VIDAR Transforms Quality Management with 1factory

Engineering Excellence, Simplified

VIDAR, an ITT Company, has redefined industrial motor technology with their revolutionary AC-Link system that embeds variable-speed intelligence directly into motors, eliminating the inefficiencies of traditional VFD setups. As creators of "The New Standard for Industrial Motors," VIDAR serves critical industries including chemical processing, water and wastewater treatment, pulp and paper, and energy sectors where precision and reliability are non-negotiable.

However, like many advanced manufacturers, VIDAR faced a significant challenge with their quality management system processes. In this case study, we examine how VIDAR reduced audit preparation time by 83% and achieved 95% user adoption in just 60 days through 1Factory's QMS implementation, proving that powerful quality management systems can be both comprehensive and remarkably easy to use.

Vidar Case Image

The Challenge: A Fragmented Quality Management System

Despite producing cutting-edge motor systems that must withstand harsh industrial environments, operate safely in hazardous areas, and deliver precise power quality for critical applications, VIDAR's QMS was anchored in the past:

  • Manual Documentation Burden: Quality inspections relied heavily on paper forms and manual logging, creating bottlenecks that slowed production and increased the risk of human error.
  • Fragmented Process Visibility: With quality data scattered across spreadsheets, physical logs, and disparate systems, gaining a comprehensive view of quality trends or identifying root causes became a time-intensive detective process.
  • Compliance Documentation Challenges: Preparing for audits required days of manual document compilation, pulling teams away from value-added activities and creating stress around compliance readiness.
  • Slow Response to Quality Issues: When quality issues arose, the manual process of tracking Supplier Corrective Action Requests (SCARs) and coordinating resolution could stretch for weeks, impacting both internal operations and customer relationships.
  • Limited Real-Time Decision Making: Without instant access to quality metrics, management decisions often relied on outdated information, hindering proactive quality improvements.

Audit-Readiness: From Days to Hours

Recognizing an opportunity to bring the same innovation that drives their motor technology to their quality processes, VIDAR's leadership team launched a comprehensive QMS evaluation. After assessing multiple quality management system solutions, they chose 1Factory for its rare combination of enterprise-grade functionality and user-friendly design - a perfect match for VIDAR's engineering-focused culture.

  • Strategic QMS Selection Process: The decision involved key stakeholders from operations, engineering, and IT. "We needed a quality management system that wouldn't just digitize our processes, but would actually make them better," explained Tony Sonson, VIDAR's Director of Operations. "1Factory's QMS stood out for its integration capabilities, mobile accessibility, and most importantly, its ease of use".
  • Thoughtful Implementation Approach: Rather than a disruptive big-bang rollout, VIDAR implemented 1Factory through a strategic pilot program. This approach allowed for iterative feedback, role-based training customization, and gradual system optimization based on real-world usage patterns.
  • Immediate User Acceptance: One of the most pleasant surprises was the immediate positive response from employees. Shop floor workers, engineers, and managers all noted how the system reduced paperwork while improving their access to critical quality data.

Remarkable Results

The transformation delivered measurable improvements across every key quality metric:

  • Audit Readiness Acceleration: What previously required 3 days of frantic document gathering now takes just 4 hours of systematic report generation - a 83% reduction in audit preparation time.
  • Faster Issue Resolution: SCAR closure time decreased by 70%, enabling faster supplier collaboration and reduced quality risks in the supply chain.
  • Instant Information Access: Document retrieval time plummeted from 15 minutes of searching through files to under 1 minute of digital lookup - representing a 93% time savings for every quality inquiry.
  • Enhanced Supplier Relationships: Supplier Quality Scores improved from 73% to 86%, reflecting better communication, clearer expectations, and faster feedback loops.
  • Exceptional User Adoption: Within just 60 days, 95% of employees were actively using the system - a testament to both the training approach and the system's intuitive design.

Extraordinary Ease of Use

What truly set 1Factory's QMS apart was how effortlessly it integrated into VIDAR's daily operations:

  • Intuitive from Day One: The learning curve that VIDAR expected simply didn't materialize. "Whether it was operators on the shop floor, engineers in the lab, or managers generating reports, people could navigate the system naturally with minimal training," explained Tony Sonson. "It was remarkable how quickly everyone adapted to the new QMS."
  • Simplified Complex Processes: Tasks that previously required multiple forms, spreadsheet updates, and manual calculations were transformed into streamlined digital workflows. Inspection logging, defect tracking, and corrective action management became simple, guided processes that any trained team member could complete.
  • Tablet-Enabled Quality Management System: The QMS's seamless performance on tablets and desktop computers revolutionized shop floor operations. Quality inspections and data entry could now happen directly at the point of work, eliminating the double-handling that created delays and errors in the old system.
  • Error Prevention Through QMS Design: Built-in validation features and guided workflows help users catch potential issues before they become problems. "The quality management system actually helps you do your job better," explained one technician. "It guides you through the process and catches things you might miss."
  • Reports in Minutes, Not Hours: Previously, generating quality reports required specialized knowledge and significant time investment. Now, managers can create comprehensive reports in minutes, and dashboards provide real-time insights accessible to stakeholders at any technical level.

Business Impact

The 1Factory implementation delivered benefits that extended far beyond operational efficiency:

  • ISO 9001 Certification Path: Most significantly, 1Factory positioned VIDAR to pursue and achieve ISO 9001 certification by establishing standardized, auditable, and continuously improving quality processes across the organization. This certification enhances VIDAR's competitive position in regulated industries.
  • Scalable Quality Management System: As VIDAR continues expanding their innovative motor technology into new markets, 1Factory's QMS provides a scalable quality foundation that grows with the business without requiring proportional increases in quality management overhead.
  • Enhanced Customer Confidence: With real-time quality visibility and faster issue resolution, VIDAR can provide customers with unprecedented transparency and responsiveness - critical factors in industrial markets where downtime costs can be enormous.
  • Enhanced Quality Management System Capabilities: Better QMS capabilities have strengthened VIDAR's entire supply chain, reducing incoming quality issues and improving overall product reliability.

Future Plans

VIDAR's success with 1Factory has opened doors to additional quality management enhancements:

  • Leveraging Captured Data for Strategic Insights: With months of quality data now systematically captured in 1Factory, VIDAR plans to harness this wealth of information for predictive analytics and trend identification, transforming their reactive quality approach into a truly proactive quality management strategy.
  • Enhanced Supplier Quality Management: Expanding 1Factory's supplier QMS capabilities will further integrate supply chain partners into VIDAR's quality management system.
  • Training and Competency Tracking: Additional modules for training tracking will ensure that VIDAR's quality capabilities evolve alongside their workforce development.

Lessons for Industry Leaders

VIDAR's transformation offers valuable insights for other advanced manufacturers:

  • Ease of Use is Non-Negotiable:"The most sophisticated QMS in the world is worthless if people won't use it," observed Tony Sonson. "1Factory's quality management system succeeded because it made everyone's job easier, not harder. That's the difference between a system that sits on the shelf and one that transforms your operations."
  • Cross-Functional Involvement Drives Success: Engaging operations, engineering, and IT teams from the beginning ensured that the system met real-world needs rather than theoretical requirements.
  • Pilot Programs Reduce Risk: Starting with a pilot allowed VIDAR to optimize the system and training approach before full deployment, significantly improving the ultimate success rate.
  • Change Management is Critical: Investment in proper training and change management processes was essential to achieving the 95% adoption rate and realizing the full benefits of the system.

Delivering Operational Excellence

Just as VIDAR revolutionized industrial motor technology by embedding intelligence directly into their products, they recognized that their quality management system needed to embed intelligence directly into their processes. 1Factory's QMS provided the platform to make that transformation seamless, intuitive, and immediately valuable.

"We're engineers," concluded Tony Sonson. "We believe that the best solutions are the ones that make complex things simple. 1Factory's quality management system does exactly that - it takes all the complexity of compliance, documentation, and process control and makes it as straightforward as flipping a switch."

For VIDAR, the result is a quality management system that matches the sophistication of their products while maintaining the simplicity their teams need to focus on what they do best: engineering the future of industrial motor technology.

About VIDAR: ITT VIDAR manufactures advanced industrial motors with embedded variable-speed intelligence, serving industries where energy efficiency and reliability are critical. Their patented AC-Link technology represents a new standard for industrial motor systems, delivering up to 50% energy savings while simplifying installation and maintenance. https://www.vidarmotors.com/

About 1Factory: 1Factory provides comprehensive Quality Management Systems designed for modern manufacturing operations, combining powerful functionality with intuitive design to help companies achieve operational excellence and regulatory compliance. https://www.1factory.com/home.html