Quality
These quality checks can be performed and recorded by operators or samples can be taken from the production line and measured in a laboratory environment.
Quality related data can be entered in these ways:
- Manually, using a data entry page in MES
- Manually, using a data entry page in MES with the data automatically read from a gauge using an RS232/USB connection
- Importing quality data files into MES in the background, where the operator is not required to enter data but still has visibility on automatically recorded violations
Operators are guided through the quality data collection process by spreadsheet-style input in MES.
Visual defects can also be recorded, enabling operators to highlight defects on one or more images. Visual data collection is contextualized to allow only valid defects to be recorded, based on the selected area of the image. This can prove especially useful in identifying specific issues, for example, weld defects, visual damage, and other deformities.
Key features
These are the key benefits of the quality capability of Infor MES:
- Define and manage quality inspection plans
- Perform in-line checks, laboratory checks, and sampling
- Define and manage all product and process specifications
- Collect data directly from metrology equipment, for example, gauges, balances, 3D measurement, mass spectrometry, and so on
- View images, instructions, and SOPs
- Prompts operators to do the right inspections at the right time, for example, start of job, time-based frequency, tool change, user defined event, and so on
- Build and maintain an inventory of gauges and metrology equipment
- Real-time Statistical Process Control (SPC) on all inspection data
- Alarms for out-of-spec measurements, out of statistical control
- Raise and manage concerns and corrective actions
- Analyze capability process indices, for example, Cp and Cpk
- Create Certificate of Analysis for customers
- Monitor key process parameters in real-time, for example, temperature, pressure, and speed
- Download recipes to Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) to control the production equipment
Benefits
- Improve effectiveness
- Operators are immediately notified when a quality check is due, meaning the right quality check is performed at the right time.
- Infor MES knows the context of the Inspection to be performed, it knows the operator, shift, time, production order, production run, material, machine, inventory pack, asset, and much more. This means the operator can focus on recording the measurements, not the supporting information.
- Images, Instructions and Documents assist the operator performing the quality check.
- Samples can be taken off the line and labelled. These are then taken to the lab and Inspected some time later.
- Samples can be measured before and after a process, for example before and after a filling operation.
- The data entry page automatically performs calculations where required, improving the accuracy of calculated measurements such as differences and averages.
- Operators are automatically guided through the spreadsheet, collecting the measurements in the correct order.