you have everything required to set up and run your next operation.  It may also be used to ensure that important steps or actions have been taken that are important for an operation.  A checklist is different than a checksheet.  A checklist is used to show completion of a particular activity.

  ISO 9000 is a group of international standards that has been developed and focuses on quality in the areas of management (quality management) and assurance (quality assurance).  The standards were developed to help companies effectively document a quality system and its elements.  The system also assists in the implementation and maintenance of an effective quality system.