QMS/9000+TM

Features and Functions

4.9 Process Control

Proactively alarming for adverse process trends is more cost-effective than correcting problems after they have occurred. QMS/9000+ provides a real-time, distributed, SPC environment in which the current status of all user-identified process and/or product characteristics is monitored during production. Immediate exception reports of all adverse trends are automatically dispatched to the factory floor where short loop corrective action can be initiated. Historic information is maintained in an on-line database which provides management summary information and ad hoc inquiry access for extended analyses. Factory Floor Control

• User-set real-time adverse trend detection
• User-set alarm levels
• Exception reporting of adverse trends
• Plant-wide summaries of adverse trends by process, shift, operator, time period, machine, etc.
• High false positive filtering
• 4:1 detection advantage over standard X-Bar
• User-interfaced alarm screens
• Processes data from automatic test equipment including bar code, vision systems, etc.
• Automatic link to short loop corrective action system
• Summarizes and stores quality checks
• Real-time access to control charts
• Real-time CUSUM algorithms for automatic adverse trend detection of both variables and attributes
• Derived variables/attributes also controlled in real-time
• Corrective action for control problems provides operators with real-time decision support
• Real-time access to summary statistics
• Multiple data streams simultaneously handled

Factory Floor Control

• Inspection instructions/drawings available at worksite
• Real-time adverse trend detection and exception alarming
• Real-time control charts and summary statistics
• Plant-wide trend summaries by process, shift, operator, time-period, machine, line or other user-defined parameters, available to management in graphical display
• Input from bar coding systems, automated test equipment, vision systems, in-line transducers, etc.
• Statistical correlation between adverse process trends and product failures (particularly helpful in the design and engineering stage)
• Advanced, real-time CUSUM capability operates four times faster than X-Bar-R trend detection
• High false positive filtering
• Automatic link to short loop corrective action system
• Environmental monitoring

Short Loop Corrective Action

Certain corrective actions must be taken in real time by operating personnel. QMS/9000+ has an expert system to facilitate this decision support process:

• CUSUM analysis for rapid identification of out-of-control trending
• Red-line adverse trends automatically trigger corrective action
• Approved list of corrective actions
• Pareto rank of successful past corrective actions by problem type
• Results [e.g. successful] of corrective action recorded
• Continuous process monitoring
• Historic records of prior corrective actions
• Correlation functions relating corrective actions taken to results produced

Process Capability Studies

The first step in process control is to determine if a process can meet its design objectives; and if not, why. Once an acceptable process capability is achieved, control then consists of assuring that the process continuously runs at its most capable best. QMS/9000+ provides the tools required to determine process capabilities, both from test run data and from actual production data; and the tools required to help identify the causes of poor process capability (e.g. a production line defect, an untrained operator, a poorly supervised shift, etc.). QMS also supplies the mechanism to use the process capability results to specify the targets that characterize an acceptable process for continuous process monitoring.See 4.20 Statistical Techniques

• Complete history of test results
• Standard statistics such as: process average, standard deviation, smallest variate, largest variate, range, skewness, kurtosis, 95% confidence band, and six sigma band
• C, Cp, Cpk, Cpu and Cpl
• Test for normality and projected defect levels
• Within lot/subgroup sigma, between lot/subgroup sigma, sigma of sigma
• Breakdown of statistics and capability by time window, source, shift, etc.
• Comparison of actual performance of internal processes or finished product characteristics to required performance targets
• Graphics including charting for:X-bar R, X-bar, Sigma, Sigma-Sigma, P, C, Cp,Cpk, U, NP, Cpl, Time Series, Histograms, Pareto Rankings, Regression, Data Transformations, Scatter Diagrams
• Percent defective estimate
• Best fit normal distribution compared with target process distribution
• Charts and statistics for attributes

4.9.2 Special Processes

QMS/9000+ can be used to qualify/validate special processes and continuously monitor these processes to ensure that the specified requirements are being met. Records are maintained on personnel and equipment.

JKA, Inc.

Phone: 732.991.2256 FAX: 609.607.8527 E-mail: jka@qmsprograms.com

copyright 1998, JKA,Inc.

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