When companies are forced to recall their products due to faulty brakes or hazardous substances in food, it becomes clear that quality deficiencies may be associated with high risks for the consumer and high financial losses for the manufacturer. Professional quality management (PQM) is indispensable for manufacturers. However, the process of controlling the goods is of increasing complexity, the more suppliers are involved.
“Quality deficiencies frequently creep into the supply chain. An end product without quality deficiencies requires seamless integration of all suppliers into the quality management scheme,” Kyle Kippenbrock and Stefan Stockey, the two founders of the KIT spinoff simQoo, say. The mechanical engineers are research assistants at the KIT Institute of Production Science (wbk). Their work on projects with German companies in China gave rise to the idea of establishing simQoo.
Quality management and the corresponding IT solutions cause many companies quite a headache: QM information is sent by e-mail, every supplier uses his own data format, statistical evaluation requires quite an effort. The software solutions applied at large enterprises are often associated with high investment costs and quickly outdated. Operation has to be learnt through time-consuming training. Often, it is carried out by a small group of QM experts only.
The solution developed by simQoo facilitates communication even beyond borders of companies. Via an easy-to-understand user interface, all parties involved in the production process can make their QM data accessible to partner enterprises. The data are made available in a standardized format. Error messages or complaints are transmitted in real time. Manufacturers and suppliers can respond quickly to potential quality deficiencies. Stefan Stockey uses a tax declaration software to explain the concept: “You do not need to be a tax expert and to know all currently valid regulations in order to operate the software. In the same way, the software solution of simQoo guides the user step by step through the QM process.” The software can be operated with a PC or smartphone from everywhere in the world. The only thing that is needed is access to the internet.
Their mentor, Professor Dr.-Ing. Gisela Lanza from the Institute of Production Science (wbk), and spinoff coach Dr. Rolf Blattner from KIT’s Innovation Management Service Unit supported the young entrepreneurs actively from the very beginning. Since January 2013, simQoo has been granted an “Exist” founders grant.
Kyle Kippenbrock and Stefan Stockey are now looking for clients to carry out pilot projects. Within the framework of these projects, the software is to be further developed and tested in practice. The clients will profit from a more efficient quality management and from an increase in competitiveness.
Contact
Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Stockey
Kaiserstr. 12, D-76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 721 608-44185
+49 (0) 721 608-44185
Mobile : +49 (0) 160 962-54940+49 (0) 160 962-54940
stefan.stockey@simQoo.com
www.simQoo.com
