The operations manager and I were touring the final assembly line at an engine plant in the Midwest. We stopped at a workstation, one of many, and he pointed out to me a torque wrench hanging there. He explained that this workstation had been a source of quality defects related to improper torqueing in the past. The solution to this issue had been to install a networked tool that not only would torque correctly and consistently, but would also be connected to the factory MES system, store the torque data for that specific serial number, and not permit the line to advance if there was any problem.
I asked if that was a solution to the quality problem. Yes, he responded, but there was a significant capital investment, there is now an additional maintenance requirement, and another potential source of line stoppage if the system malfunctions. So this fix was something of a mixed blessing, but it was a common response to quality problems: look for a technical solution that takes the responsibility away from a human being.