Real-time QC for Factories Whitepaper

Real-Time QC Reporting (RTR) System

Version 2.0

Developed by: Powered by:

Chang Phui Hock (Owner) E: [email protected] T: +6016-906 1008

mailto:[email protected]

Real-Time QC Reporting (RTR) System | v2.0

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QC Reporting In every production line in any factory or manufacturing company lies an important department: the QC department. The QC role is essential in keeping a product within the range of quality level considered acceptable by the manufacturer. When finding a compromised product, a whole production line may be affected. Batches of finalized products may be withheld from delivery or removed from shelves. This much is what many know when it comes to understanding the importance of QC towards product quality. However, in order to deliver top-line quality control, a major part of the job of quality control requires testing and retesting of samples -- and tons and tons of reports. These reports may come as verbal reports, made over the phone to a supervisor on the other line or to another member of the QC team. This will heavily repeat many times a day, sometimes on an hourly basis, taking up a bulk of the duties of the QC team.

Alternatively, reporting involves producing pages after pages of printed reports which not only involves calculations from complicated formulas but also mind-numbing manual data transfer (sometimes by hand) from one source to another. Another format may be required for record-keeping or at a supplier or buyer’s request. This form of reporting is time-consuming, a waste of resources, energy and materials and less productive. It is time to put in a system that can do all the heavy lifting so that your QC team can focus on what really matters.

Real-Time Reporting System Delivery of real-time test result Continuous and seamless

reporting Cost-effective and efficient Accountability Traceability Standardized reporting Data integrity Easy to learn and use Highly configurable Reporting format (Excel/PDF)


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Components of The RTR System The Real-Time Reporting (RTR) System is an integrated system of three main components, the DataLog for data entry, the Server (Centralized Data Repository), and the Real-time Viewer, a web-based monitoring system accessible on any smart device.

(1) DataLog

The DataLog is a Data Management System based on OpenERP v7, an open source, highly configurable enterprise resource planning system (see Figure 1).

QC Officers from multiple entry points can enter their data into this system. Data input can be tracked via their respective user ID.

Officers fill up the corresponding digital form for each monitored product and/or plant.

Shifts, parameter sets and minimum or maximum threshold levels can be configured (see Figure 1.1, 1.2).

When generating reports, in PDF or Excel file, the data will be pulled by what has been inserted into the DataLog, minimizing transfer error.

(2) Server (Centralized Data Repository)

A centralized data repository should be setup to help store and publish data.

This server will be housed on-site and after the initial setup, the server will be under the care and control of your organization’s IT personnel or department.

(3) Real-Time Viewer

Data received in the DataLog will be published in table form on the Real-Time Viewer or Viewer, for short (see Figure 2).

The data is displayed instantly, including data that has surpassed set thresholds (see Figure 2.1).

The Real-Time Viewer is accessible via URL on any web browser. As long as there is network access, any smart device can be used to access the Viewer.

Multiple products and plants can be monitored by switching between tabs (see Figure 2.2(a) ).

Toggling of parameters lets you see what you are only interested in and hide what you are not (see Figure 2.2(b) ).

New, incoming data will blink until the data has been acknowledged (See Figure 2.2(c)).

(1) DataLog (2) Server (3) Real-time Viewer


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Figure 1 The DataLog

Figure 1.1 Configure your Shifts


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Figure 1.2 Set parameters (left) and set min/max thresholds (right) in DataLog

Figure 2 Real-Time Viewer


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Figure 2.1 Real-Time Viewer immediately highlights off-spec values

Figure 2.2 Features on the Real-Time Viewer


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Benefits of RTR In this section we will show you the many challenges faced in verbal reports and how RTR can help you overcome these challenges, with little effort or fuss.

Challenges of Verbal Reports

Real-Time Report (RTR) System

(i) Lockdown by calls Verbal reports require the QC Officer and the Supervisor to be readily available (either at the plant or the work area) for the delivery of the verbal report.

(i) Monitor from anywhere With RTR, the data input by the QC personnel is immediately reflected on the Real-Time Viewer. The Viewer is accessible via browser which allows any Internet-connected device such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC to be able to access the data.

(ii) Disruption of Work Verbal reports disrupt the workflow of both the QC Officer and the Supervisor and distracts them from their other duties. There is no distinction of urgent matters from general issues.

(ii) Continuous Reporting The QC Officer can submit the latest round of data then proceed to his other duties. Checking of the data is the prerogative of the supervisor, who will only need to contact the QC team if an urgent matter arises.

(iii) Single-issue focus Each verbal report is focused and concise but within a narrow scope of a QC test result. An overall picture for the monitored product is hard to imagine without all the available data (including threshold levels) at hand.

(iii) Overall control All data entered will carry valuable, related data such as the timestamp of the entered data, recent

data history from the preceding shift or preceding day, corresponding parameter values, etc. Products that have gone off-spec will be automatically highlighted in the system for the attention of the person in charge.

Figure Values under the minimum level is highlighted purple, over the maximum level: red

(iv) No standards in reporting The number of parameters to track can be

(iv) Standardized reporting Data input is standardized and complete, preventing


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overwhelming for a less experienced officer. The lack of a reporting standard form exacerbates the problem. In situations where there is a need to go back to a sample for retesting, after the fact, productivity will be affected. This also opens up the possibility of data adulteration.

loss of data. RTR is so easy to use that a new recruit can take over QC duties and reporting fairly quickly. Higher-level access allows the configuration of the list of parameter fields to display in each digital form.

(v) Data Lost in Transit Providing hourly verbal reports and then transferring that data into printed form manually is inefficient and ineffective work. It also opens up the possibility of making mistakes during transfer. Mistakes that are not properly documented will be time-consuming to correct.

(v) Data Integrity is Preserved All entered data are backed up in the server, and thus printed reports are as easy to generate as clicking the Print button. The report format can also be customized to fit an organization’s required format (e.g. ISO standard forms) and can be generated as an Excel file or in PDF format.

Figure PDF reports can be generated at the click of a button (vi) Little to no tracing abilities Verbal reports are hard to retrace, that is, until a printed report comes in by the end of the day or the start of the next day. Unless these reports are recorded or jotted down, there is no way to check back on details of an earlier report.

(vi) Retraceability and accountability RTR records all submitted data, backed up in the server and retrievable via a powerful localised

search engine. Timestamps and user IDs help attach accountability to every entered record, allowing better use of human resources.


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Figure Timestamps of Creation and Last Edit are locked in (vii) Manual calculations Calculations have to be done by hand or by calculator before it can be included in the report.

(vii) Automated calculations RTR comes with customization for auto-calculations based on the test formula or equations. Calculations can be done overall or separated by shifts.

Figure Data collected is tabulated and an ‘average’ value generated automatically

(vii) Closed-circuit info transfer During a verbal report, certain concerns may have been discussed between the two individuals during the conversation. If these concerns, significant or otherwise, were not noted somewhere with public access, the information is not attainable by other members of the QC team or from another shift.

(vii) Communication Transparency The use of the Journal feature allows for raised

concerns to be noted and jotted down for follow-up. This allows for all personnel to have access to the same concerns or problems and to be aware of what requires monitoring in the immediate period of time. All journal entries will be backed up in the server.


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Figure 2.3 The Journal serves to relay messages that extend beyond numerical data. We understand that every company is different. RTR is a proven workflow assisting tool. We provide the customization necessary for your company or factory.

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Real-time QC for Factories Whitepaper

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