Quality Control Management - Lighthouse MES Quality

Quality control management software to support the entire quality control plan

A comprehensive quality control management software solution to manage and enforce a quality control system

Manufacturing processes are continually being reengineered to extract cost, meaning there are fewer margins for error. With higher targets and stricter quality control, the typical challenges for quality management are:

Performance – does the product still perform?
Compliance – can you demonstrate that you are meeting the control plan?
Cost - how to lower the cost of quality?
Customer Satisfaction - how to reduce claims and improve customer life-time value?

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What are the benefits of the Quality Control Management module?

Improve Quality by enforcing the Control Plan - all our customers notice how quickly the system drives up the level of checks recorded and the quality of data captured. Quality improves
Improve customer confidence – customers like to see that you have modern systems driving quality control
Lower the cost of quality – capture and analyse data automatically; speed up reporting; do more with less
React faster - problems can’t go unnoticed, they are immediately visible and can be escalated. Think how many times you wish you’d known sooner!
Save time - manage by exception – no wading through good data as you will be notified when there is a problem
Improve effectiveness - one place for all quality data, easily accessible to all, from anywhere, provided in a consistent and easy to use format
Support continuous improvement – build up a repository of quality data and measurements; use it to identify top issues and trends; make improvements; measure and sustain
Manage the Control Plan – one place to create and maintain the quality control plan. Check adherence to plan and identify areas for improvement

A quality control system must be defined, checks must be made and actions taken based on the results. Apply the Quality Control Management module of Lighthouse MES software to:

Create and manage the quality control plan in the MES software
Capture all shopfloor quality data in one place
Be alerted to process variation in real-time (requires the SPC analysis software module)
React to the data to reduce issues
Report and analyse the data in a consistent way

Features
Case Studies
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Manage the Quality Control Plan in the Quality Management Software

Define required Quality Checks across the whole factory from in-line checks to the Lab; set up Attributes and Variables to record, define frequencies and sample sizes
Define Variable Specifications (as tolerances or absolute values – USL/LSL) including single sided tolerances; add optional plausible limits
Grade Variables and Attributes; e.g. critical, major, minor
Define event-based checks for certain circumstances; e.g. at job start, when a lot is created or after an out-of-spec reading
Version control the quality plan: if a specification changes, the old and new versions are kept and the measurement data is tied to the correct specification

Manual Data Collection

Ensure checks are systematically done by prompting operators to perform manual checks or take samples
Line Operatives can enter the measurement data directly into screens

Automatic Data Capture

Automatically import measurement data from other systems; e.g. CMMs, spectrometers, bespoke gauges or camera systems
Connection to gauges via the RS232 port e.g. scales and dimensional gauges – to reduce typing and eliminate errors

Alerts

Instant alerts to issues e.g. when measurements are out-of-spec; or out-of-control (see SPC Software); or if critical defects are found
Dashboards highlight quality issues instantly for operators and quality inspectors on the shop floor to take action

Continuous Improvement

Optionally record Causes and Actions when problems arise (requires the Concerns & CAPA module)

Quality Inspections

Carry out AQL (Acceptance Quality Limit) inspection routines
Follow ISO2859

Reporting

An array of reporting is available as standard, which can be adapted as required

Measurement values
Recorded quality checks – what has been done
Issues: out-of-spec measurements, defects found
Process Capability Indices e.g. Cp, Cpk
Control Plan Conformance – did you do all the checks required in the shift?
Insight: Pareto analysis, trends
Customer certificates

See how manufacturers are using the Quality module of Lighthouse MES software and to what benefit:

Automotive

►Nissan (Sunderland) case study
Well-known vehicle manufacturer increases efficiency and enhances quality control with all quality data now monitored in a web-based factory information system.

►GKN Land Systems (formerly Chassis Systems Ltd) case study
Vehicle parts manufacturer gains real-time visibility of quality data across the factory, facilitating improved throughput and efficiency.

►Le Bélier case study
Leading parts manufacturer increases production and improves quality with Lighthouse MES software.

Food & Beverages

►Pladis (formerly United Biscuits) case study
Biscuit manufacturer improves quality assurance and compliance with Lighthouse MES; customer quality audits are reduced to 2 hours compared to 3 days.

Packaging

►Ardagh Metal Packaging (AMP) case study
Lighthouse MES integrates with Ardagh Metal Packaging's SAP® Software to receive incoming data on aluminium coils and carry out the quality checks and tracking process.

►Ball (formerly Rexam) case study
Global beverage can maker focuses on quality control with Lighthouse MES system.

►PET Bottle Manufacturer case study
PET bottle manufacturer increases customer satisfaction with Quality Management software from Lighthouse, an Infor Company.

Medical Devices

►Plastibell case study
Injection moulding manufacturer automates quality management resulting in improved traceability and efficiency.

Lighthouse MES provides the platform for a comprehensive quality management system to help you better implement Quality Control. Get more value from the Quality module by using it in conjunction with other modules:

SPC Analysis Software – automatically generate SPC charts from all quality data and provide real-time alarm generation if measured values break control limits or trend rules
Links to Documents – provide operators with documented procedures like SOPs or procedures describing how to do the quality check, available in one-click
Concerns/CAPA – automatically generate Concerns (non-Conformance) under specific circumstances. Manage Concerns to closure e.g. containment action, corrective action, preventative action
Manufacturing Process Monitoring – beside quality measurements capture real-time process data e.g. oven temperatures, speeds, pressures, cooling, flows, volumes