SAP Quality Management

SAP QM is the business application of quality of the software of ERP from SAP from SAP AG. The management of quality is narrowly integrated with other modules such as the millimetre, the PPP, and the standard deviation.

The module of QM can be used as system of CAQ (quality computer-assisted) or LIMS (management system of the information of laboratory). Consequently a complete range of the functionality is covered in the following sectors: Planning of quality, inspection of quality, certificates of quality, opinion of quality, quality control, management of audit, management of equipment of test and study of stability.

Functions of businesses

Planning of quality

The planning of quality includes the first stages in a process in closed circuit of inspection. All the basic principal data are here defined, including for example the principal data in management of quality:

• Plan of inspection: defines the characteristics which must be inspected and which are factory-specific. Those can be defined for each operation. Moreover, the equipment of agreeing test can be defined here.
• Principal characteristic of inspection: These characteristics are frequently employed in various plans of inspection and are thus maintained with the principal hierarchical level of data.
• Catalogue inspection: These catalogues contain codes and single operations of inspection which can be employed on the level of customer as well as the level of factory. These catalogues are then available for the use in all the plans of inspection.
• Method of inspection: Described how an inspection must be carried out.
• Process of taking away: Determination of the dimension of the sample according to certain rules. Based on these freely definable rules, the size of a sample (for example 10% out of 100 pieces) can be calculated.
• Regulate dynamic modification: the dynamic modification influences the level of quality which is used as a basis for the pilot quantity of diagram. The rules describe the conditions under which the inspections are tight or reduced. Example: if a supplier provided bad quality to the last forwarding, the level of quality will be tight for this supplier for all future forwardings. It can be reduced if the supplier provides good quality in a series of other forwardings.
• Disc of the information of quality: These discs are created when safeguards agreements of quality or the releases of supplier are employed. The system reads and checks these discs of information when a quotation or a buying order is created for a certain combination of material/supplier. This could lead to the information which a supplier due is blocked at the ends of quality.

The mode of failure and the analysis of effects (FMEA) and the plan of order are also part of the tools for planning of quality in SAP QM. The FMEA is an approach to reduce risks during planning and the development. This means that the possible product and the errors and the relative risks of process can be identified with a phase of development early which leads to a reduction in total development costs like costs due to the posterior changes. Moreover, the manufacturing process, the fall and the time of recovery can be reduced.

Inspection of quality

These functional possibilities are employed to constantly check the quality of the products of the company. Consequently the plans and the characteristics of inspection are employed. The process of inspection includes/understands mainly the four following stages:

The inspection can be started with a certain number of origins of inspection:

• Creation of fate of inspection: in SAP QM, all the inspections of quality are based on fates of inspection. Those can be started manually or automatically (for example with the goods discharge from a buying order, at the conclusion of goods of a component, with a certain operation during the production, etc). The fates contain specific information on the size of inspection (for example based on the process of taking away), of the characteristics of inspection and the methods of the plan of inspection or the specifications material, etc
• Recording of results: After inspection of the products, (for example color of the product) the quantitative results (for example width/size of a product) and/or qualitative of the preset characteristics can be directly recorded in the fate of inspection.
• Recording of defects: The defects can be additional recorded with the recording of results. These defects are also put in reference to a fate of inspection and contain information on any attribute of a mat�riel/de produit/de process which deviates of the definite characteristics. The recording of defect can be based on the standardized codes which can be taken catalogues preset of inspection.
• Achievement of fate of inspection: An achievement of the fate of inspection is necessary after results recording to decide finally about the use of a material. According to the decision of use, current indications are carried out (for example without restriction-employ the blocked actions, actions, the fall, etc). The decision of use also influences the level of quality and the points of quality of a fate of material or inspection.

Quality control

The possibilities of quality control are employed to ensure a continuous quality of the products and processes of the company. Consequently, the level of quality must be constantly updated, of the diagrams of order can be employed to check certain values and the quality of the suppliers must be evaluated.