Solumina Supplier Quality Assurance enables a new systematic and dynamic approach to managing quality with suppliers.

Solumina provides a complete paperless system for defining, managing, communicating and verifying product specifications and requirements to the shop floor and to suppliers. Quality Engineers plan product and inspection specifications, which include product characteristics, tolerances, and rules for sampling, oversight and audits. First Article Inspection (FAI) requirements are specified in compliance with FAA and AS9102 guidelines.

Minimize inventory in receiving inspection

Solumina’s collaborative quality approach enables more inspections to be performed at the supplier site via the web instead of at receiving. Inventory items in receiving inspection are minimized. Products can ship directly from the supplier to work-in-process at the plant based on the supplier’s quality rating for the specific part and the rules established by quality managers.

Minimize the need for third party contract inspection

Solumina provides the ability to remotely review and approve source inspection data including measurements, check lists and certifications. The application provides a systematic way to manage the oversight of source inspections performed by suppliers in order to minimize the need for third party contract inspection at the supplier’s facility.

Quality issues are identified earlier at the supplier site and corrected before shipment of goods is authorized. Quality issues that escape and are found downstream during the assembly process, have a greater impact on the supplier’s metrics, and trigger corrective action.

Eliminate manual management tasks

Receiving inspection, source inspection and suppliers can perform all necessary transactions via the web. But Solumina’s Supplier Quality Assurance system does more than deliver forms to suppliers via a web portal. The system dynamically generates inspection and audit requirements for each PO line item based on the most recent history for the specific part family and for the specific supplier.

As supplier quality increases, the system relaxes oversight requirements based on pre-established inspection oversight rules for different types of parts. Conversely, the system tightens inspections and oversight as defects are found either at the supplier location, or downstream during the assembly process. The automation of oversight rules eliminates the need to manually manage intervention and ensures that all suppliers are managed consistently.

Users are stepped through check lists and data collections, which can be configured to branch based on user answers. In-process recorded measurements and observations trigger instant feedback on out-of-tolerance and out-of-control conditions.

Reduce cycle time to resolve supplier issues

Users can document Discrepancies at the source, at Receiving, or when an escape is found on the shop floor. Solumina includes a completely integrated discrepancy documentation, classification, disposition, and corrective action system.

Every manager, engineer and production mechanic strives for zero defects, but the reality is that discrepancies and defects happen. Real-time communication between suppliers and buyers make it possible to react quickly to disposition issues when they arise on the shop floor. The Solumina system continuously monitors quality based on inspection results and provides a methodology to continuously improve quality. When repeat escapes are found, we flag a process fault and initiate corrective action.