Problem: Lack of Real-Time SPC Monitoring
A global manufacturer of security devices consolidated and integrated four manufacturing sites into a single, purpose-built facility. The transition into the new facility offered a golden opportunity to modernize and fine-tune the facility’s quality control procedures.
Before moving operations, the company’s separate manufacturing facilities had relied on manual, pencil-and-paper processes and data gathering. The legacy systems didn’t provide real-time monitoring or quality control for the production lines. Investigating and mitigating issues required heavy reliance on manual data records and alerts from the floor operators.
Those legacy manual processes didn’t provide the flexibility to add internal specs for different customers or products, and operators had no real-time out-of-control spec alerts. Often, by the time someone noticed a process deviation, it was already too late and a lot of product had to be scrapped.
To be responsive to quality demands and customer requirements, the organization needed access to real-time data.
Solution: Quality Control with ProFicient Software
The launch of the new site offered a rare opportunity to bring in new people, modernize technology, and improve processes—a chance to change the manufacturing company’s direction and culture. Part of that “upgrade” was the introduction of InfinityQS® ProFicient™, with the addition of both Data Management System™ (DMS) and Remote Alarm Monitoring Service™ (RAMS).
To garner management buy-in and ensure a successful rollout of the new quality management solution, site leaders decided to launch a pilot program with the ProFicient solution on one process. The first process to be transitioned was a core step that required collection of approximately 50 data points in each “batch” and balancing at each step.
Result: Scrap Reduction and Rapid ROI
The application of ProFicient helped the team transform that core process from their highest concern and worst yield to extreme consistency.
The team used ProFicient to standardize the legacy process area database and sift the data it housed. Then, they expanded the solution to automate data collection across the process. From there, they integrated measurement systems, in-process collections, and end-process inspection. They now have live monitoring and end-to-end visibility across the entire process.
Other notable improvements since the rollout of ProFicient include:
- 24% reduction in scrap at finishing visual inspection in the first year
- 32% reduction in operator variation
- Reduction in the time it takes engineers to generate analyses and reports
- Adoption of more paperless systems
The successful rollout has also helped create a strong, data-driven team environment, empowering line operators—and everyone else—to take part in improving quality. With ProFicient, operators and engineers can control the process rather than questioning where the data came from. With the ProFicient solution, the team can create standardization in procedures and disseminate those new SOPs to the rest of operations.
And that solid, accessible data is a major proof point that has helped management understand the value of modernizing processes across the entire company. From the initial process area, the team is now rolling ProFicient, DMS, and RAMS to a new line every few months.
ProFicient has given this manufacturing facility the opportunity to build a truly modern solution that can be reproduced successfully across the rest of the company.