Case: Valmet Automotive
Building a car is no small task and the amount of data needed during
the manufacturing process is staggering. Predisys and Valmet Automotive
first came into contact in 1997 when the implementation and integration
of QualityCOACH, the Predisys quality analysis and control software,
was started. The first manufacturing area in the factory to be
harnessed with QualityCOACH was the body shop, followed by the paint
shop, final audit and as of 2001, the assembly line.
Data on demand
Valmet Automotive takes the high quality of the cars produced at the
Uusikaupunki factory very seriously. Throughout the different
processes, Valmet Automotive has quality inspection points that
evaluate each car according to the high standards required by the car
manufacturers. The data collected during each quality inspection is
meticulously recorded into QualityCOACH through computers and hand-held
devices. This information is then available throughout the factory,
online, precise and error-free.
Information is needed every step of the way
Collecting information into the Predisys QualityCOACH system covers
the entire production process at Valmet Automotive. Stored in the
factory’s central database, all data can be retrieved according to the
needs of each QualityCOACH user. Team members on the factory floor can
check all work and any extra information given on each car.
Car-specific information can be retrieved according to body number and
inspected for quality figures from along the production line. “Predisys
QualityCOACH helps us eliminate the root cause of defects. This speeds
up the manufacturing process”, says Markku Tuominen, Production Area
Manager.
Management uses QualityCOACH to follow quality trends and to look at
production during a longer time frame for a more in-depth analysis of
production. Specified graphs are drawn out of the system on a regular
basis and discussed in team meetings. Quality targets are reviewed in
predefined time-frames to visualize emerging trends and areas of
development.
Transparency among partners
The use of information retrieved from QualityCOACH does not stop at
the factory gates. Valmet Automotive believes in a transparent and open
relationship with their partners. Hence the car manufacturers
outsourcing to Valmet Automotive receive precise data of the
manufacturing process on a weekly basis, but also tailored information
when so needed.
Porsche is one of the car manufacturers that have contracted part of
the manufacturing of the Porsche Boxster to Valmet Automotive.
Hans-Stefan Heimberger, Project Manager Quality for Porsche AG says,
“Predisys QualityCOACH gives us the information we need in a compact
and easy-to-read format. It is a real tool in preventing negative
trends.”
Valmet Automotive: Precision in car manufacturing
Valmet Automotive is an independent car manufacturer in Finland.
Valmet Automotive supplies system services from design and engineering
to manufacturing, mastering the whole process from initial concept to
production. Valmet Automotive has 30 years of experience in building
high-quality cars for demanding customers worldwide. The Uusikaupunki
factory currently specializes in two types of convertibles with both
hard and soft tops. The annual number of cars manufactured is 38 500
(2000). The highly scalable production process in Uusikaupunki can
double that number if needed.
Valmet Automotive has been Predisys’ customer since 1997, when work
was started to integrate Predisys QualityCOACH into the body shop
portion of the Uusikaupunki factory. The system is actively used as a
tool for customer reporting and information exchange between different
departments in the factory. Presently, Predisys QualityCOACH covers the
body shop, painting, final assembly and one of the most important
quality feedback areas, final audit of the car.
Porsche AG is one of the car manufacturers that have contracted part
of the manufacturing of the Porsche Boxster to Valmet Automotive.
Porsche receives periodic reports from Predisys QualityCOACH, ensuring
transparent and open communication that is a hallmark between Valmet
Automotive and Porsche AG.
For more information, please contact:
Predisys, Inc.
Tel. +358 (0)9 439 3420
info@predisys.com