Synergy SPC Software

Reduced labor hours spent inputting data for COAs. Reduced paperwork.

Pros

It is very user-friendly for the operators on the floor to use. Correcting errors is not difficult. The ability to add any type testing you want to require.

Cons

Would like more COA options. Would like to see Synergy offer something to show auditors as proof of validation of the system.

Pros

Keeps track and documents everything we need for quality checks from first piece approval to tooling condition.

Cons

Would like it to work with other quality software we currently use. Would also like it so the data tables were easy to edit and move around within a program.

Our customers feel more confident in our process control because the program sends out an email alert when data is out of tolerance. Easy for people with limited computer background to use.

Pros

Easy to create a new database of measurements for a part. You can use a previous data table as a template to save steps. Data entry is very quick. It allows you to download your data if you need to do more complex analysis. You can set up the database to send an email alert if a value is out of spec. Customer service is very quick to respond when I have questions.

Cons

I would like to have a feature that allowed me to get a message if any of the required measurements were missing for a part. Currently, the only way to know if all of the data is being entered is to go into the database for each part.

Improved process control and improved product performance. The software also helps with containment of bad by recording lots numbers, time and date stamping, alerts (in software and email options and logging assignable clauses.

Pros

Easy to use for operators and set up engineers for all types of parts, stores data and makes all types of SPC charts in seconds. Synergy manager is easy to use dashboard to monitor operations performance. Software can produce reports as needed for part performance by lot, over a specified period of time. I work auto and industrial industry and would recommend this software for any manufacturing that validates dimensions.

Cons

Annual renewal per seat is pricy. Recommend using only the number of seats needed for your company. A discount on number of seats renewal would be nice.

increase in productivity, prestige on the market

Pros

I can look at individual measurements back in time. I can see statistics Ppk, different graphs.
I can see trends and share the graph with supplier.

Cons

Creating data bank and data table is quite long. Expensive technical support, because of that we are not applying a full potential.

Live in-line data trends. Saves time and money in being able to make quick judgement calls to help best streamline our production process.

Pros

The live run chart is a crucial piece of information for us. It allows us the opportunity to make on-line decisions and changes to adapt to changing parameters. We have everything separated into designated data banks which make it easy to organize.

Cons

There are some functionality items that we are wishing to incorporate. Working with the technical team to figure out what would work best. The only issue that I have is the ease of setting up various data banks. I am able to set up a template and save the characteristics, but I still have to go through and check off boxes in the data bank map for graphs and whatnot. Not terribly hard, just time consuming.

This is the easiest way to have the records from the inspections the operators do in one location and also that the engineers can access the data and analyze it in the same software.

Pros

It is really easy to use and manange for all the three levels such as Operator, Engineer and Manager.

Cons

I would like the software to be able to compare data from data tables from different data banks in one report. Also to create charts by inputting the dates instead of selecting the actual data from the data table spreadsheet.

The setup of Synergy 3k was a bit time consuming and we did run across a few issues. Our IT group was able to work with Zontec customer service to overcome these issues. The learning curve on developing the appropriate database/databank/data-table structure was a bit more difficult than I would have liked but with enough experimentation we were able to find a solution that worked well for our company. This software provides us with a considerable amount of potential to implement SPC into a large number of processes but it does take time and resources to accomplish this. Entering data into the software is simple and it provides an instant visual indicator of how the process is performing. The data reporting feature is quite limited in functionality so we have decided to use a different reporting feature to extract data from the Synergy database. During the 3 years that we have owned Synergy, Zontec's customer service has been very helpful and attentive to our needs.

I like the ease of being able to pull data into
Reports. The ability to quickly analysis of the data and make good decions
Based on actual
Data

Great software . Helped get us added notifications and quick responses to issues on The shop floor.

It is a system that can be set up and maintained by engineering and doesn't require an IT department to support. Charting/user interface is based off of spec rather than control limits. System uses a proprietary database (which can be a plus or minus depending on your environment and needs).

Pros

Easy to set up and use

Cons

Spec limits rather than control limits appear in the user interface. Would like the UI to be fully customizable - for display as well as messages.

The software does it's job, but it's ease of use is terrible and it is very cumbersome to setup new files. It should be much faster to setup new files that are very similar to other files, but it is a very manual process that is extremely time consuming and provides a lot of opportunities for mistakes.

Cons

Very time consuming to setup new files, especially when copying/pasting from a similar file. A lot of manual steps for something that should be very easy.

SynergySPC has been a great solution for our organization.

We have some very demanding customers that require a high level of QC documentation and expect aerospace quality standards.

The software has enabled us to meet there demands at a cost and ease of use that fit our needs.

I would highly recommend this product to any organization looking to get SPC off the ground fast with out the need for a long high cost implementation.

Pros

ease of use

Cons

None

The software is good but there is very limited availability of quality reports from the software. It is very limited in it's ability to allow customization of reports.

Pros

The ability to have multiple users accessing at the same time. We did not have that before purchasing Synergy1000.

Cons

The reporting options are very limited. We use the software to collect data throughout our facility but we cannot easily get a professional looking report from it.

Salesperson over-promised what the product has been able to do - then promptly left the company. Tech support was helpful in trying to overcome some of the issues that arose - such as a 25 sample limit on standard checks. Larger sample sizes are possible, but a different style of data entry is required, which increase the complexity for the data entry person.
Seems like everything comes with a price. Fairly good SPC software for the price, but I think I would have been better off to pay a few more dollars on the front end, rather than the surprises on the back end.
Disappointed that there has been no follow-up of any kind from Zontec to see how we are doing. Especially since we did struggle in the beginning.
The periodic emails with SPC discussions are helpful.

Pros

Good SPC components. Dashboard is clean and clear.

Cons

Data entry can be problematic and sample size for standard checks is limited.

SynergySPC is an excellent tool for implementing statistical process control into an organization and the customer service is outstanding.

We have run synergy software for the past few years and have been able to use it to help drive continuous improvement and cost savings by using data driven analysis.

I have used Zontec in the past; here at my current employer I needed something easy and affordable. We are a small welding job shop that just got started with a large OEM project and we needed a way to show our customers progress in variation reduction and control. Synergy 1000 was the perfect program to get us started. The software was quick to install and quick to get data in and analyze results. With use of our CMM arm and Synergy software we are making huge advances in quality. The changes made have been beneficial for all our products and customer feedback has been extraordinary.

Pros

Easy to get projects going quickly

Cons

Functionality is basic but this is the baseline program. Maybe make understanding the attribute data a little easier.

Advice to Others

So far our customers have been greatly impressed with our statistical controls so we are enjoying that we made the jump to SPC

Synergy helped atuomate our data collection and storage reducing carbon footprint and improving Teamleader ability to mange the process.

We have been using Synergy 2000 since its inception. I have worked with other SPC packages and Synergy 2000 features are as good as I have ever worked with. Tech support has been very helpful as needed.

Pros

Easy to use and works well with multi cavity files. Structure of data tables and data banks allows flexibility in sample frequency.

Cons

Setup is time consuming for multiple cavity tools although made easier with recent updates (templates).

Advice to Others

Synergy 2000 focuses on SPC and doesn't get bogged down by trying to be a full statistical package. Data export is easy to use so statistical analysis can be accomplished with Synergy 2000 data in another package.