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Installation Issues
Data Input
Database Setup
General
System Requirements:
End-user requirements
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- 600-megahertz (MHz) Pentium III-compatible or faster processor.
- MS Windows Vista Home or Professional; Windows XP Home or Professional; Windows 2000; Windows ME; or Windows 98.
- 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or more
MS Access Server Requirements
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- 600-megahertz (MHz) Pentium III-compatible or faster processor.
- MS Windows Vista Home Basic and above (SQL Express SP1 and SQL Express Advanced SP2); Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later; Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional with SP4; Microsoft Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4 or later; Windows Server 2003 Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter editions
with Service Pack 1 or later; Windows Server 2003 Web Edition SP1; or Windows Small Business Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 or later.
- Approximately 200 MB of available hard-disk space for the recommended installation
- CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
- Super VGA (1,024x768) or higher-resolution video adapter and monitor
- 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or more; 512 megabytes (MB) or more recommended
SQL Server Installation Requirements
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SQL Express Installation Requirements
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Installation Instructions for new installations or upgraded versions:
- If an upgrade, have all users log out of the current installation, and save a copy of your existing database.
- Update the server by running the setup.exe application. This can be run from any machine that can access the server by anyone with Write Access privileges to the installation folder on the server and Administrative rights on the client. When prompted by the installation select the “Single Workstation or Network Server” option.
- Ensure that all users have Write Access privileges to the database and the _qinfo04.sys file in the server's installation folder.
- Update each of the other client computers by running the setup.exe application using Adminstrative rights on each client machine. Use the “Workstation – Run Program from Network” option to install the application dependencies, setup the shortcuts, and ensure all system files are reregistered to this latest version. You may install as many client workstations as necessary, as the program will automatically prevent additional users from logging in once your network license count has been reached.
- Open the SPC Explorer software from one of the client installations. If an upgrade, you should be prompted to update the database version to the new release.
Error opening any characteristic from MS Vista installation: Error in cls.Char:Load Item
Error when trying to open any of the characteristics or Work Sets: Error in cls.Char:Load Item cannot be found in
collection corresponding to requested name or ordinal. Source: ADODB.fields. This error occurs when the MS Vista installation
does not allow access to the SPC Explorer database. To correct this problem, follow the recommendations
for Vista installations, in particular ensuring that the Run as Adminstrator options is set in the spcsf.exe
application file's Properties \ Compatability tab.
Can
you add data (such as Manufacturing Order number, Serial Number, etc.)
via a barcode reader to the Traceability Fields?
If the barcode reader is a keyboard emulation type reader,
then just put your cursor into the field then scan from the bar code.
I
have looked at the tutorials for your SPC-PC IV and SPC Explorer RT products,
and it seems they each have advantages for different aspects of our operation.
Can you give any recommendations on which is better for different applications?
If I purchase both, can the data from SPC Explorer RT be accessed from SPC-PC
IV?
Each of the packages is designed for slightly different
needs. SPC Explorer RT can be looked at as a 'turn-key solution' for ease of
data entry and real-time monitoring of the process. (By real-time, we
mean that as data is collected, or measurements made, charts are produced
for immediate analysis at the data entry station). Electronic gages can
be used to facilitate this data entry. While SPC-PC IV can also be used
this way, its interface has much more capability; SPC-PC IV can be used
to query existing databases, and link to files or open files created from
other software. (SPC Explorer RT has a self contained database). While most
users like the flexibility of SPC-PC IV's spreadsheet, the data form used
in SPC Explorer RT has appeal to novice users.
The strengths of each package make them especially attractive
together. Use SPC Explorer RT for data entry and real-time monitoring at
the data entry workstations. Connect to its database using SPC-PC IV's
ODBC Query functions and your Supervisors or Engineers can monitor the
process off-line in real time fashion. Use SPC-PC IV's advanced Alerting
functions to send alert messages to any SPC-PC IV user based on user-defined
alert conditions (such as out of control, out of specification, etc.).
With SPC-PC IV version 3.63, alert conditions can initiate executable
or batch files. These could send pager messages, e-mails, or send warning
lights flashing down in Quality Control.
How
do you delete Work Sets, Parts, and Characteristics?
Prior to v3.1, Work Sets, Parts and/or Characteristics
that were no longer needed could be made Inactive. Version 3.0 provides
the ability to limit the views to only those records based on specified
criteria (such as Active Only).
Version 3.1 allows deleting of Work Sets, Parts, and Characteristics,
as well as Gages and ODBC Import definitions.
If
a Characteristic is Inactive, why is it shown in a Work Set view? You
shouldn't be able to collect data on it.
It was designed this way to allow on-line users the ability
to view a characteristic w/o collecting data for it. If you don't want
to see the characteristic in the Workset, you should use the Remove button
in the Define Workset dialog to remove the characteristic from the Workset.
Note also that Auto Advance will bypass the Inactive characteristic, and
that data cannot be collected for the Inactive Characteristic.
Is
the size of the database a concern for performance?
Performance does not degrade noticeably with the size
of the database, at least within reasonable limits. Instead, performance
is dictated by the amount of data being analyzed in the current workset
charts. We have generated a large database to demonstrate performance:
288 processes, 384 characteristics, and 48,466 data records. When the
charts had the usual 100 or even 200 subgroups there was no noticeable
degradation in performance as compared to the much smaller sample database.
Although it is fair to say that MS-Access is not ideally
suited for large number of users, or large number of records, you can
easily circumvent that by using several databases throughout the plant
for the different departments.
Version 3.1 supports the use of SQL Server databases,
which are particularly useful for larger databases or frequent transactions.
Is
SPC Explorer RT compatible w/ QS 9000?
QS 9000 Element 4.20 (Statistical Techniques) requires
the use of statistical methods where applicable and refers the reader
to the AIAG SPC Reference Manual.
The formulas used in Quality America's SPC applications
are in agreement with those found in the AIAG SPC Reference Manual. The
Foreword to the AIAG SPC Reference Manual states the manual "should
be considered an introduction to statistical process control. It is not
intended to limit the evolution of statistical methods suited to particular
processes or commodities, nor is it intended to be comprehensive of all
SPC techniques."
In this regard, Quality America's SPC software does offer
analysis options not discussed in the Reference Manual. These include
non-normal Individual-X charts, non-normal Process Capability analysis,
additional Run Test rules, etc. These options may or may not be used,
at the user's discretion. Furthermore, the Reference Manual refers to
some analysis techniques not offered in Quality America's SPC software,
such as Median Charts and Measurement System Analysis (offered in Quality
America's QA-Calibrate software).
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