For manufacturers, quality control (QC) data is only useful if it’s accurate, legible, and available when decisions need to be made. For Reel Core, a manufacturer of blow-molded plastic reels, relying on paper documentation for their quality checks limited visibility and slowed response times to production issues.
To modernize their quality data processes and support ISO-9001 requirements, Reel Core partnered with Far Reach to replace clipboards and spreadsheets with a tablet-based quality tracking system built specifically for their manufacturing and QC process.
This custom web application gives Reel Core real-time insight into quality metrics across machines, parts, and shifts while reducing manual data entry, improving accuracy, and enabling faster corrective action.
The Challenge: Paper-Based QA in a Real-Time Production Environment
Before implementing the new software, Reel Core’s quality checks were recorded on paper forms attached to clipboards at each machine. While the process worked, it came with familiar challenges:
- Handwritten data was difficult to read and inconsistent
- There were no checks and balances for making sure data was completely recorded
- Records were scattered across shifts and machines
- Issues were often discovered after the fact, not as they occurred
- Aggregating data for audits or analysis required manual re-entry
Reel Core’s Assistant Plant Manager, Dave Mulholland, experienced these challenges often. “When I had to do manual QC data entry, it was very time-consuming,” he said. “There were also accuracy issues because handwritten data wasn’t legible, data points were missing, and I’m sure I made typing errors.”
To meet the requirements of ISO-9001 Quality Management System certification, Reel Core needed better QC documentation and traceability. They also wanted something that fit naturally into day-to-day production, not a system that slowed operators down. They were looking for a way to:
- Capture QC data as machines were running
- Tie it directly to jobs, equipment, and parts
- Make that information immediately visible to the right people
The Solution: Custom QC Data Tracking Software
Far Reach designed and built a custom web application tailored to Reel Core’s production process and data input requirements. Instead of paper forms, quality control operators now use tablets to log inspections and job status in real time.
Each job is tied to:
- A specific machine
- The machine head and mold in use
- The part being produced
- The shift and operator
The system enforces structure and accountability. Jobs must be properly started and closed, and quality checks must be completed in sequence, which prevents gaps that were easy to miss on paper.
From the production floor, the system tracks:
- Jobs currently in progress or completed
- Pass/fail status for each quality check
- Failure reasons when issues occur
- Time-stamped records for every entry
A color-coded dashboard gives immediate visibility into machine and job status, making it easy to spot problems as they happen.
Real-Time Alerts Replace Reactive Quality Management
One of the biggest shifts for Reel Core has been moving from reactive quality control to proactive response. If a quality measurement falls outside spec, the system automatically triggers alerts (via email, text, or internal messaging) to communicate the failure. Quality technicians and supervisors can respond immediately, giving them the chance to adjust equipment or escalate issues before more defective parts are produced.
This level of visibility was nearly impossible with paper records, where issues might not surface until the end of a shift—or later, during manual review. Now, every piece of QC data is time-stamped, traceable, and tied back to inventory and production data in case follow-up action is needed.
The Results: Better Data, Faster Response, Less Scrap
After about a year of full production use, Reel Core has fully eliminated paper QC tracking.
Benefits of the new system include:
- Improved data accuracy and legibility, with no retyping or interpretation required
- Real-time visibility into quality status across machines and shifts
- Faster response to anything that’s out of spec
- Reduced non-conforming parts and scrap, driven by earlier intervention
- Time savings for QC staff and management
What once required manual data entry and after-the-fact review now happens automatically as part of the production workflow. Just as importantly, the system has been well received by quality operators. “There has been good feedback from our QC people,” said Mulholland. “It’s a huge improvement from what we had before.”
Replacing Paper Is Just the Beginning
Because the application is custom-built around Reel Core’s processes, it can evolve alongside their operations. The management team has discussed future ideas, including deeper reporting, dashboards, and data analysis to support ongoing efficiency goals.
This custom software development project was focused on creating a system that integrated into existing manufacturing workflows to capture the right data at the right time and make it actionable.
By partnering with Far Reach, Reel Core now has a quality management tool that improves accuracy, supports compliance, and helps the bottom line. “With this project and other proactive changes, non-conforming and scrap counts have gone down,” Mulholland said.
If your operation is still relying on paper, spreadsheets, or disconnected systems to manage critical workflows, custom software can help bridge the gap between how work happens and how data is captured.
Have a process that’s ready for a smarter, more reliable system?
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