Extensive quality checklists are used and completed for every component in the production chain. In times of pandemic where travel restrictions and personal contacts are minimized, we have to take advantage of the latest technologies for contactless and remote communication that are available and proven.
In case of our vessel production – the vessel is one of the main parts of a crystal grower - at PVA Italy, for example, this means that visits of the QA inspector on site are not feasible. In order to witness the inspection of the parts in accordance to the acceptance protocols of each and every part, PVA is performing a “remote acceptance procedure”. We use the technology of Augmented Reality to get virtually the inspector directly to the production site in Schio, Italy. Together with the staff from production and QA in Italy the inspector completes the quality check protocol via “smart glasses”. In doing so the engineer in Italy wears special glasses that capture the view from his site and projects this onto a PC monitor or mobile device at the main production site in Jena, Germany. Besides being connected via voice the inspector in Jena can share his screen or draw lines and marks that will be projected into the field of view of the engineer in Italy.
Talking to the team, they say that the work is as fast as the “normal” way, but without the effort and risks (and cost) of travelling. And it is a very motivating way to approve the quality of work by having the people from the workshop measuring and inspecting the results together with the inspector a couple hundred kilometers away. On top, this way of inspection delivers a higher grade of transparency, as all results, images and movie clips can and will be saved in the project files.
The inspection itself will start with the big picture, i.e. checking the serial number, completeness, cleanliness, free-of-damage and surface quality. Then the engineer takes the required measurements with the appropriate tools according to the checklist and documents the results. Whether or not these findings fulfill the acceptance criteria given in the QA protocol will be checked directly by both, the engineer on site and the inspector. The document can be signed digitally and will be saved in the project. Even the pressure test of the complete vessel will be performed and documented in that way.
This new way of remote acceptance is proven to increase the delivery quality and the motivation of the workers, saves time, money and eliminates miscommunication.
And it is a further step taken by PVA TePla to assure the quality of the products and evolving in regards to industry 4.0.
PVA Crystal Growing Systems builds highly sophisticated systems for the production of silicon wafers with highest purity. In order to achieve this superior grade of material specifications our customers rely on the continuous quality of the PVA TePla equipment in the daily production processes. Over decades. This confidence of customers in the performance of our machines requires the best possible efforts of quality control in the development, design, assembly, installation and service. All members of the PVA TePla group are certified to the most recent ISO standards and take all measures to fulfill and supersede the procedures given therein.