Uster: The Evolution Of Quality Management

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Uster: The Evolution Of Quality Management

Preventive quality control takes the next step Uster Technologies offers a unique portfolio of solutions for textile quality control, management and improvement, from fibre to fabric – adding value for each stage of production. Now USTER strengthens that concept even further, enabling textile producers to actually prevent poor quality, rather than just recording it. This latest advance combines textile know-how and technology with smart software, as the textile industry embraces the digital age through intelligent systems which promise faster, better and more cost-effective manufacturing. Digital quality management from fibre to fabric USTER has a 70-year history, with a deep understanding of the textile processes and the challenges its customers are facing. Based on this, USTER is committed to continuously strengthening objective quality measurement and automation along the textile value chain. In 2018, this led USTER to enter the field of automated fabric inspection, with the acquisition of Elbit Vision Systems. Another important step was to bring the world-renowned USTER^®STATISTICS quality benchmarks into the digital age, developing the USTER^®STATISTICS 2018 app for smartphones and mobile devices. A commitment to continuous expansion and development will ensure that customers continue to enjoy growth and profits. “Digitalisation offers many opportunities for evolving and improving our systems and services,” says USTER CEO Thomas Nasiou. “At the same time, the core of our offering will always be Think Quality^TM and all our efforts - whether in hardware, software or services – will aim towards quality measurement and management to maximise the value for our customers.” Introducing data-based optimisation As long ago as 2015, USTER introduced data evaluation to textile quality control, with the USTER^®TESTER 6. This allowed users, for the first time, to combine both laboratory and in-process data from different production stages to optimise quality control and its management. In 2019, the next logical step is to extend this connected approach to the further production processes, to offer value modules which enable textile producers not only to be informed of quality problems but also prevent and optimise wherever possible. This is another major step in ‘managing a textile mill with quality in mind’. Launching at ITMA 2019 USTER^®QUALITY EXPERT, the Quality Management Platform^TM, collects and evaluates information from different production stages, making the entire process more transparent for managers and operators. The introduction of the Quality Management Platform^TMmarks an important evolution for Uster Technologies. It combines collection and smart data analysis from more process steps with the next level of knowledge-based alerts about possible defects and extended prognosis of yarn performance in subsequent processes. Also very new is the possibility for better contamination control and quality-based optimisation of the ring spinning process, including the possibility to stop defect production as early as possible. Alerts are available on a mobile app and important performance indicators are also projected on dashboards – both with the target to trigger early reaction to problems. Of course, the reporting is also accessible on client terminals across the plant. The Quality Management Platform^TMwill form the centerpiece of the USTER presentation at ITMA 2019. At the same time, the comprehensive portfolio of online, laboratory, fabric inspection products and value-added services is being extended with further innovations. Reflecting the spirit of continuous innovation, a completely new ITMA booth design will highlight the digitally-connected Uster Technologies offering and showcase developments across the entire portfolio.