QMS/9000+TM

Features and Functions

4.10 Inspection and Testing

Inspection and testing are critical for quality management. QMS/9000+ allows you to specify and maintain on a central database: product specifications, test procedures, acceptance criteria, sampling plans and the individual test results by characteristic for all material purchased and/or manufactured internally. User-defined lot acceptance determinations are automatically made in real time; and current source [e.g. external supplier/internal manufacturing stage] performance can be statistically compared with past performance as well as with the performance of other sources [e.g. alternate suppliers/alternate production lines].

Inspection Features Shared by all Stages

Inspection needs at incoming, in-process and final inspection have many similar requirements. QMS/9000+ architecture takes advantage of shared functionality while addressing the differences that must be met for each of these areas.

4.10.1 Receiving Inspection and Testing

Quality starts at suppliers, with incoming material. QMS/9000+ enables users to define quality test procedures, acceptance criteria and sampling plans. Pass/fail decisions are made in real time so defective materials are not introduced into the manufacturing process.

4.10.2 In-process Inspection and Testing

QMS/9000+ manages in-process product inspection and conformance much like receiving inspection. In addition, because proactively detecting adverse process trends is more cost-effective than correcting problems after they have occurred, QMS/9000+ also provides a real-time, distributed, SPC environment. Optionally QMS/9000+ compares the current status of each product characteristic with targets, providing immediate feedback of adverse trends to the factory floor before defects are produced. Historic information is maintained in an on-line database which provides management summary information and ad hoc inquiry access for extended analysis of the processes [See 4.1 Management Responsibility].

4.10.3 Final Inspection and Testing

The release of products into the warehouse for shipment is the last opportunity to guarantee one's reputation for superior quality. QMS/9000+ allows you to set your outgoing quality level and assure its maintenance using an optimized release strategy ranging from low level auditing to 100% automated testing. Data gathered at the final "release gate" can also be used to relate product defectives to adverse process trends.

4.10.4 Inspection and Test Records

QMS/9000+ automatically maintains a database of both observed data and the results of acceptance/ control checking [See also 4.16 Quality Records].

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