Software Offers More Opportunities to Automate Quality Assurance

Version 5.1 of High QA’s (Hazlet, NJ) Inspection Manager (IM) software, a start-to-finish database-driven solution for managing quality assurance, features next-level Quality 4.0 standards that increase automation and enhance workflows.

The centralized database contains inspection plans, ballooned drawings, inspection results, first article inspection (FAI) and statistical process control (SPC) reporting; and incorporates all requirements that enable accountability, traceability, and repeatability. The streamlined inspection process eliminates paper documents, prevents interpretation errors, standardizes best practices, and increases efficiencies in collaboration and compliance on the shop floor.

Version 5.1 continues supporting compliance standards in industries including aerospace (AS9100/EN9100, AS9102), automotive (QS-9000/ISO/TS16949, APQP, AIAG guidance), medical (21CFR, ISO 13485), defense, heavy machinery, oil and energy with multiple best practice standards.

Enhancements include:

In-depth AQL-based sample planning. Integrated AQL-based sample planning provides a more efficient workflow with data and plans in one centralized database, allowing for repeatability, scalability, and consistency. Set up a sampling plan once and use it across multiple jobs, lots, and orders. Modifications are made with a few clicks and immediately visible. Based on MIL-STD-105 and Z1.4 AQL standards and supports many other common AQL tables.

Manufacturing key sets enables users to group dimensions by cutting tools the same way parts are made on the shop floor. Dimensions affected by the same cutting tool are added to a set and color-coded on the print for easy identification. The most critical dimension in each is marked as key and identified on the ballooned print. When a dimension passes inspection, the remaining members of the set are marked as passed. This integrated feature works with AQL-based sample planning and the centralized database to maintain the integrity of GD&T and inspection results data. The all-in-one system provides full, automated traceability to the source.

Robust user access control. Control access to sensitive part data with the integrated security control access system. Define security groups by location, department, role, or individual user to restrict part record access based on a ‘need to know’ or ITAR requirements. Add or remove users from access groups in a central location, eliminating the need for IT to manage separate secure and unsecured servers.

Workflow and usability enhancements. See inspection status for a part showing completed, to be inspected, and failed results. Each sample shows the inspector and time stamps for the first and last results, increasing visibility and traceability across the lot/job. Real-time notifications and alerts are trigged for failed dimensions and lot acceptance status and can be configured for each part or job. Gage management automatically tracks detailed usage history for each gage with the ability to sort or filter gage usage by part, job, inspector, and date range. Gage information is accessible in seconds for detailed lookups.

An enhanced OCR system captures a higher percentage of GD&T from poor- quality drawings, adds new balloon shapes and arrows, and incorporates a drag-and-drop feature for adding custom requirements if not found in the drawing.

The new release also includes expanded materials, process management, and template libraries.

All features benefit from the centralized database. A single information source for production and manufacturing data extracted from a drawing, inspection plans, inspection results and SPC information reduces the need for spreadsheets. The integrated database ensures data integrity and avoids misinterpretation of key data.

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