Product category:
Measurement and Quality Software and SPC
News Release from: Lighthouse Systems | Subject: Shopfloor-Online quality monitoring system
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 04 June 2003
Rexam chooses quality monitoring system
Rexam, one of the world's largest manufacturers of Beverage Cans, selected the Shopfloor-Online solution from Lighthouse Systems to replace their existing quality monitoring system
Rexam, one of the world's largest manufacturers of Beverage Cans, was looking to re-define what was considered world-class quality in the beverage can industry One of their steps was to select the Shopfloor-Online solution from Lighthouse Systems to replace their existing quality monitoring system
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 30 Apr 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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The system would be designed to handle local plant operations as well as headquarters monitoring of all 19 Rexam can plants in the Americas.
Rexam's Chicago and Valparaiso plants successfully piloted the solution before a general plant-wide implementation commenced.
Rexam Beverage Can Europe also implemented the system in their Wakefield plant.
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As a leading implementer of quality systems, Rexam already had an in-house quality management system which was operating in each plant to stay on its track of increasing quality every month, every year.
But the system could hold only a limited history of data.
Rexam`s existing system did not enforce standardised data collection or standard reports and therefore the resulting information and analysis was not in a standard format making across-plant comparisons difficult.
Rexam`s goal was to deliver a tool to operators that would allow them to take further control of their processes and to find a system which would help them achieve remarkable levels of quality and customer satisfaction.
The new system would need to be easy to use for operators, giving them clear feedback with easy to interpret charts and alarms to escalate problems to management level.
The selected solution would need to be able to interface with existing specialist gauging and integrate with their ERP system to give material traceability and reporting at all levels.
With 19 plants across the Americas wishing to implement the system - the solution needed to be supported across different time zones and centrally managed and able to across all locations from headquarters in Chicago.
Since Rexam has implemented Shopfloor-Online, quality has been increased even further.
Rexam is able to demonstrate when and how Quality Checks have been carried out.
Now that analysis can be done on the shop floor and not just in the QA office - Operators have better control of their processes through real-time feedback.
Operators have the information to make the process adjustments necessary to ensure a quality product, greatly increasing effectiveness.
Rexam is realising the benefits of their investment.
The solution has recently been installed in their Winston Salem location.
Winston Salem Plant Manager Al Barker said, "The system has helped us raise the industry bar even further on the delivery of quality cans on-time, every time." Shopfloor-Online collects quality and production data in one database.
All the information is stored in one place but accessible across plants.
Real-time information is made available on processes so they can be monitored and operators can act upon the changes to ensure a quality product.
Also, SPC charts and reports assist with making improvements to processes.
Across plant comparisons are available from customised reports.
Rexam`s main reason for investing in Shopfloor-Online was to be able to provide their Operators with real-time feedback to ensure processes remained in control and to consistently produce a quality product.
Lighthouse has given the Operators graphical interactive screens - line layouts can be navigated by "point and click".
Charts are automatically brought up after each set of data is collected to give the live information that is needed.
Operators can now link to supporting documents related to a check.
Once they have clicked on the check to enter data - if they need supporting documents such as the measurements to be taken, these are also available at the click of a button.
Operators now have all the information in one place - they don't need to go looking through bits of paper to find the instructions they are looking for.
Operator efficiency has greatly improved.
Jerry Allen at the Chicago Head Office was appointed Project Manager.
He recognised that a successful implementation would require the co-ordination of the key Quality and IT advocates from each plant.
Lighthouse Consultants were heavily involved at the initial meetings with the Project Manager and the Plant advocates to ensure that Rexam goals and requirements were understood.
Once the solution was ready to be piloted, Lighthouse trained the Rexam Operational Management so they in turn could train the Operational Managers and Operators when Shopfloor-Online was rolled out to the other Plants.
Rexam is now able to manage implementations in other plants with minimal Lighthouse involvement but with continued support from Lighthouse where necessary.
"Lighthouse served as a true business partner in working with us to implement a value-added solution that enables us to achieve even further levels of product quality and on-time product delivery to our customers," said Allen.
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