16 April 2012: Stephan Sprink & Markus Pfirsching

In order to benefit from the advantages of the iqs CAQ software and to use the strength of the statistical analysis of Q-DAS, both companies formed a partnership and now provide their software products as one package. Both companies started this development by combining the iqs Inspection Plan with the Q-DAS SPC data recording software procella and by connecting the iqs Inspection Equipment Management to the Q-DAS software solara.MP for measurement process capability analysis.

Most companies are concerned with different matters of quality assurance and deal with them by using various methods. There is the planning and organizational level and the level of operation.

Planning and organizational level

Before producing products, these products are often subject of an extensive planning phase. Companies apply various methods and tools in this planning phase, such as FMEA, control plan and initial sampling. During series production or afterwards neither complaints nor the inspection equipment management play a role. iqs offers the tools required on this level.

Level of operation

The specifications of the planning level are realized on the level of operation, e.g. by conducting measurement system, machine and process capability analyses. There is a close connection between the planning phase and the real implementation prior to, during and after series production. This is the reason why Q-DAS cooperates with iqs.

Merging both levels

The aim of the cooperation between Q-DAS and iqs is to make both levels permanently available to users regardless of whether they apply the iqs or Q-DAS software. As an example, users do not have to create an inspection plan in both systems; it is only available once and users can access it in both systems for respective applications. This option reduces organizational efforts on the one hand and offers a wider application range of centralized data on the other hand. In the end, processes become more transparent since users are able to access all information on a product. Operators get a summary of any information quickly starting with the creation of the inspection plan based on CAD data, to FMEA, initial sampling, data recording and capability analysis, right through to complaints management...