Many tools exist for collecting quality data and reporting upon it. Most simply collect form-based data entry and then report upon it without relating it to the product design information, nor do they look at the whole scope of variability that impacts quality in a process.

Aegis takes a unique holistic approach to quality. This approach involves quality data associated directly to the design information about the product and related to the location and source of the variability that caused the problem. It understands the relationships of indictments, false positives, symptoms, and true defects. Finally, it also addresses and literally halts operational circumstances that result in defects through SPC and physical line and route control to keep operators from making mistakes.

ELIMINATE OPERATIONAL ERRORS AFFECTING QUALITY

• Route sequence is electronically enforced. Product moved to the wrong location in the flow is halted and redirected.

• Packout is validated before shipment. The Packout module checks that no outstanding test or inspection processes are failed on a particular unit, that the unit is the correct version for that customer and for packaging in that particular box, and that all processes are complete prior to allowing insertion into a box.

• Material errors are eliminated. Machine and hand-station setups of tools, consumables, and components are all electronically validated before product is allowed to enter the process.

• The server-side SPC engine monitors as many process variables as the engineers wish and alarms can cause line stops and product status changes inducing reroutes.

• Machine alarms can be mapped to cause line stops, pages, emails, and report generation to ensure that emerging problems do not progress to the point at which they affect quality.

UNIQUELY EFFECTIVE QUALITY, TEST & REPAIR MANAGEMENT

• Through knowledge of the process route, the system filters available defect types at each inspection point and only makes pertinent defect types available for operators to enter, reducing logging errors.

• Association of "Process Chargebacks" enables quality analysis not only involving the point at which the data was collected, but also to the process that caused the variability.

• Through defect data collection on an interactive visual display of the product, operators can more rapidly enter data that has proper locational relationship to the product.

• The solution enables acquisition of test symptom data, mapping this data to defects, guiding rework, and tracking false positives.

• Repair and rework are guided graphically.