Quality control and certification system

Project Overview

Services Provided

Internal staff portal, automatic email processing, quality control workflows, PDF certificate generation, shipping management functionality, on-site visitor check-in

A little bit about Wright Flow Technologies

Wright Flow Technologies is a pump manufacturer based in Eastbourne which specialises in ultra-hygienic pumps. These pumps are used at factories all over the world and they move clean liquids like chocolate for Nestlé and Cadbury's, sauces like mayonnaise for Heinz and MasterFoods, and vaccine injectables or Ventolin for GlaxoSmithKlein (all Ventolin factories globally use Wright Flow pumps). Ultimately these end products are used by consumers worldwide.

The Problem

Wright Flow Technologies initially approached us in early 2020 looking for a new document management database. Given the highly-regulated nature of their industry, their customers need to be able to track each part of a pump, where it was produced, and the materials that it contains. Each part has an identification number marked on it and suppliers who provide the parts email Wright Flow with documentation which is then matched up and integrated into a certificate pack in the database.

The system that held and generated all this documentation was located on a physical server in Wright Flow's warehouse. It had not been updated for two years and they were only able to make small changes to it. Although it did the job, it was slow, old, unable to integrate and definitely not futureproof. They were concerned about carrying out PC updates in case it affected the running of their system.

The Solution

We have both replicated and improved on Wright Flow's original system. The new cloud-based system runs on our AWS infrastructure and is available on and off-site: it can therefore be used by field engineers as well as workshop floor staff. It benefits from the many AWS security features and runs on a fast system which can easily be updated and extended with further features.

In addition to the document management system, we have created a virtual email inbox to facilitate the automated imports of customer addresses and certificates. We have also been able to add on other modules such as shipping and the on-site visitor check-in screens, plus there is the possibility for further modules and client-facing screens in the future.

Automatic email and order processing

The system has been set up to automatically receive documentation emailed to a virtual mailbox from suppliers and link this to relevant orders.

We have also built an import process which sucks in new orders from the order feed, creates a new order on the system and allocates the appropriate line items to it ready to be worked on by the team.

The system is able to identify the requirements for the pump based on an 18-digit code.

Quality control workflows

Throughout the pump build process, workshop floor staff can add the details for various components to the order as they work on it. This can include details on the material composition, measurements on diagrams and performance testing. Compliance staff are able to review this information and confirm an order is ready.

PDF certificate generation

Once a pump or spare part has passed its quality control, compliance staff are able to generate a PDF certificate pack which includes everything a client would need to know about their new product: declarations of compliance, certificates of conformity from suppliers, inspection details, diagrams, measurements, performance results, warranty information, ISO certification, and more. The system is able to generate a large pack in seconds, ready for distribution to the client.

Shipping management

Every pump or spare part created on site needs to be shipped to a customer. In order to better manage this process, we created a shipment management system. This creates a shipment for every order, suggests appropriate box sizes and allows staff to add pumps or spares to a box.

The weights of products and their boxes are taken into consideration and full recipient and contents details are easily available. Staff are also able to generate advanced shipping notices for the shipments when required for the courier.

On-site visitor check-in

Due to the coronavirus pandemic as well as for health and safety on site, it was necessary to create a more efficient way of knowing who was coming in and out of the factory. So we created a one-page check-in screen for all visitors to Wright Flow Technologies to use on arrival and exit.

Not only does this closely tie a visitor with a member of staff, it enables COVID-19 screening questions to be asked in order to prevent the spread of infection, keep staff safe, and keep the supply chain flowing. In case of an emergency, it allows anyone with a phone or tablet to view which visitors are currently on site without needing to find the paper list on their way out of the building.