25th November 2019

How to Optimise Production Quality with DELMIAWORKS

Using Quality Management to optimise your product quality and manufacturing efficiencies

In a recent webinar, Lisa Palecek (Senior Solutions Engineer) and Alan Davis (Senior Account Executive) at DELMIAWORKS (previously known as IQMS) explored the subject of optimising production quality and manufacturing efficiency.

With many mid-market manufacturers increasingly diversifying their offerings, they are having to comply with more and more quality standards.

ISO.

QS.

TS/IATF.

To name but a few. And with more quality standards, come more quality audits.

Wouldn’t it be easier if you had a single manufacturing software system to go to answer any questions your customer may ask you?

And, could ensure that only trained and qualified operators were working on any particular production operation?

And, were only using properly calibrated instruments?

And, were only running the parts on properly Production Part Approval Processed (PPAP) lines?

The good news is that DELMIAWORKS supports all these quality functions (and more) through modules (which are all designed, developed and supported by DELMIAWORKS) such as:

  • Real-time Process Monitoring
  • SPC and Data Collection
  • Quality Process Management
  • Document Control
  • Time and Attendance
  • Workforce.

Any of these modules can be added to an existing DELMIAWORKS implementation or added as a phase one or phase two project of a new ERP or MES software implementation.

Quality Management in DELMIAWORKS

We’re all very familiar with the age-old saying that everyone is responsible for quality, but quality has evolved to mean so much more than just measuring parts dimensional accuracy – although the number of defective parts will affect your PPM score.

But, so do factors such as having the wrong packaging or labelling.

DELMIAWORKS can be configured to replicate a manufacturer’s current quality management processes, but at the same time improve (and often simplify) those processes to increase cross-functional participation, accuracy and control.

In any quality management process, multiple stages, personnel and touchpoints can be in play.

  • Create user defined templates and forms for quality processes, including corrective actions, engineering change orders, deviations and material review boards, etc.
  • Automate quality workflows (serial, broadcast or mixed)
  • Manage quality processes from initiation through completion and record retention – all in a paperless environment
  • Ensure all transactions/approvals are recorded in a single database with appropriate time and date stamp to comply with 21 CFR Part
  • Have direct access to inventory and costing data so that you can react to and correct problems early, plus increase data accuracy and record retention.

Keeping track of quality checks in your manufacturing process

With any process, you need to ensure that those checks are being carried out by your shop floor operatives and/or quality engineers.

Those checks might be at initial set up, at set points during production and/or at the end of a shift/production run.

In DELMIAWORKS, these checks can be set up easily to enable real-time tracking of product and process quality to facilitate continuous improvement efforts, for example:

  • Inspections plans: input and maintain dimensions to track process capability, determine lot acceptability, or conduct first article inspections
  • CMM import: import CMM data automatically from PCDMIS output
  • Quick inspections: enable operators to easily enter data on kiosks, tablets and/or hand-held devices to complete statistical analysis
  • Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts are generated based on the type of data (includes X-bar-R, X-MR, histograms and p and np charts for attributes)
  • Values for Cpk, Ppk, Cr, control limits, etc. are quickly system generated.
  • Gauge and measurement system tracking and management: enable users to track and maintain records of all gauge calibrations, whether these are conducted in-house or outsourced.

Automatic alerts when a process is going out of tolerance

Process monitoring in DELMIAWORKS connects with your machines on the shop floor. This enables the automatic collection and analysis of critical manufacturing control data by the machine PLC (or one provided by DELMIAWORKS), such as:

  • Collect and monitor machine cycle times, downtime and set up time, etc.
  • Capture machine control data
  • Get real-time feedback with control charts and custom reporting
  • Part and process data by date range, work order number, lot number and BOM number, etc.

Document control and Quality Audits

Central to any manufacturing quality management system is document control. DELMIAWORKS ensures that all employees have access to the right documentation every time by enabling the creation, editing and distribution of controlled documents throughout the enterprise.

  • Check-in and check-out for changes and edits
  • Maintain older versions as needed
  • Track revisions and all associated metadata (i.e. approvals, suggestions, etc.)
  • Paperless (and indeed, paper light) distribution with controlled access based on individual user needs.

In terms of quality audits, DELMIAWORKS is kept up-to-date with all auditing activities to:

  • Find and correct con-conformance so manufacturers can implement better ways to drive quality throughout their business
  • Maintain a calendar of both internal and external audits – and who participated
  • Create specific auditing lists and questions
  • Track all audits and non-conformances, which can then be linked to CARS and other quality processes
  • All transactions and approvals are recorded to the database with a user time and date stamp.

Posted by Paul on 25th November 2019.