Improvements will streamline layered process audit management

MISSION VIEJO, Calif., March 26, 2018—Beacon Quality today announced the release of the Beacon Quality iOS app for mobile audits, the latest in several updates to the company’s audit and corrective action platform. An Android version of the mobile audit app will follow later this year.

Beacon Quality iOS App Announcement from Ease, Inc. on Vimeo.

The app represents an improvement over the web-based version of Beacon Quality in terms of conducting mobile audits, specifically when users aren’t in wifi range. Since the app downloads data directly to a smartphone or tablet, users can start and complete audits anywhere in the plant.

“Having access to audit and mitigation data on an offline device is huge for automotive and aerospace manufacturers, since plants can have spotty wifi coverage,” says Paul Foster, Product Manager for Beacon Quality. “Now when users are back in wifi range, the app automatically syncs data with the reporting system so you can view it right away.”

Foster adds that the Beacon Quality app also fixes an earlier issue with photo uploads, ensuring that users can add unlimited images to the mitigation or audit record at any time.

“Photos can be the quickest way to solve or describe a problem, to show ‘acceptable’ versus ‘not acceptable’ or verify that a corrective action or mitigation is complete,” Foster says. Taking photos saves time during audits and corrective action, a key consideration for strategies like layered process audits (LPAs) that mean targeting a high number of audits.

Suppliers to General Motors (GM) and Fiat Chrysler are required to conduct LPAs, a type of high-frequency audit involving multiple layers of personnel. High-frequency auditing is a best practice for improving quality, but companies can quickly get overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork involved.

Many of them opt to automate LPAs, often reporting higher levels of success with mobile audit tools compared with the standard checklist-and-spreadsheet approach. Users say these tools are also key to boosting engagement with younger workers.

“Quality management people are constantly asking how they can attract and retain new talent in the profession,” says Foster. “Technology can help bridge that gap, making the job less about paperwork and more about making a real impact on quality.”

Watch a video on Beacon Quality to learn more, or download it from the App Store.

About Beacon Quality: Founded in 1986, Beacon Quality is the leading provider of cloud-based and on-premise layered process audit (LPA) software for the automotive and aerospace industries.

We have decades of experience helping companies improve visibility and control at every stage of production, with tools that promote company-wide engagement and operational excellence. Our mission: empowering businesses to deliver higher quality products better, faster and at lower cost.