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For a workflow overview, describing how the applications work together, see here.
The Admin application organizes and controls the configuration of the system. This includes product and view setup, station setup, parts, locations, defects and other product related items. Most system features are user configurable, and drag and drop operation speeds overall configuration. The ability to import images and associate them with specific products makes fast work of setting up your inspections. The Admin application is also used to create checklist questions and assign them to workstations.
Multiple language sets are available. A user configurable data file allows the language displayed at each station to be tied to user identification, so that employees who speak different languages can operate efficiently throughout a facility. You can also set up user/group security to identify personnel who can enter and edit data.
The Auditor application is used to evaluate a finished product prior to delivery, with the same level of detail as a customer would do. The goal is to find those problems that have not been detected during the normal production process so that it can be addressed within the facility and minimize warranty claims.
Auditor can be run on a handheld data collection device or on a stationary PC workstation. Operators can review quality concerns for a part (including the type and the severity of concern) and then re-evaluate the concern as required.
The Cockpit application a you to carry out the following functions:
● Servers
o Allow your Inspect system to obtain product or quality information from Comm servers. (Communication Service)
o Send updated defect data to other stations inspecting the same unit on the production line. (Traffic Service)
o Send messages to an individual station or to broadcast messages to all stations. (Traffic Service)
o Shut down and restart stations. (Traffic Service)
o Print travel tickets. (Travel Service)
● Variable data collection
o Define settings and parameters for collecting data using VDC.
● Attribute data collection
o Add documents to guide operators carrying out inspections.
o Define inspection steps to lead an operator through the inspection process.
o Define the questions, views, view categories and part categories to be included in the steps.
The Costing application allows you to allows you to see the cost of quality. You can calculate the repair cost of each product or how much labor and material cost is tied up on the plant floor at any given time.
The Costing application does not run as a standalone application. Instead it provides extra functionality to other applications. The following list shows how the Costing application can be used:
In Admin
● Hourly labor rates can be set for users.
● An estimated repair time can be assigned to each part/concern/repair in the system.
● Costs related to supplies used to perform the repair can be added.
In Data Collect
● The repair people can enter the actual repair time (as compared to the estimate).
In Reporting
● Show the cost of defects, taking into consideration labor and supplies.
For maintenance reasons and optimal performance, it is desirable to keep only the minimum required amount of data on any database. Data Archiver allows Inspect users to archive old data from the database, placing it on a file that can be backed up and stored.
The Data Collect module is used to enter and track quality concerns (and repair data). Data Collect can be run on a handheld data collection device or on a stationary PC workstation. Handheld devices are useful for roving data collection, whereas stationary workstations are used at fixed data inspection locations. In either case, operators can enter quality concerns for a part (including the type and the severity of concern) and then evaluate the concern and assign it for repair.
Data Collect uses touch-screen technology to input data. On a handheld device the operator can use a pen to "touch" the screen for entering quality concerns. If using a stationary PC with touch screen capability, the operator can either touch the screen or use a mouse to enter defect data.
The Data Importer application allows you to import the descriptions and codes of several items from an Excel spreadsheet.
The application is installed as part of the Admin installation.
When there is an issue of concern on an assembly line, supervisors need to know about it. Inspect Event Service provides this essential notification capability.
Inspect Event Service notifies designated plant employees of events as they occur on assembly lines. Such events can include recurring defects, a specific number of defects per number of units, or events that occur at a specific tracking point. When any of these events occur, notifications can be sent via email, MQ Series device, socket device or overhead display.
Like every other Inspect program, Event Service allows for flexible customization. Inspect administrators can set up the specific circumstances that trigger notifications and determine how often notifications are sent after they are triggered.
There are three sections in Inspect Event Service:
● Event Types: Event types are triggers that cause notifications to be sent. Examples of event types include defects, a tracking point or a recurring defect.
● Administration: Contains script, user and output configuration.
● Reports: Contains the Event Input and Output queues.
The Form Composer application is a design and layout program for customizing the appearance of screens used at the Inspect Variable Data Collect stations. The system administrator can create templates, comprised of forms, to control the colors, sizes, fonts and placements of every Variable Data Collect screen.
You can design custom screen layouts for inspection and repair stations using the Layout Manager application. This includes moving, resizing and removing different controls (such as buttons, image selection and labels), selecting image boundaries and defining actions based on user interaction.
This flexibility also lets you use different data collection platforms as needs dictate in your facility, including desktops, laptops and mobile devices. You have the option to choose any platform and design appropriate input screens for the entire system. The Inspect system contains many screen 'layouts', such as the Main Screen, the Defect Screen and the Repair Screen. The collection of screens that a particular inspection station uses is called a template. Custom templates may be created for each inspection and repair station using Layout Manager.
Mobile Checklist is not available to Oracle users in Inspect 5.5.
A significant amount of paperwork is dedicated to collecting information about mandatory checks (who did it, when and where) as well as confirmation of build options (color, destination or customer).
Mobile Checklist records this data and allows the operator to verify that the options built into each specific unit are the correct ones. It allows defective units to be caught before they leave the building where they would otherwise cause warranty cost increases and customer dissatisfaction.
Mobile Repair is not available to Oracle users in Inspect 5.5.
This is a mobile application, designed for PDAs with a built-in barcode scanner, used to collect repair information by personnel performing repairs online.
If a repair area does not have a Data Collect repair terminal, travel tickets can be printed from the original Data Collect inspection station to travel with the part.
The fact that a product has been repaired does not necessarily guarantee that it is ready to be shipped to your customer. Repairs can be evaluated to confirm whether they meet the required standards. This confirmation or buy-off can be recorded by roving personnel using handheld devices.
The repairs are confirmed using travel tickets. These contain a list of all the defects found on an item together with a barcode for each defect. The operator can then scan the barcode for the defect and confirm that the repair has been carried out correctly. Alternatively, the barcode at the top of the travel ticket can be scanned and all of the repairs can be confirmed at once.
The Reporting application allows real-time quality data to be viewed in various charts with the ability to export reports to Excel spreadsheets.
Internet support includes browser-based reporting for Microsoft Internet Explorer running on secure connections. Outside suppliers can view quality and production data online for the parts they supply.
Reports can be generated for each product tracked in the system, and can be based on factors such as serial number, date, time, production area or cell, historical quality data, operator/inspector, defect type, severity /rank, repair status and current location. Report settings can be personalized for each user.
There are over 70 pre-defined charts including:
● Trend charts, line, bar, 3D and 2D
● Combination trend
● Multiple series bar and/or line charts
● X-bar, R-chart, P-chart and U-chart
This is a separate product created by ATS but is listed here for clarity.
ATS Advanced Reporting Services is a reporting and analysis tool. It gives you the ability to create completely custom reports in-house.
Reports can be generated for each product tracked in the system, and can be based on factors such as serial number, date, time, production area, historical quality data, operator, defect type, severity, repair status and current location.
For further information on ATS Advanced Reporting Services please refer to its separate user documentation.
The Security Manager application has three main functions:
● Manage Users
● Manage Security Groups and Rights
● Manage Table Auditing
Variable Data Collect (VDC) allows operators to record Critical To Quality characteristics such as lengths, diameters, temperatures, voltage and weight.
You can set control limits to alert operators as soon as they enter measurements that show the system is out of control, allowing them to take the appropriate countermeasures. Inspect uses Nelson rules to decide whether a system is in control or not.
Data can then be viewed in statistical process control charts for real-time analysis.
VDC uses touch-screen technology to input data. On a handheld device the operator can touch the screen to enter data. If using a stationary PC with touch screen capability, the operator can either touch the screen or use a mouse to enter data.