iQ - Quality & Test Management Software

The CAD-Intelligent Quality & Test Management Solution

There exists no shortage of quality software for manufacturing. iQ stands apart because it is built on CAD intelligence. Why is this important? It enables operators to quickly input data on an intelligent visual of the product, rather than text input. It enables positional and visual analysis of quality across the surface of the product. It enables intelligent mapping of defects back to detailed elements of the product design for continuous improvement. It delivers you superior data input and analytical results thereafter.

Quality Collection on a Visual of the Product

Most quality tools expect operators to enter nonconformances as text or from drop-down lists. A slow, error-prone, and cumbersome process. And worse, the data available for analysis later is limited as it has no relationship to the product design intelligence.

With iQ, operators simply click on the visual of the CAD design in the location of the nonconformance, and select from an intelligent list of types. The types are even filtered using awareness of the process, such that nonconformances that are simply not possible at that point in the route are not made available to operators.

Using this simple and rapid visual collection method, quality analysis is performed down to the location on the product as well as the quantity and nature of the nonconformances.

Rework Management

iQ drives the redirection of the nonconforming product into user-configured routes for rework. When the unit is scanned into a rework station, iQ again presents the visual of the product, but places clear indicators where rework needs to be performed.

Operators conduct their work, and clear the nonconformances as they go. No paper. No stickers or markers. And everything is tracked, traced and controlled.

Test Symptom to Defect Mapping

Testers develop symptoms of defects only. It takes diagnostics to determine the root cause of these symptoms.

That’s why iQ presents test engineers everything they need to know about the product itself, the test results, the history of the units built around the time that unit was built, and more.

Engineers can drill into as much context about the problem as they require to rapidly determine the nature of the nonconformance. The unit then follows the rework and repair process which also controlled by iQ.

Automated Inspection & Test Collection

iQ receives data from automatic optical inspection equipment and testers via Aegis xLink Adapters. These adapters provide standards-based, real-time data collection for any type of assembly, process and measurement equipment.

The information received from these machines is identical to operator input. It brings the same visual representation and location information about the nonconformances into the system, but provides it fully automatically.

Nonconformance Lifecycle Tracking

The lifecycle of a nonconformance from the time it is initially ‘indicted’ by a machine or operator can be complex. It may be later declared a false positive. It could be reworked and yet again found to be defective.

It can follow many steps from at first being ‘indicted’ to finally being closed. iQ understands these phases and tracks and traces all of them.

Each nonconformance follows a lifecycle and the analysis systems and reports enable you to drill into everything that occurred along the way.

Quality Visualization

As all data input to iQ is related to the CAD design, visualization across the product’s surface is possible. iQ presents what could be called ‘Doppler radar for quality’.

This view presents operators a multi-colored image of the product instantly revealing locations where they should focus their efforts, where quality problems related to position may be occurring, or where design flaws are causing quality problems consistently.

This level of positional analysis is simply impossible with a generic-entry quality tool. With iQ it’s automatic.