Quality assurance information systems for factory automation

Existing manufacturing control systems largely ignore quality assurance (QA) needs. This paper describes n procedure to incorporate QA infortnation into existing manufacturing information systems in an incremental fashion. In addition to incorporating &A needs in the production stage of the inforrnat, ion system, the paper details haw to extend the upstream source data capture in the pre-production stage as well as downstream in the post-product, ion stage. where numerous revenue-increasing opportunities exist.