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Read about the unique ways Frank
Rosen,
I.T. Manager of Wausau Paper in Jay,
Maine is using Testream/CS !
AcquiData:
How did you find moving from an in-house
system compares to a standard off the shelf system
like Testream?
Frank: The move to Testream
from our old in-house system was pretty easy.
Attending the initial training class at AcquiData,
just prior to installation, made the migration
process relatively painless. The
training class provided us with the understanding
we needed to identify the differences between our
old system and Testream.
An off the shelf system like Testream has a
lot of great features and standardized operating
parameters and procedures. Once we understood the
new system's nomenclature and set up parameters we
were able to quickly decide on a few internal
procedure changes and how to translate our current
set up parameters to fit the Testream
methods.
AcquiData:
You are using ReportWriter heavily at your
location, how useful have you found it to build a
library of reports for your
users?
Frank: The ability to easily write
and store a library of reports is a great feature
in Testream.
As a specialty
paper mill with several hundred different
specifications we do a lot of testing and data
review/analysis. We have
written several reports for both internal and
external customers that can easily be run by any
user with minimal training. Most of the reports
have one or more run time selection criteria that
allow the user to easily ‘filter’ the database to
get the detailed information they need on a
specification, order, or specific test
parameter(s). We are
also using the Auto Report feature to
automatically print out each day the test results
for the previous day.
By
utilizing the Testream format feature, we have
been able to easily set up reports based on
specific customer testing requirements. Once a
report has been set up and saved it is simple to
run, print and send a report to the customer that
contains the test data for their paper.
AcquiData:
Your location was instrumental in bringing to
fruition the PS/IA or the Product Specification
Interface Application. Are you satisfied
with the
functionality?
Frank:
The PS/IA
works quite well. With a few hundred different
tests we know that it is essential that the
testers be presented with only the required tests
for the specific sample that they are working
on.
The tests are listed in alphabetical order.
The alphabetical order is logical but can present
a minor challenge when you are used to testing MD
Tear before CD Tear or there are several tests
with similar names. We have
been able to adjust the perceived alphabetical
order by being creative with special
characters.
A helpful enhancement to the PS/IA would be
to add a test sequence option that would enable us
to list the tests in non-alphabetical order. I.E:
by relative importance or the sample test flow in
the lab.
AcquiData:
How
do you feel Wausau has benefited from installing
Testream at your
locations?
Frank:
Two of the
biggest benefits that come to mind have been
realized from the Real Time display and the Report
Writer modules.
The Real Time
display features have allowed us to provide
immediate and automatic updates of the test data
to the operations floor. When you combine these
features with the use of the color coded spec
limits, Real Time is a great tool that enables the
machine operators to make quicker process
decisions needed to maintain the required quality
parameters.
The
Report Writer features have provided us with
better reporting tools to both automate and
customize reports for our internal and external
customers. Internally, we can now quickly identify
potential problem areas. Externally, we now have
more flexible tools to format, print, and send
test information reports to our
customers.
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AcquiData,
Inc. would like to thank Wausau
Paper and Frank Rosen for contributing to our
AcquiData Update. We
appreciate them sharing their
experiences with us about Testream/CS.
Do you
have an interesting Testream story you would like
to share?. Are you particularly proud of the
unique way you use the system? Call us or email it
to: imitchell@acquidata.com
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