Frequencies

Dawid Kaczmarek Updated by Dawid Kaczmarek

Many places in the Cepheo Quality Sample Management Module, you are able to control frequencies to ensure the correct number of samples are taken, the right number of quality orders are created, and that each quality order has the expected number of tests. This section covers the use of frequencies and examples where the settings can be useful.

Advanced Quality Association with Reference Type < > Quality Sample
On Advanced Quality Associations with reference types different from Quality Sample, it is possible to set up a frequency of how often an Advance Quality Order and/or a sample should be created. In the group ‘Quality order/Sample creation criteria’, it is possible to trigger the creation according to a frequency instead of every time the association is fulfilled. This is enabled by selecting ‘Use extended creation criteria’. The field ‘Sequence type’ decides what we count:
  • Batch: The count is on a batch ID independent of the product.
  • Product: The count is on triggers for the product ID independently of the batch numbers.
  • Batch-Product: The count is on triggers for the combination of Product and Batch number.
Example Scenario When Using Sequence Type "Batch": Orange Juice Production

Business Context: You run a beverage manufacturing company that produces orange juice in large quantities. The juice is made in bulk and then packaged into various sizes—such as 250ml bottles, 500ml bottles, and 1-liter cartons—all from the same production batch.

Quality Control Objective: To ensure consistent quality across all packaging sizes, you want to perform quality control tests periodically throughout the batch's production lifecycle, rather than for each packaging size.

Advanced Quality Association Setup:

  1. Reference Type: Production
  2. Sequence Type: Batch
  3. Frequency Type: Counter
  4. Frequency: 5

Explanation:

  • Batch Counting: By setting the sequence type to "Batch," the system will count triggers based on the batch ID, irrespective of the product variation or packaging size. This ensures that quality control is applied to the batch as a whole, rather than individually for each variation.

Counter Frequency: With the frequency set to "5," a quality order and/or sample is created every fifth time the Advanced Quality Association is triggered (often based on the settings under "process". For instance, every time a license plate is reported as finished). This helps in maintaining a periodic check without overwhelming the system with tests for every packaging size derived from the same batch.

Example Scenario When Using Sequence Type "Product": Pharmaceutical Tablet Production

Business Context: You operate a pharmaceutical company that produces a specific type of pain relief tablet. Each batch of tablets is manufactured and packaged separately, but all batches share the same formulation and quality standards.

Quality Control Objective: Your goal is to ensure that every batch of this specific tablet meets stringent quality standards. However, rather than testing every single batch, you want to periodically perform quality checks across batches to monitor consistency and detect any long-term trends or issues.

Advanced Quality Association Setup:

  1. Reference Type: Production
  2. Sequence Type: Product
  3. Frequency Type: Counter
  4. Frequency: 10

Explanation:

  • Product Counting: By setting the sequence type to "Product," the system will count triggers based on the specific product ID, across all batches. This ensures that quality control is applied periodically to the product, regardless of batch variations.

Counter Frequency: With the frequency set to "10," a quality order and/or sample is created every tenth time the Advanced Quality Association is triggered (often based on the settings under "process". For instance, every time a license plate is reported as finished), which allows for periodic checks without overwhelming the system with tests for every batch.

Advanced Quality Association with Reference Type = Quality Sample
In the Cepheo Quality Sample Management Module, we have introduced another level of frequencies to ensure that samples can be taken without each sample necessarily resulting in the creation of an Advance Quality Order. Should any test fail, the frequency can be automatically changed to a higher frequency.
  1. Normal Test Group Setup:
  • Define a standard test group that triggers an advance quality order based on a specified frequency (e.g., every third sample).
  1. Extended Test Mode:
  • Activate "Extended Test Mode" to switch to a different test group if a normal quality order fails.
  • Use this mode to increase testing frequency until a certain number of quality orders pass, then revert to the normal frequency.
Example Scenario: Beverage Quality Control

Business Context: A beverage company produces a line of fruit juices, and quality control is critical due to potential variations in raw material quality. Samples are taken from the production line every few hours.

Quality Control Objective: To ensure consistent product quality by adjusting the frequency and type of testing based on previous test results.

Advanced Quality Association Setup:

  1. Normal Test Group:
  • Set up to trigger an advance quality order every 5th sample.
  • Includes standard tests for acidity, sugar content, and microbial levels.
  1. Extended Test Mode:
  • Activated if any normal quality order fails (e.g., microbial levels exceed acceptable limits).
  • When triggered, every sample is tested until two consecutive quality orders pass.
  • Uses an extended test group with additional tests for potential contaminants.
  1. Frequency Type:
  • Counter: Normal frequency is set to every 5th sample.

If extended mode is activated, frequency changes to every sample until conditions are met to revert.

Frequency Type
The field Frequency type found on both Advanced quality association and test group lines can be set to counter and days. Default is counter, which counts registrations/Advanced quality order creations.

Using "Days" as the frequency type instead of "Counter" can be particularly advantageous in scenarios where time-based consistency is crucial, and you want to ensure regular quality checks regardless of production volumes or batch counts. Here are a couple of examples to illustrate why "Days" might be preferred over "Counter":

Example 1: Dairy Product Production

Business Context: You manage a dairy processing facility that produces yogurt. Given the perishable nature of dairy products, it's essential to maintain strict quality control and ensure consistent product quality over time.

Quality Control Objective: To regularly monitor the quality of yogurt batches to prevent spoilage and ensure freshness, regardless of the number of batches produced.

Advanced Quality Association Setup:

  1. Reference Type: Production
  2. Sequence Type: Batch
  3. Frequency Type: Days
  4. Frequency: Every 3 days

Explanation:

  • Time-Based Consistency: By using "Days" as the frequency type, quality checks are scheduled at regular intervals (e.g., every 3 days), ensuring consistent monitoring of product quality, which is crucial for perishable goods.
  • Regular Quality Checks: This setup ensures that you perform quality tests at fixed intervals, enabling you to catch any quality issues early, regardless of production fluctuations.

Benefits:

  • Predictable Schedule: Provides a reliable schedule for quality inspections, making it easier to plan resources and manage quality assurance activities.
  • Continuous Monitoring: Ensures continuous oversight of product quality, which is critical for products with limited shelf life.
Example 2: Seasonal Cosmetic Production

Business Context: You run a cosmetics company that produces a special line of summer skincare products. Production peaks during certain months, but you want to maintain quality checks year-round.

Quality Control Objective: To ensure quality consistency of the skincare products throughout the production season, while accommodating variable production rates.

Advanced Quality Association Setup:

  1. Reference Type: Production
  2. Sequence Type: Product
  3. Frequency Type: Days
  4. Frequency: Every 14 days

Explanation:

  • Seasonal Oversight: Using "Days" allows you to schedule quality checks at regular intervals (e.g., every 14 days), ensuring product quality is maintained throughout the season, regardless of production volume.
  • Adaptability to Production Rates: This setup ensures quality checks are not dependent on production rates or batch counts, which can vary significantly during peak seasons.

Benefits:

  • Consistent Quality Assurance: Ensures regular quality monitoring across varying production levels, maintaining high standards throughout peak production times.
  • Resource Planning: Facilitates better planning for quality assurance resources, as checks are scheduled based on time rather than production quantity.

Using "Days" as the frequency type is ideal in industries where regular time-based oversight is essential, such as perishables or seasonal products, ensuring quality standards are consistently met regardless of production variability.

Frequency on test group lines
This setup allows you to selectively include tests in quality orders based on specified criteria, helping to manage testing resources effectively while maintaining consistent quality control across products and batches.

Test Groups – Lines (Advanced Quality Control Tab):

  1. Use Sequence Filter:
  • Enable this option to control whether a test is included in a quality order according to a specified frequency.
  1. Frequency:
  • Define how often the test should be included in quality orders, based on the same Product, Batch, or Product/Batch combination.
  • The frequency can be set to occur every X number of quality orders, allowing for more strategic testing.
  1. Frequency Type:
  • Choose between Counter or Days to determine how the system counts triggers for the test inclusion.
  • Counter: Includes the test every X number of quality orders (e.g., every 5th order).
  • Days: Includes the test based on a time interval (e.g., every 7 days).
  1. Sequence Type:
  • Determines what is counted:
  • Batch: Counts triggers based on batch ID independently of the product.
  • Product: Counts triggers based on product ID independently of batch numbers.
  • Batch-Product: Counts triggers based on the combination of Product and Batch number.
All Frequencies Used in Conjunction

Here is an example of how the different frequencies can be used in conjunction.

Situation: A production facility has a large bulk production, which is being put into bags of different sizes. Each bag size is one finished goods product type. Each time a new bulk production is started, the batch number changes, but the finished products are still the same. Every 2nd of the license plates with finished products should be sampled, but only every 5th sample should result in an Advance Quality Order, unless a test is out of spec. In that case, all samples must result in an Advance Quality Order until the next Advance Quality Order is passed.

The Tests Are the Following:

  • One test is very expensive and time-consuming. The risk is minimal. Therefore, it should be done only once when the batch number changes.
  • One test is to ensure the bulk product and supply are okay. It should be done on every 5th license plate based on batch number, no matter which product.
  • One test should be on every 10th license plate based on when batch and product change.
  • One test should be done on every license plate.
Setup:

Advanced Quality Association of Reference Type "Production":

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  • Set up to create a sample every 2nd time a license plate is reported as finished.
  • The counter is reset when the batch number changes.
  • The sample is automatically registered in lab.

Advanced Quality Association of Reference Type "Quality Sample" (Extended Setup):

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  • In normal mode, it creates one Advance Quality Order for every 5 license plates.
  • If an Advance Quality Order fails, the extended mode kicks in, and each sample will create an Advance Quality Order until one Advance Quality Order passes, in which situation it reverts back to normal mode.

The Test Group Has the Following Tests:

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  • Sequence 10: Counts on batch number and will be triggered once for every 9999 registration, meaning that only when you register more than 9999 samples on that batch number the test will be triggered.
  • Sequence 20: Triggers the test every 5th time a sample is registered on a batch. If the batch number changes, the counter is reset.
  • Sequence 30: Will trigger on every 10th sample, but if batch number or product changes, the counter for that batch-product combination will be reset.
  • Sequence 40: Has no checkmark in use sequence filter and will be triggered each time.

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