As quality moves from an after-the-fact detection of errors to actively managing process variation, the food industry is evolving from inspection to process control models to help them determine the stability of production processes and their capability to meet expected performance. The most effective tool for this task is Statistical Process Control (SPC).

More than ever before, processors work in an tightly woven supply chain. From raw material to finished consumer goods, they must demonstrate that their products meet prescribed quality standards, forever changing the role of quality from an afterthought to a fundamental part of process management.

As part of this framework, it is necessary for companies to collect quality data, analyze it, and feed this information back into their process to reduce variation and improve efficiency.

The development of new technologies, hardware, and software programs provide companies with affordable and effective systems to manage and analyze data in their pursuit of quality.

The supply chain model where vendor / customer interaction is covered by SPC is a rather recent phenomenon in the food industry.

Food vendor certification and preferred vendor programs originated in restaurant and supermarket chains. Some programs now rival the sophistication found in the automotive, aerospace and electronic industries. This makes an important difference in plant operations.

Combining data systems with accessible quality reporting provides a significant competitive advantage in the food industry. It provides opportunities to join preferred vendor programs and a firm basis to negotiate product specifications. Without good process management, food companies severely limit their economic opportunities.

What systems are needed to develop to achieve high levels of quality monitoring and reporting?

Data Collection

Decrease the role of paper as a data collection and recording medium. Paper methods can not keep up with the volume and reach of our reporting requirements. Paper methods maximize error rates, transcription errors, and related problems. They slow the rate of data collection and data is not immediately transferable.

Data Management

We need a mechanism to collect, organize, and retrieve data. This means a database system. Commercial systems such as LIMS or MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) are standard databases with layers of programming.

Analytical and Charting

We need to know if the process is stable and capable of meeting specifications. Methods such as SPC are the fundamental tools for these purposes. This capability needs to be integrated into our database systems.

Reporting

Finally, we need to get the information to all users, whether it is between our vendor and our company, from section to section within our plant, or providing SPC deliverables with the lots we ship to our customers. Delivering this information requires a communications infrastructure, typically internal networks or the internet.

Vendors supplying laboratory and manufacturing data systems have developed the enabling technology. A decade ago, it was rare to find off-the-shelf software packages that dependably worked together to manage all facets of plant operations. Such systems are available today that allow us to successfully monitor and report process and product quality at any point in the process. How do you find this system? What factors increase the chances of a successful project?

• Focus on standard products.
  This will decrease technology risks and overall cost of ownership. Only use custom projects if there is no satisfactory commercial package available.
• Take account of user needs.
  The system must meet the needs of users. When you are on of the committee specifying system requirements, speak up for process and quality users. If your people can not use it, it is just an expensive exercise in buying bundles of bytes and miles of circuitry.
• Look for modular components.
  Incremental system building typically is a better use of resources and provides better integration into your operations. Adherence to programming and system standards is an important indicator in your product selection.

One standard worth consideration is the Internet. Web-based technology dramatically reduces the cost of entry, network installation, and maintenance. You can also access the web with inexpensive systems. Studies show there is a substantial reduction in training costs associated with application software with a Web interface as opposed to standard client-server.

Web technology is especially useful for multi-location, multi-plant organizations. The challenge is to reduce the barriers of time and distance. The Web is appropriate for that.

Finally, what are we trying achieve? We want to extend the use of quality data beyond the quality department. In the modern production regime, quality, data analysis, reporting, and the resulting actions involve more than just the quality department. It is a total enterprise function. In addition to the process management, these systems must also support continuous process improvement, a critical component of our future success.

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