Bluestreak™ Reading Time: 6 minutes
su•per•fi•ci•al•i•ty (Part Four)
Simplified QMS Software can Lead to Inadequate Outcomes
with Notable Downsides.
Lack of Continuous Development
An outdated Quality Management System will struggle to integrate smoothly with other systems, leading to inefficiencies and increased risk of errors and cybersecurity issues.
In the fast-evolving business landscape, continuous technology innovation is critical, particularly for QMS’s that play a central role in maintaining operational excellence. A software partner that consistently innovates ensures that your QMS adapts to changing regulatory requirements, technological advancements, and increased cybersecurity concerns. This proactive approach to software development helps prevent the system from becoming obsolete, thereby safeguarding your organization and your customers' information.
Key Vulnerabilities and Heightened Susceptibility to Cybersecurity Threats:
• Lack of Updates and Patches: Older software systems often reach the end of their support lifecycle, which means they no longer receive regular updates or security patches from the developer. This leaves known vulnerabilities unpatched, making it easier for cybercriminals to exploit these weaknesses. For example, vulnerabilities like the infamous WannaCry ransomware attack predominantly targeted systems running outdated versions of Windows that were no longer supported.
• Incompatibility with Modern Security Tools: As cybersecurity technologies advance, they often become incompatible with older software systems. This can prevent the implementation of the latest security measures, such as advanced encryption, intrusion detection systems, and comprehensive endpoint protection solutions designed to work with more current software architectures.
• Increased System Downtime and Reliability Issues: Older software systems are less stable and more prone to crashes and other system failures. This can lead to increased system downtime, during which the network and its data may be more vulnerable to attacks. Moreover, during downtime, normal security processes like real-time monitoring and logging may be interrupted, further increasing vulnerability.
• Compliance Risks: Many industries are governed by strict regulatory standards that mandate data protection through up-to-date security practices. Older QMS platforms may not comply with current regulations, which can not only lead to legal and financial penalties but also open up security vulnerabilities that are addressed explicitly in newer regulatory updates.
• Poor Integration with Newer Technologies: Older systems often struggle to integrate securely with newer technologies, which can create additional security gaps. For instance, if a new application requires certain security protocols that the old system does not support, it may require workarounds or less secure methods of integration that expose both systems to potential breaches.
Inadequate Labor Tracking
Unable to, directly and indirectly, track labor during each job step for accurate costing. Tracking is crucial for several reasons, primarily ensuring accurate product costing and improving operational efficiency. A sophisticated QMS can integrate time-tracking systems that record the exact time employees spend on each job step. This can be done through digital timecards, automated log-ins at workstations, or scanning systems that track employee presence and activity around specific job stations. By tagging these time logs with specific processes or tasks, the QMS can accumulate precise data on the labor input required for each production segment. Indirect labor tracking is accomplished by analyzing workflow and process bottlenecks.
For instance, if a particular phase consistently takes longer than expected, the system can flag this anomaly. This triggers a review, which may reveal inefficiencies or training gaps affecting labor use. Addressing these issues not only streamlines operations but also ensures that labor resources are utilized effectively, contributing to more accurate cost assessments. Tracking labor directly and indirectly via a QMS is vital for several reasons:
• Costing Accuracy: Labor costs often constitute a significant portion of the total production costs. Accurate tracking ensures that these costs are correctly allocated to products, which is crucial for setting prices that reflect the true cost of production. This accuracy is critical for maintaining profitability and competitive pricing.
• Operational Efficiency: Detailed insights into where and how labor is used help identify inefficiencies and training needs. For example, if certain tasks take longer than they should, it may indicate that processes could be optimized or that additional training is necessary. Addressing these issues can lead to faster production times and lower labor costs per unit.
• Financial Planning and Analysis: Reliable labor data helps forecast and budget. Understanding the labor inputs required for different tasks allows businesses to plan better for future projects, estimate costs more accurately, and allocate resources more effectively.
• Regulatory Compliance and Reporting: In many industries, especially those with unionized workforces or stringent labor regulations, accurate recording of labor hours is essential for compliance to ensure all regulatory requirements are met, avoiding legal complications and potential fines.
• Quality Control: By linking labor tracking to specific parts of the production process, a QMS can help in tracing quality issues to their roots. If a particular batch of products has defects, labor tracking can help determine whether workmanship issues played a role, leading to targeted quality improvements.
Here’s a specific example illustrating how labor tracking can pinpoint workmanship issues that may lead to defects, enabling targeted quality improvements.
Consider a scenario in a metal finishing facility specializing in electroplating components for automotive applications. Each batch of parts undergoes several critical steps, including cleaning, coating, and post-treatment inspection. Suppose a batch of components exhibits inconsistencies in the thickness of the plating, which can lead to premature wear or failure in their application.
Using a robust QMS with integrated labor tracking, the facility can trace back through the production records for that specific batch. The system logs which employees were responsible for each step of the process and how much time they spent on specific tasks. Upon reviewing the data, it might be noticed that the cleaning step—critical for ensuring that the coating adheres properly—was consistently taking less time than the established standard.
Further investigation could reveal that the employee responsible for this step was not following the standard operating procedures (SOPs), possibly due to inadequate training or misunderstanding of the process requirements. The labor tracking data, therefore, not only identifies the potential source of the defect but also pinpoints a specific area where retraining or process reinforcement is needed.
As a result, the facility can address this issue by:
• Providing targeted retraining for the employees to ensure they understand and can execute the cleaning process correctly.
• Adjusting the QMS to provide more detailed prompts or checks at critical stages of the production process, ensuring compliance with SOPs.
• Implementing more rigorous supervisory checks or peer reviews for critical process steps to ensure all employees adhere to quality standards.
This targeted intervention helps improve the overall quality of the output by ensuring that all steps in the metal finishing process are performed correctly, thereby reducing the likelihood of defects. It also underscores the importance of every individual’s role in the production chain and enhances the accountability mechanisms within the facility.
Conclusion
QMS Software can Lead to Inadequate Outcomes
As we navigate the intricate challenges and high stakes associated with Quality Management Systems, it becomes increasingly clear that settling for simplistic solutions can severely undercut your operational success and compliance posture. The allure of quick fixes and reduced operational times, while tempting, often paves the way for significant drawbacks—increased costs, production delays, audit nightmares, and, critically, reputational damage. Look out for part five of this series, where we'll explore these challenges and their solutions in greater depth.
Author: Ron Belts, Director Of Strategic Accounts for Bluesteak | Bright AM™
About Bluestreak™:
Bluestreak™ is a fully integrated Quality Management System (QMS), a powerful Manufacturing Execution System (MES) designed for the manufacturing environment and service-based manufacturing companies ( metal-treating/powder-coating, plating, heat-treating, forging, and metal-finishing), businesses that receive customers’ parts, perform a process (service) on them, and send those parts back to the customer). Companies need MES software tailored to specific functionality and workflow needs, such as industry-specific specifications management, intuitive scheduling control for staff and machinery maintenance, and the ability to manage work orders and track real-time data. If different work centers on the production floor aren’t “speaking” to each other via the MES, the data loses value and becomes disjointed or lost in disparate silos.
Bluestreak | Bright AM™ is an MES + QMS software solution specifically designed to manage and optimize the unique requirements of Additive Manufacturing’s production of parts and powder inventory usage.
Comments