Patent ID: 8301481

Claim:
A method of tracking part usage and defect information in a rejection tracking system by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), said rejection tracking system (RTS) being adapted for an assembly of said OEM having multiple levels of sub-assemblies from multiple levels of sub-tier suppliers, the method comprising the steps of: providing said RTS to a component supplier on a first level of said assembly to enter component test data from a component test; providing said RTS to a subsystem supplier on a second level of said assembly to enter subsystem test data from a subsystem test; providing said RTS to a system supplier on a third level of said assembly to enter system test data from a system test; storing said component test data, said subsystem test data, and said system test data as supplier quality trend data; reviewing and analyzing quality of said component test data, said subsystem test data and said system test data, and relating said component test data, said subsystem test data and said system test data with data from a manufacturing floor management system to identify their respective suppliers; identifying, based on said reviewing and analyzing, at least one component without a serial number and setting a flag to indicate that said at least one component has multiple source suppliers; calculating, by said RTS, a probability that at least one of the multiple source suppliers is the component supplier of said at least one component using said stored supplier quality trend data and a number of parts supplied by each of said multiple source suppliers; and determining that a sufficient number of quality parts at said component supplier, said subsystem supplier, and said system supplier are in process to meet orders on hand based upon said reviewing, analyzing, and calculating.