Press Release - 27 February 2017
Control 2017 –Stuttgart Fair – 9-12 May – Hall 1, Stand 1617
Quick supply, intelligent functions and comfortable operating – these are the labels for the future of the shop floor IT. In this context, the MES manufacturer from Ulm, GUARDUS Solutions AG, presents a new set of “Smart Functions” on the ‘Control 2017’. The main elements are the intuitively operable applications for action management, graphical inspection/defect data handling and checklist collection. “All these three elements are part of our human-centred design strategy and pursue the same target: We want to provide our customers with a tool box by means of which they can fulfil their MES tasks around the multiple quality and production data acquisition and monitoring in an even more efficient way so far. Mobility, ergonomics and speed are the top priorities”, says Simone Cronjäger, member of the Executive Board of GUARDUS Solutions AG.
CAPA goes mobile
Due to the new business app for action management, the quality control loops of the GUARDUS MES users will have a completely new level of agility. Similar to the classic software module, the GUARDUS app basically offers all the possibilities to collect, to file, to process and monitor corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) in a targeted way within the context of continuous improvement processes. What is new are the mode of operation and the user behaviour in the “mobile space”. Independently of the situation which triggered the creation of the action, the new software mini allows for a highly efficient culture of reaction. After successful login, the browser-based business app first provides all the information at a glance. Depending on the area of interest, the user filters the data according to status, user, action type as well as date of creation while an already stored colour code (green or red) allows for the visualisation of the deadline priority. By clicking the desired data record, all the details about the selected operation such as: part, component, supplier, customer, action type and status description, date of creation, date of completion as well as responsible person and distribution group will be available. The user can now edit the action or forward it to a certain contact person. The app has an especially ergonomic procedure for the mobile creation of a new action. Besides the text description, it is also possible to generate one or two photos by means of the used end device and to display them directly in the app. As soon as all of the photos are commented on, a click is enough to save the data in the Document Management Module of GUARDUS MES via a safe Internet connection. The new smart function also demonstrates the same operation comfort when embedding, commenting and saving videos.
The technological basis is the so-called MobilePlace where all the apps developed by GUARDUS are centrally saved, managed and refreshed. Due to this infrastructure of the app, it is no longer necessary to integrate external app stores and cloud providers. The GUARDUS user moves in a completely protected data space at any time and can use safety-relevant quality and production data in mobile environments “with no hiccups”.
Graphical collection of defects and inspection data
A new development also represents the intelligent function for the mobile, graphical collection of defects and inspection data. If the shop floor worker discovers a deviation during an inspection in the production, they call the corresponding image from the inspection order and marks the affected position. Consequently, GUARDUS MES automatically displays a graphical visualisation, while the user can assign the text description via a predefined defect catalogue. “This form of mobile defect collection offers a maximum of comfort especially in case of visual controls and can be used not only for the inspections of individual parts (with serial numbers), but also for the lot-related inspections”, says Cronjäger. The work becomes drastically easier not only in the efficient graphical initial collection, but also in the subsequent process steps such as rework or repair. Thus, by scanning the serial number of a component, the marked defect position is directly displayed, the laborious search for the defect characteristic being thus completely unnecessary.
Checklist collection
The smart function for the checklist collection enriches the extensive possibility of GUARDUS MES to collect multiple quality and production data with a further variant. The concept: Instead of following predefined work processes, the user is also able to execute inspection steps in an individual and especially mobile way and “to tick off” the results on a checklist. The points are displayed in an intuitive screen form on a mobile end device, similar to a clipboard and worked off via a touch function. Additionally stored online documents and drawings inform about special proceeding instructions while scan options facilitate the collection of the product ID. Subsequently, the user clicks the status in checkboxes, closes or cancels the inspection operation and then sends the result to the surrounding IT.
