Tech Company ICICI Takes QC Online
Edison, N.J.–based ICICI Infotech Inc. has launched a new online quality-control service that aims to streamline the data management process for apparel manufacturers, distributors and vendors.
Called Quality Audit, the solution enables distribution centers and field auditors to record quality audit results online or via remote access using handheld PDAs (personal digital assistants). The goal is to provide immediate information to factory managers so they can make adjustments and improve efficiency.
“Real-time quality data updates and early analysis, beginning at the factory and warehouses, places manufacturers in a better position to make quick decisions that impact product quality,” said ICICI Chief Executive Officer V. Srinivasan.
The application follows the universal AQL (acceptable quality level) rules for auditing while allowing for a company’s specific business rules. Products go through a defined workmanship and measurement audit and are accepted or rejected based on companydefined defect rules. Passing or failing grades are assigned to purchase-order lots based on AQL standards.
The application can integrate with a company’s purchase-order system, allowing managers to assign orders to auditors and determine workloads, said Srinivasan. Using PDAs, customers can synchronize purchaseorder assignments and audit results with a wireless or dial-up connection so managers can access up-to-the minute information from anywhere in the world, he added.
—Robert McAllister
