| QA
Station:
A
Quality control Solution
Today's processing customers face
increasing retail customer demands. In the poultry
industry, supply demands from fast food outlets or even
customer preferences can mean increased processing costs.
In order to stay competitive, processors should seek
out ways to reduce operating expenses.
As
part of a further processing operation, processors often
use a DSI machine to cut
chicken breasts into nuggets.
These nuggets are emptied into 70 lb. tub for
QC sampling. Twenty-five
samples are taken out of tub for QC station operators
to measure length, width and height parameters by calipers,
in order to meet vendor requirements.
Another QC operator records data from the checks
onto paper. One drawback to manually recording
data is it often has a higher rate of error and does
not provide the easy capability of supervisors to pinpoint
problems in real time.
One
of the poultry industry's leading processors recently
implemented CAT's QA station to meet some of these customer
demands.
The
CAT QA station uses RF technology for automation of
QC information with a touch screen PC and software.
CAT
QA station consists of the following:
- 10x
10 base, 20 lb. Capacity
- GSE
662 indicator, double box
- Mounted
on Stainless Steel Frame
- 4
Rig-A-Light
- Touch
Screen PC
- Software
- SPC
Reporting capabilities
- Internal
RF card
- Access
Point
- 10/100
5 Port Switch
- Data
License
The
CAT QC table interface shows data by station, inspector,
product and process.
Target goals for each product are entered into
the system to track inspection sample
data against targets.
Once measurements of products are taken, then
it is entered onto the touch screen.
QC station supervisors monitor results in real
time to ensure quality goals are being met.
"The
QA station has improved our accuracy in meeting size
standards," said Brian Stanga, quality control
superintendent at Sanderson Farms. "but more
importantly, it allows me and other managers to monitor
our target goals in real time. If I see a problem
trend then I can identify the area or shift in which
we are not performing well. Our workers enjoy
the ease of use of the touch screen as well. It
is more efficient than writing down data."
Some
other benefits from the QA station also:
Cost
Savings
By
implementing the QA station, processors can eliminate
the cost of employees manually recording data.
Statistical
Process Control
Ability
to view SPC calculations and charts in real time and
on the plant floor or on the supervisors PC on the network
Reports
Vendors
often require statistics in a reporting structure
to prove they are meeting quality standards.
Previously, there was quite a bit of time involved
in compiling reports, with data collection all in
paper format. The QA station automated this
data and provided easy access for compiling reports.
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