Computer Aided Quality Control – Are you missing a trick with your reporting?

Sam Miles Date published: Jan 24, 23

Are you missing a trick with your First Article Inspection Reports? Are you still conducting your quality assurance and quality control processes manually? Here’s why you should be undertaking computer aided quality control.

The rise of remote working has hastened the changes to the manufacturing sector, particularly in the adaption to digital manufacturing. Digitalization and technology is expanding in a multitude of different ways from AI, to 5G and cloud computing, just to name a few. These advances in technology all offer ways to improve your production efficiency, but they can also offer positive benefits to your customers.

Customers now expect an exceptional digital customer experience, and this applies in both B2C and B2B markets. Customer relationships are paramount, and building a streamlined customer experience that moves quickly and provides information and answers online is becoming an essential part of any purchase or partnership. 78% of manufacturers say they are developing business models that add value to customer relationships, aiding customer retention in the process.

Part of creating that trust with your customers is providing quick, reliable data, especially when it comes to your reporting and quality control. How can you effectively do that without digital quality processes?

What is computer aided quality control (CAQC)?

Simply put, computer aided quality control (CAQC) is the method of using a digital management system to cover your quality assurance and quality control processes. While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they are different concepts; quality assurance is the proactive measure of avoiding the error or non-conformity whereas quality control is a more reactive measure aimed at identifying the errors within a product or tool.
To name a few, you might use CAQC for advanced product quality planning (APQP) and new product introduction (NPI), to your first article inspect reports (FAIR) and your production part approval process (PPAP).

What are the advantages of computer aided quality control?

Increase operational efficiency

Using CAQC you can create reports far more quickly than manual reporting. With Ideagen’s Q-Pulse PM the process of creating a report is simplified. You can improve the process and accuracy of ballooning a drawing whilst also reducing the chance for human error. Your reporting is standardized creating more consistent end results.

Q-Pulse PM automatically pulls the specs to populate your FAIR, ISIR and PPAP, making it much easier to complete the documentation with accurate information. Additionally, you’re no longer dealing with physical documents, which can be problematic when you want to quickly find information but have to scour a dysfunctional storage space. With Q-Pulse PM you can export your final quality report documents to PDF files and sign them off using an electronic signature, meaning everything is stored digitally. Furthermore, with the easy integration with other modules in Q-Pulse, you can pull relevant information as you need it and use it in other aspects of your quality assurance and control.

Respond to challenges in the supply chain

Supply chains were obviously rocked by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic but that just served to highlight issues that were always present within the industry. The ‘just-in-time’ principles of manufacturing, eliminating waste and keeping lean in terms of materials, creates a risk of breakdown if parts of the supply chain drop out. A recent report found that 60% of supply chain executives admit “that their supply chains have not been designed for resilience, but cost-efficiency.”

Supply chain resiliency is about being able to adapt to unforeseen disruption or changes in demand without losing quality. But that doesn’t mean you have to choose between running efficiently and with resilience. In fact, the two can work in tandem.

Automating your processes via CAQC, is vital. Digitizing your documents so they can easily be accessed and creating that visibility for your supply chain is essential in remaining efficient and resilient. It’s impossible to be agile if you’re finding yourself searching through physical documents stored in a warehouse. Secondly, manual reporting can mean information becomes siloed, and your teams don’t have visibility on the information they need. This inevitably leads to breakdowns in communication and ultimately delays as your staff don’t have access to essential information at hand.

Turn risk into opportunity

Adapting to CAQC ultimately means you’ve identified a risk in your processes that you are rectifying but it also presents an opportunity. If you tie in your data transformation into an improved customer service experience, you’ve essentially tied up two areas that can make your organization more resilient. Utilizing Q-Pulse PM allows you to become data-driven, ultimately letting you use that data to improve your customers' experience. Optimize your digital presence so that your customers have increased visibility and customization on every purchase.

Likewise, you are creating an experience that makes ordering easier and shortens the delivery time, adding value to customer relationships and increasing the likelihood that they'll come back. It also gives you the opportunity to open up to new markets and explore new opportunities via the increased reach the new platform offers.

Are you looking for a solution to implement computer aided quality control in your organization?

Q-Pulse PM is the solution for you. With integrated apps like Q-Pulse FAIR and Q-Pulse PPAP the application provides a quick and efficient solution to creating quality reports.