Quality Management Database Systems

• Estimating 
• Routing and Scheduling 
• Shop Floor Data Collection 
• Electronic Downtime Collection and Reporting 
• Electronic Time and Attendance 
• Complete ISO 9000-based Quality System 
• Complete Documentation Control and Management 
• Process Improvement Teams and Employee Training Logs 
• Gage Calibration Tracking 
• Closed Loop Nonconformance Tracking and Problem Solving 
• Tooling and Maintenance Inventory Tracking 
• Maintenance Work Orders 
• Preventative Maintenance 
• Pre-defined and User-Definable Reporting 
• Real-Time, On-line SPC Monitoring and Closed Loop Control 

Estimating
The estimating module allows the user to create various templates that utilize; raw materials, machine and personnel costs, allowances for downtime and waste, shipping and inventory costs, as well as other fixed and variable costs.

The user can combine any of the database fields and create process-specific algorithms that provide estimated costs at the touch of a key. The templates also allow non-supervisory personnel to create what-if scenarios such as alternative raw materials or machines to create optimal manufacturing runs.

The ease-of-use and flexibility of the system ensures that your operation is not locked into a vendor-prescribed methodology.

Scheduling and Routing
Process routing is a standard feature of the QMDS and allows for order or lot routing to be created for utilization in the manufacturing environment. Various levels of security allow for movement of material to alternative processes or can lock the process to factory personnel.

Finite and geometric scheduling algorithms are available in the Stochos systems, but in most cases they are custom designed for each type of manufacturing.

The routing systems can incorporate scheduling data from other software systems you may already utilize. The Database System can then present the schedules as defined by the third-party package in the Shop Floor Data Collection system.

Shop Floor Data Collection
The Shop Floor module incorporates all production-related information into an ISO 9000-style quality system. Shop Floor data includes quantities, waste, downtime, employee time cards and tracking, etc. The Shop Floor system fits cleanly into the Quality System due to that fact that quality requires traceability from finished goods to raw materials.

Order quantities can be entered as orders are completed, or updated as pallets or lots are created while generating traditional or bar-code style labels and tags for real-time production and inventory tracking. Work-In-Process and inventory tracking allows system users to view any order quantities at any point in the process with the touch of a key.

Electronic Downtime Collection and Reporting
The downtime module is an electronic system that replaces orphan ‘black boxes’ and automatically ties data to orders, machines, shifts, etc. Users can create tables that allow operators to define downtime in a single keystroke. The reporting modules create pro-active management of real data. Both process and product-caused bottlenecks are easily identified and attempts at improvement can be quickly identified as successes or failures.

Waste reporting works similarly to the downtime module and provides a multitude of reporting techniques for intelligent decision making.

Production Efficiency reporting compares shop floor data to the estimating system data on demand.

Electronic Time Cards
Part of Stochos’ Database System design is to place all manufacturing paperwork at the cost center level. Employees log their times quickly and directly into the Shop Floor Data Collection module.

Edit functions are available to appropriate personnel, and files can be read directly into your payroll system. This module replaces the costly proprietary magnetic strip or bar-code systems and incorporates all data collection into one data entry screen.

Complete Quality System
The Quality Management module incorporates all of the traditional Quality System requirements, ISO 9000 requirements, and advanced tools available only in Stochos systems.

The Quality System features;

• individualized customer and/or product specific definition of Quality Tests and parameters
• complete real-time Statistical Process Control feedback and control chart display on demand 
• automatic Corrective Action/Cause of Failure display and reporting 
• color-coded alarming for Out-of-Specification and Out-of-Control conditions 
• completely user-definable Certificates of Analysis, Compliance, and/or Tests that are automatically generated when orders are ready to ship 
• automatic gage input where required 

Documentation Control
The Quality System electronically controls all documentation, including the paper tiger created by ISO 9000 systems.

Documents and document-types are user-definable and must go through a routing and sign-off process before becoming active. Scanned or computer generated images are also captured in the system. Stochos users have utilized the Documentation Control module to eliminate some of the following paper trails;

• Quality Manuals 
• Standard Operating Procedures 
• Work Instructions 
• Safety Procedures 
• MSDS documentation 
• Scanned or computer generated Print sketches, schematics, or Blueprints 

Any documentation that is printed is automatically issued as an ‘Uncontrolled Copy’ unless specified differently by appropriate personnel. This function eliminates paperwork, and makes all electronic paperwork securely available to all personnel.

Process Improvement Team and Employee Training Logs
Eliminate the paperwork of your team-based Process Improvement programs. All meetings are electronically documented and easy access to summaries by; the Facilitator, Process Improvement Team, or short-term Breakthrough Teams is available.

Employee training programs are easily tracked in the Employee Training module. Sort by employee, instructor, or training course to see where each employee has been trained. Custom development allows for incentive and award studies to be incorporated.

Gage Calibration Tracking
Caltrack is Stochos’ off-the-shelf solution to your gage calibration requirements. When incorporated into the complete Database System, product that has been measured by suspect gages can be recalled for re-evaluation or notification to customers.

The system tracks both internally and externally calibrated gages and provides easy-to-access reporting to warn you of pending calibrations.

Quality Action Reporting
This powerful module incorporates all Internal, External, Vendor, Safety, Quality Audit, etc. issues into a closed-loop system that requires action from all appropriate personnel.

The QAR's pro-active design ensures that no issues fall through the cracks. The QAR manager can improve and maintain the integrity of your problem solving process. The QAR process incorporates the; Initiation of a QAR, Disposition of Material (when required), Disposition Sign-off, Root Cause Analysis, Corrective Action, Corrective Action Sign-off, QAR owner verification, and QAR Manager verification that the Corrective Action eliminated the Root Cause of the nonconformance.

The structure of the system allows individuals to track the progress of their initiated QARs and brings all personnel into the problem solving process. 

Tooling and Maintenance Inventory Tracking
Stochos has developed a Maintenance module that tracks parts and tooling both in general inventory and machine-designated inventories. Cost centers can sign-off and request inventory changes right from their terminals. There is no need for paperwork or personnel walking around looking for parts or maintenance personnel.

Tools and parts are broken down by supplier and incorporate costs, lead-time, discounts, and vendor information to provide easy access to general and machine specific equipment.

Maintenance Work Orders
The Work Order system is linked into the Shop-Floor Data Collection system and the Tooling and Maintenance Inventory Tracking system.

The Work Order system works with the same closed-loop design that the QAR does. Work Orders are assigned to personnel and signed-off as completed. Completed Work Orders incorporate the parts used, manpower costs, etc.

When linked to the Electronic Time Cards and Automatic Downtime module, the Work Order module becomes a powerful tool for tracking costs.

Preventative Maintenance
The Preventative Maintenance module links maintenance to cost centers and notifies appropriate personnel when PM is due on Machinery and/or Equipment.

PM can be scheduled based on time, pieces produced, cycles, etc. Appropriate personnel are required to sign-off on PM that has been performed, and reporting programs provide exception-based output and summaries of PM performed.

Reporting
The foundation of the Stochos Databases is Quality-related. All data can be output in any format, but many ‘canned’ reports are provided for easy-to-use and understand printed and graphical outputs.

Statistical Process Control reporting techniques are available for Quality data as well as Production, Downtime, and Waste data.

Your company is not required to contact or pay Stochos for reporting changes, since Stochos and third-party report writers ensure flexibility for report generation by you. 

Real Time On-line Statistical Process Control
Stochos offers systems that link directly to process control systems to provide instant continuous SPC-based monitoring of the process control system.

Process control systems often overlook unusual variation while they keep processes within specific limits. SPC Direct spots these trends or runs and alarms operators. Autocorrelation and Cross-Correlation functions provide process monitoring methods far more advanced than the current products on the market. 

Extensive information is available from Stochos about process control monitoring and closed-loop Statistical Process Control systems.

Benefits of using the QMDS

Even though ISO may not be a final objective, the time and money savings realized by modernizing current Quality Systems is staggering. During a recent visit from a client who was certified with a paper system, it was noted that they had spent nearly $500,000 getting certification, and now 10-15% of each employee's time is spent ensuring that ISO standards are followed. They commented that the computer system would cut that time dramatically.

Additionally, the utilization of a computerized Quality System will diminish the chances that a plant would lose ISO certification (or a Quality System would fall apart) due to the faults that can occur in a paper system. A paper system is heavily dependent on the individuals responsible for it. Any changes in personnel or System standards could add tremendously to that burden. As you know with the current production based software systems, the procedures remain in place while personnel change; and Quality-oriented procedural changes require much less effort when implemented via software.

Due to the design of the Stochos system, other benefits include; 

• improved awareness of Quality 
• actual improvement in Quality, leading to fewer returns and increased customer satisfaction and appreciation of Quality (improved marketing tools) 
• utilization of SPC techniques to reduce waste and downtime as they occur 
• capitalization of Quality personnel as problem solvers rather than data recorders or clerks 
• a tremendous historical database of both product and process data that is available to reduce the cost of production and improve/maintain Quality 
• increased productivity as a result of utilization of Quality-based tools in such areas as process capabilities 
• focused capital spending based on results from individual processes 
• direct input and retrieval of data eliminates paperwork and time consuming data entry