Real-time SPC Benefits - Case Study - NorthStar Battery - InfinityQS
Michael Rossi, Quality Engineer at NorthStar Battery, talks about their experience with InfinityQS' real-time SPC Software, ProFicient (http://www.infinityqs.com/software). NorthStar Battery produces lead-acid batteries for the use of telecommunications, cell phone towers and engines. At their facility in Springfield, they perform full lifecycle manufacturing from beginning to end. As a quality engineer, Rossi spends a lot of time performing data analysis and implementing Six Sigma projects. Some of their projects include weight variation projects and analyze data to determine the root cause of any quality issues.
NorthStar is using ProFicient in a sub-assembly area, which includes manual data entry and the use of a gage server. They recently began using ProFicient’s Data Management System (DMS) and Data Collection Service (DCS) which allows them to pull data from a SQL table into the ProFicient database, updating their charts in real-time. Rossi points to access to real-time data as a key benefit of the system because it allows them to react in real time, rather than waiting until the end of the day or the end of the week when a problem has already happened. With real-time data, they can make adjustments to the system after they see one or two failed data points rather than a day or a week later.
Rossi points out that while SPC has been around a long time, electronic SPC offers additional benefits that outweigh traditional manual recording methods, especially through the availability of real-time data. For NorthStar, ProFicient has become an integral, dependable part of their manufacturing processes that is helping them move in the right direction.
For more information on moving away from a paper-based quality system visit http://www.infinityqs.com/articles/th...