Quality management system

• US 20090006018A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: FG Wilson Limited (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: FG Wilson Limited (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hutchins, James A., Anderson, Keith C.
• Application Number:
  US11/819,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006018A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/82
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A quality management system is provided, having a first workstation including a first graphical user interface configured to display information regarding at least one process and a second workstation located remote from the first workstation and including a second graphical user interface configured to display information regarding the at least one process. The system may also include a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for collecting and storing data from the at least one process. The computer-readable medium may also include instructions for displaying, on the first graphical user interface, information derived from the collected data in real-time with respect to the collection of the data. Further, computer-readable medium may include instructions for transferring the collected data, or the information derived from the collected data, to the second workstation and displaying, on the second graphical user interface, the information derived from the collected data.

Claims

1. A quality management system, comprising:

a first workstation including a first graphical user interface configured to display information regarding at least one process;

a second workstation located remote from the first workstation and including a second graphical user interface configured to display information regarding the at least one process; and

a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for;

collecting and storing data from the at least one process;

displaying, on the first graphical user interface, information derived from the collected data in real-time with respect to the collection of the data;

transferring the collected data, or the information derived from the collected data, to the second workstation; and

displaying, on the second graphical user interface, the information derived from the collected data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein transferring the collected data, or the information derived from the collected data, is performed on demand of a user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein transferring the collected data, or the information derived from the collected data, is performed automatically.

4. The system of claim 1, further including a messaging system configured to transfer messages between users of the first workstation and the second workstation;

wherein the messages include the information derived from the collected data.

5. The system of claim 1, further including instructions stored on the computer-readable medium for creating and maintaining electronic checklists that are related to the at least one process and customizable by a user of the system.

6. The system of claim 1, further including a mobile inspection unit configured to be used for inspection of one or more aspects of the at least one process and including a third graphical user interface configured to display information regarding the at least one process.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more aspects of the at least one process each have at least one defect code associated therewith, which may be selected if the one or more aspects fail inspection.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the information derived from the collected data includes a list of defect codes associated with one or more work orders, work stations, technicians, or departments;

and

further including instructions for generating a list of all the work orders for which a particular defect code has been selected during an inspection.

9. The system of claim 1, further including a mobile repair unit configured to be used by a user of the system to repair one or more pieces of equipment related to the at least one process and including a third graphical user interface configured to display information regarding the at least one process.

10. The system of claim 1, further including instructions for conditioning one or more aspects of a manufacturing, inspection, testing, or shipping process on successful completion of one or more predetermined items in a manufacturing, inspection, repair, or testing checklist.

11. A quality management method, comprising:

collecting and storing data from at least one process;

displaying, on a first graphical user interface at a first workstation, information derived from the collected data in real-time with respect to the collection of the data;

transferring the collected data, or the information derived from the collected data, to a second workstation located remote from the first workstation and including a second graphical user interface configured to display information regarding the at least one process; and

displaying, on the second graphical user interface, the information derived from the collected data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein transferring the collected data, or the information derived from the collected data, is performed on demand of a user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein transferring the collected data, or the information derived from the collected data, is performed automatically.

14. The method of claim 11, further including transferring messages related to the collected data between users of the first workstation and the second workstation;

wherein the messages include the information derived from the collected data.

15. The method of claim 11, further including creating and maintaining electronic checklists that are related to the at least one process and customizable by a user of the system.

16. The method of claim 11, further including performing an inspection of one or more aspects of the at least one process using a mobile inspection unit including a third graphical user interface configured to display information regarding the at least one process.

17. The method of claim 16, further including selecting at least one defect code associated with the one or more aspects of the at least one process if the one or more aspects fail inspection.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the information derived from the collected data includes a list of defect codes associated with one or more work orders, work stations, technicians, or departments;

and

further including generating a list of all the work orders for which a particular defect code has been selected during an inspection.

19. The method of claim 18, further including performing repairs on one or more pieces of equipment related to the at least one process using a mobile repair unit including a third graphical user interface configured to display information regarding the at least one process.

20. The method of claim 19, further including conditioning one or more aspects of a manufacturing, inspection, testing, or shipping process on successful completion of one or more predetermined items in a manufacturing, inspection, repair, or testing checklist.