Q-Sight Paperless Production
- Introduction
- The Objective of Paperless Production
- Savings and advantages
- ISO 9000
Introduction
By combining the powerful project and data management and revision/version control functions of CXInsight with the graphical viewing, data collection and reporting capabilities of Q-Sight, an effective paperless manufacturing programme with amazing capabilities has been developed.
A paperless manufacturing environment not only offers a way of presenting production information to the operators on the factory floor but it also provides paperless data exchange from the business management systems (ERP, CAM and labor tracking) to the shop floor and back, including receiving information, collecting data, and reporting information. In practice, a total paperless information system in a factory environment is quite difficult to achieve.
The Objective of Paperless Production
The essence of paperless production information is to replace all the paper that previously flowed to and from the operator with an easy-to-use online system that provides immediate access to any information required in the production process. Despite high levels of computer usage in the private sector it cannot be assumed that production operators are familiar with computer processes on the shop floor. Expecting them to readily change and adapt to this new way of working without special consideration is unrealistic. Therefore the operator needs an application designed specifically and exclusively for the task and the background system should automatically control and manage the communication functions by linking information to and from the correct sources and destinations. The operators have to be qualified to use the paperless production tools.
Savings and Advantages
Eliminating paperwork is not only environmentally friendly but also saves money by diminishing the potential for error, unnecessary rework and, worst case, scrap. The removal of non-value added work (making copies of things, running around getting pieces of information, getting all the paperwork to the operators) largely contributes to the ROI of the software investment. Whether it is assembly prints, test procedures, data sheets, or material flow, WIP information, quality levels or traceability information, the right information at the right moment is the real power.
An operational paperless production system delivers huge advantages:
- The speed of information availability and the accuracy of the shop floor data will increase, allowing better decisions and quicker reactions to be made.
- Productivity will increase because the tools to perform an operation are delivered directly to the operator. In the background the system automation assures that the operator can immediately source the most current product revision information available.
- Quality will increase because the correct documentation will always be where it needs to be and quality reporting can be done in parallel to manufacturing, saving valuable production time.
- As a result extensive data analysis can easily be implemented to look for defect trends and trouble spots, enabling immediate reaction in case of any problems.
ISO 9000
ISO 9000 is another area where paperless production is extremely beneficial. Document control on the shop floor is a time consuming and complicated task. By going digital, everything can be derived from one single data source and by having up-to-date information in the database of where everything is, what needs to be done and proof that the most current revisions are being used, it provides a proven audit trail for the ISO 9000 process.
