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The supplier monitoring their own quality is
the best way to ensure a quality label is
printed and applied appropriately to pallet
loads. Ask the supplier what their capability
is to determine bar code quality. Also ask
the supplier what their label application
method is and how frequently this system is
checked to ensure proper placement of labels.
Based on the supplier response, the plant can
begin to determine their own testing program.
For suppliers who do not have a system in
place for monitoring quality, the plant
should expect to provide more checking of
label quality and placement. The plant should
also be provide the purchasing department
with information on this supplier’s
capability and identifying the importance of
the supplier’s needed improvement. The
supplier’s response should be a factor
in determining who will be a long term
supplier to P&G.
Commissioning:
The supplier submits a label which is suppose
to meet the label standards. Initial samples
can be faxed to make sure proper symbologies
are being used, human readable print is of
acceptable size, the right information is on
the label, and label format is appropriate.
After initial acceptance, an actual label
should be sent to the plant for final
approval. The commissioning results could be
improved by the supplier sending an initial
label printed for plant final testing and the
50th label printed. The plant would grade
both labels and note any differences in print
quality or data acceptability. This would
allow commissioning of the printing.
Initial
Shipment:
Commissioning of placement can not be done
until actual receipts occur. The initial
shipment will be the first opportunity for
the plant to monitor proper placement of
labels. These shipments should be checked
closely to ensure the proper data is on the
labels, the UCC/EAN-128 bar codes all match on a
given pallet load, and the labels are
positioned on the pallet load so they can be
scanned by the receiver. A truck load
received with all labels in proper position
is considered passing this step.
Qualification:
The individual plant needs to identify the
split of responsibility of fork truck drivers
working on the floor and the person who has
been trained to grade the quality of the
label and its placement on pallet loads.
Initial
Shipment:
Proper use of symbologies and print quality
should be checked on the initial shipment to
ensure the printing is done properly.
Checking the first pallet load taken off the
truck and the last load off the truck will
give the best determination of the printing
process being in control.
Later
Shipments:
After the initial shipment, proper placement
of labels should continue to receive a high
priority. Continue to check that the proper
data is on the labels, the UCC/EAN-128 bar codes
all match on a given pallet load, and the
labels are positioned on the pallet load so
they can be scanned by the receiver.
Proper use of symbologies and print quality
will be of lesser priority. Once the label
format has been established and if a robust
printing technology is being used, few
problems should be encountered.
Frequent problems with labels would be
classified as a problem being identified on a
shipment once in every 10 shipments. If this
frequency or higher is present, continuous
monitoring is required.
If frequency of problems occurs only once in
every 100 truck loads with a supplier, the
frequency of problems is considered to be
low. Occasional extensive checking of the
labeling on a truck load would be warranted.
This frequency would be about 2-4 times per
month.
Verification:
A supplier is assumed to be verified if they
have had no label incidents in a 3 month
period or 10 truck loads, whichever takes
more time. A single incident is cause to lose
verification status and return to
qualification status. If an incident occurs
and a special cause can be identified which
caused the incident, the supplier can return
to verification status in the period of 1
month or 5 truck loads, whichever is the
longer period, if no further incidents occur.
Reporting Format
and Standards:
The label quality and placement report format
should be used for recording all label
problems. It is also helpful for the plant to
record the extra time the plant spends
receiving the truck load because of the
particular label problem involved. Each label
incident should be reported to the purchasing
department as well as the supplier. After 3
incidents, the plant and purchasing should
discuss the alternatives for offsetting the
additional work at the plant. This could
include rejecting receipts with label
problems, charging fines to recover the
plant’s additional expended time, or
termination of the suppliers contract.
Special Cause
Label Qualification:
Any time a supplier changes software,
printing hardware, or computer hardware is a
reason to do a check of print quality,
format, and data integrity even if the
supplier is past the commissioning phase or
is even fully qualified.
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