Visit us at the Quality Expo

Visit Zontec, Inc. at the Quality Expo in Chicago, September 22-24, 2009.  Booth 4539.  Register here.

Mark Your Calendar for Synergy 2000 8.0 Update

As part of our on-going continuous improvement effort, Zontec will release Synergy 2000™ Version 8.0 late in the third quarter of 2009. Most of the enhancements are outstanding convenience features designed to make the program easier to use than ever.

Consistent, regularly scheduled software updates have always been a high priority for Zontec and a major commitment to our customers. Synergy 2000 users currently covered under the Zontec Annual Service Agreement Plan will automatically receive the Version 8.0 update and documentation at no additional cost (along with a full year of unlimited Technical Support).

Zontec Extends Web SPC to Palm’s New Pre Smartphone

Zontec has announced support for its Synergy 3000 SPC software on the Palm® Pre smartphone. With the Pre, its webOS browser and a 3G connection, users can collect data, create SPC charts, monitor processes, view Data Table spreadsheets, trigger process alarms, and reference drawings and work instructions. These functions are made possible through the Synergy 3000 Web Operator and Web Manager applications. All data is centrally stored and maintained on a corporate SQL Server® database.

Zontec Explains Control Chart Basics for Manufacturing Engineering Magazine

Zontec Product Manager Jeff DePuy is the featured “Quality Scan” columnist in the May 2009 issue of Manufacturing Engineering Magazine published by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

“SPC software programs should provide four ways to calculate control limits,” the article explains. The correct one to use depends on guidance from process engineers or the customer. The four methods are: Estimated Sigma, Calculated Sigma, Calculated Target and User-defined Limits.

Oregon Freeze Dry Saves Money from Overfills and Rework with Synergy 2000

At Oregon Freeze Dry (OFD), the world’s largest custom processor of freeze-dried products, statistical process control is key to maintaining consistent weights within its packaging operation and achieving higher profitability. In addition to providing private-label manufacturing, the company features a full-line of ingredients used by some of America’s largest food companies, is a major supplier of field rations to the U.S. military, and markets its own line of backpacking foods under the Mountain House® brand.

The OFD Food Division began using Zontec SPC software in 1992 to address potential weight and filling issues. The cost of overfills and product giveaway add up quickly, impacting the bottom line. However, underfills can be just as wasteful when the cost of reworking the product are factored in. Improper weight verification can also affect customer satisfaction. Because the instructions for rehydrating the freeze-dried product is based on net contents, if the consumer adds too much or too little water, then product quality, nutritional value, texture and flavor may be compromised.  Read more…

Zontec Releases Synergy 3000 Version 3.0

Synergy 3000 Version 3.0 is now shipping. This SPC software release incorporates a number of new features to help users work more efficiently with their quality assurance data. The new release includes:

* Creation of a Data Bank and variable Data Tables at the same time
* A tree view of Data Banks and Data Table relationships
* Three new math calculator functions: short run, net weight and custom formula for a total of ten available functions
* A streamlined Pareto data entry screen
* “Send to e-mail” command for reports an charts
* User defined Data Table spreadsheet option for number of samples displayed
* Cp/Cpk values included during the “Auto Export” command
* Support for Crystal Reports® by SAP Business Objects™

Synergy 3000 is Zontec’s fourth-generation SPC software for companies who require an SQL database engine and the flexibility to run on either Windows or Web-browser platforms.

Petroleum Authority of Thailand Rolls Out Synergy 2000 in Less Than 2 Weeks

The natural gas unit of Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) has implemented Zontec’s Synergy 2000 SPC software to manage data coming from 65 on-line gas chromatographs within its gas separation plants. The gas separation plants extract raw material and gas products for petrochemical plants.

The implementation, which was accomplished in less than two weeks, was a joint effort between PTT, E.mation Technologies Pte Ltd., BlueChips Technology Pte Ltd. (Zontec’s Singapore representatives), and Zontec US. Read More…

February Trade Magazines Spotlight Zontec

Zontec products and customers figure prominently in the trade press this month. Adhesives & Sealants magazine features Synergy 3000 SPC software in an article titled, “Managing Supplier Quality with Global SPC.” Ceramic Industry magazine devotes a three-page article to Zontec Synergy 2000 customer Palmetto Brick’s quality program in a special “Brick & Clay Record” supplement.

Zontec: Uniquely Qualified to Be Your SPC Provider

Your agenda as a quality professional is crystal clear: you must produce at the highest levels of manufacturing efficiency, product conformance, waste reduction and time-to-market. With so many SPC software vendors to choose from, how do you determine which company can truly deliver on its promises? When it comes to functionality, user satisfaction and overall value, Zontec stands at the forefront of the quality industry.

For those in software evaluation mode, here are ten guiding principles that have come together over the past 25 years to make Zontec, the company, and its brand, unique:

Relevance – Zontec recognizes that quality is by no means a “one-size-fits all” endeavor. Our product line has been designed for a full spectrum of manufacturing requirements: Synergy 100™ for the entry-level or occasional SPC user; Synergy 200™ for those with wireless mobility needs; Synergy 1000™ for the basic standalone or small workgroup community; Synergy 2000™ for enterprise-wide quality management; and Synergy 3000™ for database-intensive global implementation spanning Windows and the Web.

Vision and innovation – We were there in the early DOS days of computerized SPC, pioneering many capabilities such as real-time control charting, universal gage interfacing and networked quality monitoring dashboards. We’ve since evolved and improved through four generations of SPC products. In fact in 2006, we became the first and remain the only SPC software developer to launch a complete product on Microsoft’s revolutionary .NET™ programming technology which establishes the blueprint for highly collaborative, future-ready software applications. Our recent iPhone® 3G compatibility is another demonstration of our commitment to bringing evolving technology to you. Zontec-inspired designs and executions are often imitated by the competition, but never successfully carried out.

Completeness – Our software represents a total package that includes data collection, charting, monitoring, analytics, reporting and messaging: all easily accessible from one main program window. We don’t put our customers into a position of buying a la carte. That approach makes us a much better value.

Fast results – Inefficient processes can drain 20% or more from the corporate bottom line. Therefore, a rapid startup is critical to your success. A Zontec SPC rollout can be accomplished in hours – not weeks or months, meaning you can begin making process improvements and reducing costs immediately.

Integrated data collection automation – Production data can originate on numerous isolated systems and hardware platforms. Zontec has the know-how and optional interface applications to bring your external data into the Synergy SPC environment quickly, easily and meaningfully.

Flexibility – We give you options. From multiple data entry methods to user-defined screen layouts . . . in-depth data queries . . . unlimited data point displays on charts . . . comprehensive traceability records and audit trails . . . highly customizable reports . . . international language editions . . . and much, much more, our technology knows no boundaries.

Ease of use, maintenance and support – Complicated software never wins user acceptance. Zontec software is conceived for the ultimate in intuitiveness and interactivity. In our products, the need for corrective actions and process adjustments couldn’t be more obvious. Users become confident and productive SPC enthusiasts in less than a day’s time. In addition, Synergy 100, 200, 1000 and 2000 can be routinely maintained without IT involvement; only Synergy 3000 requires Database Administration resources.

Responsiveness – Our in-house expertise in quality, engineering, computer science and manufacturing applications gives us outstanding insight in responding to your support requests, troubleshooting hardware compatibility problems, solving network connectivity issues, establishing a training plan that fits your business needs and customizing the software to address an industry-specific requirement.

Investment protection – We believe software should grow with your business. Should you start out small and wish to upgrade later to a more sophisticated system, we’ll credit your original purchase price to the upgrade. We take the risk out of choosing SPC software.

Credibility – For over a quarter-century, Zontec SPC systems have stood the test of time. Day in and day out, more than 5,000 satisfied companies around the world in virtually every industrial category rely on Zontec to help them raise the bar on quality and drive up corporate profitability. We invite you to join them.

Experience the Power of SPC; experience Zontec.

For more information, please contact us.

Zontec Products Are Windows 7 Ready

Zontec is pleased to announce the compatibility of the entire Synergy SPC software family with Microsoft Windows® 7 client operating system, which was issued for beta testing earlier this month. The next-generation Microsoft product features better performance, reliability and security. A release date for the final commercial version of Windows 7 has not been announced yet by Microsoft.