Qualtrend: Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence System

An Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence (EMI) system transforms plant floor quality data into real-time answers that make business strategies more effective and decision making much easier. QualTrend is an Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence system that helps you:

• Extract and aggregate data from diverse plant-floor systems in multiple locations.

• Transform data into Key Performance Indicators.

• Automatically distribute decision-support information using the Internet or corporate intranet.

Why to use QualTrend?

The Problem: Isolated Information

In manufacturing enterprises today valuable plant-level data resides in many diverse systems and formats. These systems and formats are often incompatible, forcing you to repeat time-consuming data-gathering steps. The data is also frequently dispersed in many locations, from individual cells in a department to multiple plants worldwide.

The Solution: QualTrend

QualTrend is a Web-based plant floor portal that quickly and cost-effectively enables you to tap into the wealth of information isolated in your existing plant floor systems, then transform that information into Key Performance Indicators essential to achieving your business goals. QualTrend uses the power of the Internet to distribute this information wherever it is needed to empower managers, workers, customers and suppliers.

QualTrend uses economic, flexible and powerful Web-based technology. QualTrend is a dynamic Web application that resides on a Web server. As a superior thin-client technology, it allows reporting, analysis and configuration through standard Web browsers. QualTrend also displays reports through any standard Web browser.

QualTrend requires no replacement or modification of existing systems and requires no storage investment. Companies can use QualTrend to extract data from virtually any data repository (ASCII files, binary files, relational databases, SQL databases, text files, CSV files, and even web pages). QualTrend provides a full complement of Six Sigma tools to analyze data and present results in concise and useable reports. Simple dashboard displays deliver only the decision-making information the user requires while keeping the complex manipulations and non-critical factors behind the scenes. This empowers manufacturing decision makers to effortlessly monitor such areas as process performance, asset utilization or supplier quality using "Exception Only" or "Key Performance Indicator" methods.

QualTrend keeps all parties advised of current operational status through automated, scheduled report summaries delivered via web browser. QualTrend enables companies to monitor, analyze and respond to critical production information that impacts the bottom line.

QualTrend advantages

• Cost Effective: QualTrend is an economical solution that enables users to preserve and capitalize on existing legacy-system investments.

• Summarize Plant-Floor Data in a Business Context: QualTrend lets you formulate Key Performance Indicators (KPI) based on the information trapped in isolated factory-level production and quality systems.

• Real-Time Information: QualTrend gives you real-time information from multiple locations and systems. View data in graphical or analytical summary formats.

• Analysis: QualTrend combines, correlates and analyzes data using hundreds of extensive statistical tools, charts and graphics (e.g. ANOVA, Multiple Regression, Box Plot, DOE, Bar Chart, Pareto Chart, X & MR Chart, p Chart, and many more). Users can customize analysis tools to meet individual needs.

• Rule by Exception: QualTrend simplifies problem-identification by filtering data through user-defined business rules and logic. QualTrend detects potential problems and automatically notifies key personnel.

• Quick Implementation: QualTrend requires no replacement or modification of existing systems, and requires no storage investment. QualTrend is quick to implement, easy to learn and centrally maintained.

Customizable reports

Few examples of customizable reports that have been created using QualTrend follow (please use the link to see the output):

Real-Time production status: QualTrend gives you the ability to check the status of your production facilities.

• Access up-to-the-minute information based on real-time data either on-demand or automatically on a pre-defined schedule.

• Automatically alert specified personnel based on pre-defined rules, severity levels and events by e-mail, pager or on-screen display.

• Focus on topics ranging from a single department’s performance to a specific, cross-functional view of worldwide operations.

• Automatically distribute critical information when and where it is most needed.

• Reduce labor-intensive manual report generation, saving both time and money.

• Increase productivity, maintain schedules and contain costs through proactive problem resolution.

Examples

Yield Summary by Line: online summary that lets you view detail on individual lines or machines. Use this information to make informed decisions that support Lean Manufacturing initiatives and Six Sigma programs.

Variable summary: This is a standard production level quality chart among hundreds of charts and graphs which are user selectable, or can be easily customized.

6-Sigma Analysis Tools: QualTrend supports Six Sigma initiatives through comprehensive and customizable analysis tools that will work for you.

• Includes hundreds of pre-defined statistical tools, charts and graphs, all customizable such as ANOVA, multiple regression, DOE, etc.

• Transform and/or create new data sets by applying math or logic functions to extracted data for additional analysis.

• Customize analytical tools to meet individual needs.

• Proactively analyze and control variances in business, production and quality processes.

Examples

Linear Regression: This chart details the linear regression of a process including specific mean and variance figures. With over 300 advanced statistical tools, including ANOVA and DOE, QualTrend leads the industry in transformation of raw production and quality data into viable decision support information.

Overall Process Cpk Summary: These charts show advanced overall process capability studies by part, department, plant or division summarizing all variances being monitored. You can drill down through multiple layers to the smallest component, to reach the underlying statistics. This top-down management view summarizes all process metrics into a single metric much like a balanced scorecard. This feature also provides advanced analytical support for Six Sigma programs involving business, quality and production processes.

Monitor Supplier Quality: QualTrend extends your view into the supply chain by applying metrics to supplier information for at-a-glance analysis of supplier performance.

• Complements Supply Chain Management (SCM) and collaboration software by adding metrics and analytics to supplier data.

• Provides metrics for Lean Manufacturing and Just-In-Time (JIT) delivery initiatives.

• Provides web access to compliance document systems, corrective action and non-conformance reporting, defect analysis etc.

• Supports supplier scorecard and ranking methods.

• Reduce turn-around time in corrective action and non-conformance reporting.

• Work closely with suppliers for continuous improvement and increased efficiency.

• Create standardized report structure across the supply chain

Examples

OTD Summary: This chart shows a summary of On-Time-Delivery (OTD) percentages to your individual customers. Months where the actual figures have fallen below targeted values are highlighted in yellow or red, based on user defined criteria. Current information on strategic customers for sales management and business development groups helps foster customer responsiveness and increase revenue opportunities.

Incoming Material Summary: This chart displays a summary of materials on hand from all suppliers regardless of data source. Like this, you can make quick schedule changes and optimize production without having to access inventory or MRP applications.

For more information, please visit http://www.winspc.com/qualtrend.htm

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