The QMS Challenge
If your shop is like most, your job system meets your needs for receiving, shipping and invoicing, but you are faced with many deficiencies in the quality control arena. When you attempt to cover the requirements of AS9100 or AC7108, these gaps become painfully obvious. With TestTrak, you can fill the gaps incrementally, one part or one process at a time, without stopping production for a complete overhaul of your documentation and job control software. The AC7108 and AS9100 Standards require sampling plans, test-oriented router documentation, recording of production test data, analysis of recorded data, and appropriate response to that analysis. At each successive Nadcap audit you will be expected to better conform to the requirements. AC7108 ¶ 3.1.1.4 allows two years from your first audit before you are expected to be in full conformance with Appendix A. Don't wait until you have two months remaining. No matter how poor your current job system, no matter how shoddy your current documentation, with TestTrak you will be able to thoroughly document a complex selective processing job, define the test and acceptance steps, collect the inspection data in production, and analyze the inspection data to determine your process capability (Cpk). With TestTrak’s statistical analysis tools on your side, you can defend your continuous improvement to any auditor.
The Nadcap Test Matrix
If you are accredited or have investigated Nadcap requirements, you know that the Test Matrix is critical for planning accreditation scope, backing up certifications, and conforming to AC7108 ¶ 4.4.1. If you are just getting started, Anoplex offers a Nadcap conformant Test Matrix as an Excel file that you can edit to show the specifications within your scope and reference it under the Test Matrix tab. If you have your own spreadsheet that conforms to AC7108 Appendix C, TestTrak will put it online for you.
The Test Matrix drives a TestTrak interface for logging your specimen job runs and entering the results. The TestTrak grid shows a pink background on required periodic tests that are due and allows pass/fail checks, notes, etc. AC7108 ¶ 4.2 requires traceability of periodic test results to the job on which panels were processed: this log is an easy way to provide a solution. The time sequencing allows for trend analysis, recall support, etc. The TestTrak test log allows capture of a review date and reviewers initials in conformance with AC7108 ¶ 4.2.2 and the note field may be used to reference retest and replacement test results.
Setting Up TestTrak Test Plans
TestTrak test plans can either augment or replace routers generated by your job system. If a part number has a TestTrak plan, the plan can be printed and attached to your job system’s router cover; or the TestTrak plan can be referenced online in Production or QC. A TestTrak plan can provide only the missing inspection and test steps for logging test data, or it can document more of the process steps to meet all requirements of AC7108 ¶ 3.3.1. The TestTrak surface area calculator can help with ¶ 3.1.1.g conformance, and test plans store both total surface area and active (unmasked) surface area to support selective processing.
A new test plan can be started from scratch or copied from an existing plan. Plans can be marked "frozen" to conform with AC7108 ¶ 3.3.1 When you click in the Test column, a dropdown menu appears with codes for tests: coating thickness, coupon coating thickness, surface finish, and various other metrics. These tests and codes are defined in a simple text file that can be edited to add new tests, change names, delete tests, etc. A similar text file controls the Units dropdown. There is no limit to the number of plating layers, the number of test types, the units of measure, etc. The Min and Max fields set the LSL and USL for statistical analysis and provide acceptance test limits for inspection. Control limits are established as a percentage of the range to show you where your test results should be to ensure that Cpk meets or exceeds 1.33, and the control limits appear in the control chart (see the SPC screen shots). It is OK to ship parts with a test value outside of its control limits as long as the value is within the Min and Max limits. However, test values outside of control limits may reduce Cpk below 1.33. AC7108 ¶ 5.9 requires documentation of masking procedures and materials, while AC7108 ¶ 3.3.1 requires a router to fully document tooling, racking, masking and all processing steps. While the focus of TestTrak is on quality inspections, these other AC7108 requirements may also be covered if your job system and/or current routers are inadequate. Any TestTrak router step may be linked to an external spreadsheet that allows graphics, pictures, flowcharts and other extensive documentation to be linked to your process routers when required for a complex process. These linked spreadsheets may be opened online and/or printed as required for reference.
Using TestTrak in Production
Powerful searching and sorting tools make it easy to find the correct test plan when a router arrives in QC. When customer name, part number, or a partial part description is entered, the search grid will be filtered down to show only those parts that match. Various sorting orders are supported. Point and click to select the correct part/plan. TestTrak includes the capability of linking pictures of parts (.jpg) with the documentation package, and, if present, these pictures appear to the right of the test selection grid when a part is selected.
When the part/plan is selected the dashboard populates with part information, checkboxes showing what coupons should be racked, checkboxes showing the AQL sample level for the part, and checkboxes showing what reports are required. The test plan steps can be referenced to the router, or the test plan may be used as the shop router, depending on how your production is organized. QC inspectors will quickly recognize the test to be done based on the description and the step number; for example, "Layer 1 Post-Plate Thickness" or "Coupon Ano Thickness". When the test step is clicked, the data entry fields highlight in green, and the test results can be entered and saved.
TestTrak includes an easy to use DMR system that allows quick selection of causes and dispositions along with collection of critical counts on inspection, rework and scrap. Collection and trending of this data is required by AC7108 Appendix A2.1.1. Eight cause categories and eight disposition categories can be defined to suit your needs.
TestTrak records the complete DMR history for your shop and allows display of all DMRs, DMRs for a given process, or DMRs for all jobs for a given part. The DMR step/code encoding is decoded in the grid to make it easier to interpret the DMR. DMRs may be selected in the DMR history grid so that MRB notes may be added or other information edited during MRB. AC7108 Appendix A requires capture of data on "internal reprocessing and rework, repair, internal rejects, customer rejects and customer complaints, costs turnaround times, waste streams, scrap etc.", and TestTrak can give you the ingredients that your job system lacks.
Statistics including control chart of recent values and distribution charts of all values are updated immediately as data is saved, allowing the QC inspector or manager to see values that are out of the norm and assess the impact on process control. Feedback to production can be immediate.
A unique and powerful feature of TestTrak is its ability to show statistics for a single part and all of the parts that share the same process on the same screen. With a click of a button, the distribution graph can be switched between part and process. Like ChemTrak, the distribution chart is color coded to the data log, and after your quality inspectors become familiar with the tools they will be able to match readings between the log and the chart and quickly spot trends.
TestTrak is designed to augment your present job system and documentation to enable you to conform to Nadcap AC7108 requirements. Whether you are currently accredited or just planning to get started, you should contact sales@anoplex.com. There is simply no easier way to meet the requirements.