Presented in this article are the author's research on opportunities and restrictions arising from the current level of production equipment and the possibilities of the human operator. The studies are realized on the basis of consultation experience in respect the problems of achieving quality in manufacturing. The classification is proposed on the base of system “man-machine”. Restraint factors are reviewed. Relational to the modern concepts of sustainable development, recommendations are presented to achieve quality in the production process and the preservation of knowledge in the organization.