Implementation of an assessment and analysing system for the utilisation of a factory-wide product quality database

In this project the concepts for 'factory-wide quality databases' were developed, implented and tested by several demonstration examples. Different solutions have been compared. At EKO Stahl one large relational database has been used in which the data from underlying process databases are transferred. At Aceralia, several data marts have been implemented. They are filled directly from the local process databases. The application of data warehouse technologies has been investigated based on commercial software packages by CSM. Different possibilities and tools for the powerful evaluation of the data from the quality databases have been developed : - a complex data mining tool which is specialised to steel production and which allows the user to investigate the relationships between process-/plant-variables and quality features of steel products in close detail; - a more global data evaluation system with some 'easy to use' algorithms. Here the user can investigate the process-/plant-variables by a browser oriented solution. In this way, the system is available for all interested engineers in the factory; - a concept for a 'knowledge repository' , realised as a prototype and tested by practical examples. Based on the implemented databases and the developed evaluation tools, several application examples have been realised. They have proved the applicability of the concepts and the reaIised implementations. The experiences with the developed systems are very promising. They are used intensively during the daily work and help to detect much faster the causes of quality problems than was possible in the past.