Digital Process Inspections Accelerate Layered Process Audits
QZ, a German-language quality management magazine, reports on the introduction of SCIIL eLPA at automotive supplier Adient. The article explains how Layered Process Audits can be planned digitally, performed on mobile devices and evaluated centrally.
The main focus is on reducing the considerable manual effort involved in audit planning, monitoring, documentation and reporting.
Read the original German QZ article “Digitale Prozessprüfung beschleunigt Audits” as a PDF
The original QZ article is available in German only.
Why Adient Digitized Its Layered Process Audits
Layered Process Audits help manufacturing companies verify defined standards regularly at the shopfloor and identify weaknesses in production processes at an early stage.
At Adient, different management levels were assigned to inspect workstations according to a defined schedule. However, planning alone required considerable effort because each audit had to be assigned to a specific auditor, workstation and time.
Since one production line could include up to 90 workstations, manual scheduling quickly became complex and difficult to manage.
In addition, the existing quality management processes relied largely on paper documentation. Auditors completed questionnaires by hand, while the recorded information then had to be transferred manually into a digital system. Only after this step could the data be evaluated and prepared for reporting.
Furthermore, those responsible had to check whether all scheduled audits had been completed on time. At the same time, the current audit status, identified deviations and open corrective actions were not immediately available in one central system.
As a result, documentation and evaluation were delayed, while monitoring and reporting created additional administrative work.
With plants in 33 countries and up to 90 workstations per production line, this process became a significant time and cost factor. Adient therefore decided to introduce SCIIL eLPA in order to make planning more flexible and simplify audit execution, documentation and evaluation.
From Manual Audit Administration to the eLPA App
SCIIL worked with Adient to develop a digital solution adapted to the company’s processes and workstations.
The objective was a user-friendly application that combines planning, mobile execution, deviation documentation, corrective action tracking and evaluation within one system.
A central requirement was an LPA app for tablets and smartphones. It guides auditors step by step through the relevant checklist. Reference images show the required condition at each workstation.
When a deviation is identified, it can be documented immediately with a photo and comment and linked to the necessary corrective actions.
Learn more about the current SCIIL eLPA solution
SCIIL eLPA at Adient in Practice
The user video shows how SCIIL eLPA was introduced at Adient and used in day-to-day production operations.
The video contains German subtitles.
Significant Time Savings with SCIIL eLPA
After introducing SCIIL eLPA, Adient identified improvements in almost every stage of the audit process.
According to the QZ article, the solution achieved the following time savings:
- 80 percent in audit planning
- 90 percent in audit reporting
- 60 percent in audit documentation
- 20 percent in audit execution
- 10 percent in corrective action planning
The greatest effects were achieved in planning and reporting.
By automating these activities, SCIIL eLPA significantly reduced the administrative effort associated with Layered Process Audits.
From Pilot Project to International Rollout
According to the QZ article, approximately six months passed between the initial idea, software development and pilot testing at selected plants.
A rollout plan was then created to define when each location would receive the required hardware and software and when the respective key users would be trained.
The article therefore describes not only the functions of the application but also how SCIIL eLPA was introduced step by step within an international manufacturing organization.
Following the successful pilot and the improvements achieved, Adient decided to roll out the system worldwide.
The German QZ Article About SCIIL eLPA
The full article was published in the German-language trade magazine QZ Qualität und Zuverlässigkeit, issue 01/2018, under the title:
“Digitale Prozessprüfung beschleunigt Audits – Wie der Aufwand für Layered Process Audits via App reduziert wird”
The title can be translated as:
“Digital Process Inspections Accelerate Audits – How an App Reduces the Effort Required for Layered Process Audits.”
For information about the current functions and applications of the solution, visit the product page SCIIL eLPA.