Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) rely heavily on quality checks at regular intervals to catch any issues introduced during the build. These quality checks can be done both manually and in an automated fashion by capturing results from a measuring / verifying device. A recent case of a production defect for a global Aerospace manufacturer highlighted the problems with the way this information is captured manually. This necessitated an automated quality check which was earlier done in a disjointed way by triggering the check from MES but the actual check was done outside the MES. This solution involved a mix of integration between systems and use of AR / VR devices to ensure there was minimal human intervention in capturing the quality results. The Configuration of the quality checks was done in a level 4 system and flown into MES which triggered the quality inspection. The device on which the operator conducted the actual inspection was triggered by an integration between it and the MES. The device recorded the results of the inspection by the operator pointing the device to the location of the inspection. The results of the inspection were fed back to MES to identify a good check or a failure and creation of a non-conformance. This was done via another integration to complete closed loop feedback. The results of this approach prevent any operator biases or mistakes to creep into the quality check results. The overall result of this solution helps the manufacturer avoid millions of dollars in penalties for missed / badly fitted components that escape into the finished product and can lead to the larger product failing in operation and endangering hundreds of lives.
The overall flow of the solution can be visualized below
Flowing the non-conformance back to the Quality Management System (QMS) allows for a full traceability on issues as well as improved CAPA flows. The entire flow involves no operator input on the inspection side except a start trigger and a confirmation of the completed inspection.
This solution can be deployed into multiple discrete and complex manufacturing solutions where a visual check is used to get operator input against a checklist. This includes Automotive, Industrial equipment, Consumer Electrical and Electronics goods, and aerospace besides the larger discrete space.
There is a great need for such applications where operators can be guided in a responsive manner. The usage of AR / VR on the shop floor opens up a gate to enable the operators with other use cases like displaying safety precautions, displaying work instructions and other information by operators looking at or pointing a device at the item being worked on.
