Quality assurance for “common sense“ manufacturing

Keywords: Quality assurance, Manufacturing

Now available in the UK from Lilly Software Associates (LSA) is a new software tool that allows manufacturing companies to manage their quality control and quality assurance procedures. Designed as an add-on to VISUAL Manufacturing, Lilly's "common sense" manufacturing business system, VISUAL Quality is said to be ideally suited for use by manufacturers involved in general engineering. In addition, it is also said to address the more specialised needs of the aerospace and defence, industries. LSA believes that the combination of VISUAL Manufacturing and VISUAL Quality represents the best fully integrated manufacturing management/quality solution available on the market today.

LSA explains that VISUAL Quality has been designed to be flexible so as to fit with customers' existing design and manufacturing procedures whilst, at the same time, helping companies to meet the requirements of quality assurance and quality control procedures conforming to IS09001:2000, ISO 9001:1994, QS 9000,ISO/TS-16949, AS9000, AS9001, Dl-9000 BQS and AQS, ISO 14001, ISO/IEC 17025,TL9000, FDA GMP and QSR, MS-9000, SAE J4000 and many other national and international standards. For on-line authorisations, the system includes a facility that permits users to provide electronic signatures.

According to LSA, rather than being a point-by-point solution, VISUAL Quality takes an integrated approach to all aspects of quality. Firstly, it provides functions for managing suppliers, customers and employees. Secondly, it includes components that administer documentation relating to product data management,quality systems, manufacturing processes and analytical techniques such as FMEA(failure modes and effects analysis). Thirdly, at an operations level, the system has modules for preventative maintenance and gauge calibration, as well as inspection, data collection and reporting – with statistical process control (SPC) built-in. Finally, it provides a range of tools for managing non-conformances and corrective actions.

VISUAL Quality comprises sixteen individual modules, each of which includes quality cost tracking, allowing users to monitor the financial benefits of any improvements made to the design or manufacturing process. VISUAL Quality can it is believed, thus make a significant difference to the productivity, throughput and profit, and this improvement is highly visible to users.

In LSA's opinion, with this large number and variety of modules, VISUAL Quality is a comprehensive quality toolkit. As well as FMEA, SPC and quality cost tracking techniques, the system includes modules covering document management, product data management (PDM), process capability studies,lot/serial traceability, gauge and tool traceability, and advanced product quality planning (APQP). In addition, with its integrated process management,VISUAL Quality provides tools to enable the development of lean manufacturing strategies and six sigma initiatives.

With its inbuilt flexibility, the system permits the customisation of reports to suit the specific needs of an organisation, department or individual member of staff. Each user can have a personalised "My To Do List, which can be used for assigning tasks and allocating priorities.

VISUAL Quality is believed to offer a model for integrating quality systems to achieve superior enterprise-wide performance. For manufacturers not yet registered, VISUAL Quality provides a way to achieve certification faster and at a lower cost compared to other systems, and it subsequently helps them to maintain their certification.

Details available from: Lilly Software Associates Ltd, Tel: +44 (0) 1763 232222; Fax: +44 (0) 1763 233333; E-mail: ccreasey@lillysoftware.co.uk;Web: www.lillysoftware.co.uk