SPC is a data-driven method for measuring and controlling quality during the manufacturing process.
According to InfinityQS, which has published a white paper, called SPC for the Food and Beverage Industry, SPC will be increasingly vital to businesses at every step of the food and beverage supply chain – especially given the high risks and complex regulatory requirements associated with food quality and safety.
However, it said the use of paper-based data collection continued to hold many organisations back from implementing an SPC solution.
Limits of paper-based systems
“Beyond being time-consuming and highly prone to error, paper-based data collection limits what operators and quality professionals can achieve – with many resorting to constant firefighting against quality and safety issues,” said Greg Matranga, vice president of global marketing, InfinityQS.
“Audits also become a headache as personnel struggle to locate information to prepare requested reports. But with automated or semi-automated data collection, along with an SPC solution, these challenges disappear. The data become readily available and accessible in real time.”
He added that it was possible to switch from “reactive firefighting to proactive prevention” and to streamline audits, with reports generated within minutes.
InfinityQS added that manufacturers could take their data a step further and perform analysis to reveal opportunities to minimise waste, reduce costs and improve quality on the plant floor.