Test Equipment Management with SAP
- SAP and QM Expertise from a Single Source
- SAP Silver Partner with QM Focus
- 30+ Years of Experience in QM with SAP
Test Equipment Management with SAP
Reliable quality decisions are based on precise and traceable measurement results. Without system-supported test equipment management, however, technical, regulatory and economic risks arise.
With test equipment management in SAP, test and measuring equipment is fully integrated into the ERP system – including calibration planning, status monitoring, history and documentation. This allows measurement results to be traced at any time, release decisions to be made on the basis of calibrated test equipment, and audit requirements to be met efficiently. At the same time, automatic monitoring and alerts ensure that overdue calibrations are detected in time and production interruptions are avoided.
Especially in regulated industries such as pharma, medical technology, automotive and manufacturing, integrated test equipment management is therefore a central component of a digital quality management system with SAP.
Challenges in Test Equipment Management with SAP
Lack of Transparency on Test Equipment Status
Test equipment must be uniquely identifiable and documented traceably throughout its entire lifecycle with usage, history and status.
Overdue Calibrations and Operational Risks
Overdue calibrations jeopardize quality and compliance. Without system-supported monitoring, risks arise for production, audits and regulatory requirements.
Distributed Test Equipment Data and System Breaks
Test equipment information is often maintained in Excel, isolated solutions or various systems. This leads to a lack of consistent data and a central view of status, usage and history.
Test Equipment Management with SAP
With SAP test equipment management, you can manage your equipment data in an integrated manner, plan and schedule inspections and carry out calibration inspections on equipment.
If you are using SAP ERP, you already meet all prerequisites for using test equipment management, and no additional procurement or license costs are incurred.
The test equipment management integrated in SAP is the prerequisite for the objective evaluation of your measurement results in QM and forms the basis for the trustworthiness of the decisions based on them.
- Unique identification: Each piece of equipment is created as a master record with a unique number and classification in the system and is traceable throughout its entire lifecycle.
- Requirement and tolerance management: Specifications and tolerances are stored directly in the calibration plan for automated evaluation of calibration results.
- Automated deadline management: Time or performance-based maintenance plans automatically trigger calibration orders and monitor their timely execution.
- Status-controlled usage: The system ensures that only released and validly calibrated test equipment can be used in production and QM.
SAP test equipment management also offers:
- Use of new SAP Fiori apps when using SAP S/4HANA
- Automated capture of calibration and measurement results via the QM IDI interface
- Management of externally calibrated test equipment via the connection of inspection planning to subcontracting
- Time or performance-dependent calibration intervals when equipment is subject to special wear
- A clear, automatically generated maintenance history
- Flexible, yet standards-compliant individual demand-oriented management of individual test equipment
- Execution of calibrations and measurement capability studies directly in the system
- Interaction with operational inspection planning and plant standards
- Reliable supply of suitable test equipment with demonstrably secured capability and appropriate service life
Learn more about Test Equipment Management with SAP?
DHC Consulting Services
As part of a scoping workshop, we take a holistic view of your company and jointly analyze your test equipment management requirements and possible implementation approaches.
Typical topics include integration of external calibrations, audit trails and electronic signatures, mobile or automated result capture, best-practice processes for different types of test equipment, and the design of forms and required system functions.
On this basis, we define the necessary work packages and create an initial effort and time estimate.
To enable a well-founded decision, we compare your requirements with the functional and technical capabilities of SAP test equipment management and evaluate the degree of fulfillment in relation to costs and implementation effort. If needed, we also support with required system extensions or developments including corresponding effort estimates.
Furthermore, we compare the SAP-based test equipment management with possible third-party systems together with you, evaluate the respective advantages and disadvantages and define the next steps on the way to your optimal test equipment management.
DHC supports you in implementing an integrated test equipment management in SAP.
Our services include:
Test equipment master data and structure
- Setup and management of test equipment master data
- Classification of test equipment and management of serial numbers
- Customization of master data structure
Inspection planning and calibration strategies
- Creation of equipment-specific or general inspection plans
- Definition of order types for inspections and calibrations
- Design of time or performance-based inspection cycles and strategies
Monitoring and execution of inspections
- System-supported deadline monitoring of test equipment inspections
- Automated order creation for planned and unplanned inspections
- Implementation and documentation of calibration inspections
Digital data capture and system integration
- Capture of measurement and calibration results including audit trail and electronic signature
- Automatic result capture via QM IDI interface
- Mobile capture of inspection results
Custom extensions
- Development of additional functions and data fields
- Customization and design of forms and reports
Even after your SAP QM system goes live, we support you with second and third level support (Managed Application Services for SAP QM). Whether you prefer remote service or on-site support, our SAP QM specialists are mobile and flexible. Thanks to our experience, we know the key questions from your users and guarantee fast and sustainable support.
Why DHC – Your Specialist for CAQ with SAP
DHC has many years of experience in implementing integrated test equipment and calibration processes in SAP.
We combine quality management, maintenance and production processes into an end-to-end test equipment management that systematically supports measurement reliability, traceability and compliance.
Our consultants know the requirements from ISO 9001, ISO 13485, IATF and GxP environments and consider them already in the process design.
While many see test equipment management as a pure IT task for maintaining equipment lists, we understand it as a critical quality process that directly determines product releases, audit results and patient safety (in GxP environments). That is why our consultants integrate the perspectives of QM, maintenance, production and validation from the very beginning.
Test Equipment Management with SAP
Trust through Experience
We are the specialist for all QM, QA and QC solutions based on SAP ERP.
| “KRAIBURG TPE is a global competence leader for thermoplastic elastomer compounds, and effective, system-driven quality management enjoys the highest priority in our company. With DHC, we had a very experienced consulting team at our side for our project ‘Test Equipment Monitoring with SAP’. This project was completed successfully ahead of schedule and, thanks to the excellent training and documentation, could be gradually rolled out independently at all our production sites worldwide.” |
“We were very satisfied with DHC’s support. As a validation and compliance partner, DHC works very competently, reliably and flexibly. Great support is offered in every situation.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Test Equipment Management with SAP
Why is integrated test equipment management strategically relevant?
Test equipment directly influences product quality, release decisions and auditability. Without system-supported management, operational risks, compliance deviations and potentially costly quality problems arise. An integrated solution sustainably reduces these risks.
What economic risks arise from manual or isolated test equipment management?
Overdue calibrations, lack of transparency and redundant systems lead to downtimes, rework, audit deviations and increased validation effort. The long-term follow-up costs often exceed the investment in an integrated SAP solution.
How does integration into SAP affect total cost of ownership (TCO)?
By eliminating separate systems, interfaces and duplicate validation, operating, IT and audit costs decrease. At the same time, process stability increases – especially in the context of an S/4HANA transformation.
What regulatory risks does SAP test equipment management specifically reduce?
An integrated solution ensures calibration intervals, status monitoring, audit trails and complete histories. This significantly reduces risks in the context of ISO 9001, ISO 13485, IATF 16949 or GxP.
When should test equipment management be integrated into an S/4HANA roadmap?
Early on. If the topic is only considered subsequently, data migration, testing and validation efforts increase significantly. Integrated planning reduces project complexity.
What organizational changes are typically required?
Implementation usually requires harmonization of inspection strategies, calibration intervals and responsibilities. The greatest leverage lies less in technology than in process standardization.
Test Equipment Management with SAP