Nobody ever sees a product recall coming. It is generally assumed by many manufacturers in an assembly-based manufacturing setting that business partners who supply small product components produce parts that are of sound quality. But assumption, however, is precisely the issue.
In reality, many recalls occur because a string of faulty parts are sent through production lines and wind up as an integral part of a complex product. It could be something as simple as a batch of screws that are machined too thick, or fasteners with inconsistent widths.. Without proper inspection, these pieces can wind up doing quite a bit of damage.
The cloud now enables suppliers, customers, copackers to share real-time production quality data to allow all interested parties to collaborate more effectively. This system of checks and balances is the key to solving quality problems where they exist and keeping production schedules in tact.
Adoption of cloud technologies in manufacturing has been traditionally slow, however in the last few years a noticeable number of companies are realizing that the cost and management structure of cloud systems can allow them to work smarter and be more competitive.
By implementing manufacturing quality control oversight now, however, statistical process control software can serve as an operational and business advantage.