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Now there’s a brand-new version of NWA Quality Monitor – NorthWest Analytical’s complete factory-floor statistical process control (SPC) software.

Despite its power and flexibility, Quality Monitor is not complicated to configure or use – it’s simple to set up; straight forward to link to measurement devices; easy to integrate with corporate database and information systems; and extremely easy to operate. The latest version (v.2.3) builds on these key attributes to bring users even more capability and flexibility to plant floor quality control, much enhanced database compatibility, improved data sharing, greatly extended alarm functions, more convenient data views and more calculation capability than ever before. That’s why NWA Quality Monitor 2.3 is the first choice for factory floor SPC.

New features for version 2.3 include:

Ability to write data to multiple databases
Quality Monitor 2.3 will now write any combination of fields to any combination of ODBC database tables. For example, measurement data, defect counts, and assignable causes can now be written to separate database tables. The database write function also supports ‘normalisation’ and Quality Monitor will automatically structure the data when writing to normalised tables.

Ability to read information from databases
Quality Monitor will now automatically read information from a database before data is entered into a new record. This function can be used to load descriptive information about a sample, data for calculations, etc. The data can be read from ODBC databases or Quality Analyst DAT files.

Ability to read specifications from database
Specifications can now be automatically read from ODBC databases or disk files when a Quality Monitor screen is first loaded or before data is entered into a new record. This allows product specifications to be stored in a central database, and also provides support for collecting data for multiple products using a single Quality Monitor Data Set.

New ‘Workstation Link’
Quality Monitor now provides direct support for automatically sharing data and other information among multiple Quality Monitor Workstations. Data collected on one workstation can now be automatically sent to another as soon as it is entered. Typical uses include sending product weights collected at one workstation to be used as beginning weights at a workstation further down a process line, or providing key measurement or defect data from where it is collected to where it may be used. The data can be transmitted through disk files or ODBC databases.

New “Quick view” of data
Recent data records can now be displayed in a pop-up window in spreadsheet form. This supplies a historical context while viewing the current record.

New calculation functions
Calculations may now include ‘string’ functions (extracting portions of text strings) and logical operations (IF, OR, XOR, NOT, ELSE, and WHEN).

Controllable Window size and location
The size and location of various Workstation windows can now be pre-defined and locked, including the data entry screen, graphics display, help, etc.

Set alarms on Pattern Rule and Calculated SPC limit violations
Quality Monitor will now alarm in real-time on Pattern Rules and SPC limits that are automatically recalculated. Prior versions did not alarm on Pattern Rule violations and required fixed SPC limits for real-time alarms.

Direct Modification of HED file
Quality Monitor will now directly modify the Quality Analyst ‘Header’ (HED) file, writing parameters such as product specifications.

Dynamic picture control
Pictures displayed on data entry screens can now be linked to field content such as product codes, allowing the picture to change based on the information being entered.

WAV (sound) file support for alarms
Quality Monitor now supports the use of WAV file sound generation as an alarm action.

New “On alarm” functions
Quality Monitor can now perform additional tasks when alarm conditions have been detected (specifications, SPC limit, or pattern rule violations). These new functions includedisplaying SPC charts, executing Run Files, or launching external programs (distribute alarm messages, activate or de-activate equipment, etc.).

Generate Email Alarms Automatically
Quality Monitor workstations with email capability can now send pre-defined email messages triggered by alarm conditions (specifications, SPC limit, or pattern rule violations).

With offices in the UK, USA, Germany and throughout the Nordic region, Adept Scientific is one of the world’s leading suppliers of software and hardware products for research, scientific, engineering and technical applications on desktop computers.