Oulu-based Q4US Revolutionizes US Building Components Industry Q4US, a software service company based in Oulu, Finland, recently deployed a digital quality control application – Digital QC for the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA). SBCA is an international trade association headquartered in Irvin, Texas, USA, that represents manufacturers of structural building components. The members of the SBCA include truss plate suppliers, original equipment manufacturers, computer software companies, lumber suppliers, builders, and professionals in engineering, marketing, and management. The SBCA’s membership includes most of the leading building component manufacturers in North America, with a cumulative value of multibillion dollars.
How does Digital QC transform the Building Components Industry?
The Digital QC application is designed to improve the quality and efficiency of the structural building
components industry by transforming in-plant quality control techniques from a largely paper-based
procedure to an electronic process that captures data and improves overall manufacturing quality.
This application is developed with cross-platform technologies that enable developing once and
cross-compiling for multiple platforms, including Windows, iOS, and Android. It uses advanced image
processing capabilities and allows for a comprehensive comparison between the initial design and
the final product. This comparison provides both visual and textual feedback to the user, allowing for
accurate measurements and the ability to take corrective actions.
In addition to developing the application, Q4US also fully revamped the Digital QC server with a
modern technology stack and an extensive array of new features. These new features include
advanced reporting capabilities, load balancing, active monitoring, and data analysis tools. The new
features help users better understand the performance of their products and processes. The
upgrade is expected to significantly improve the overall performance, stability, and usability of the
Digital QC server.
Given the above features of Digital QC and the Digital QC server, the SBCA members are now able to
save time on inspections, take timely corrective actions, and educate and train employees, thus
improving their individual organizational efficiency and efficacy.
Client Reactions
Jess Lohse, Executive Director of the SBCA, praised Q4US for their exceptional technical expertise
and the outstanding success of their collaboration. “Q4US has truly exceeded our expectations in
every aspect of our partnership,” said Lohse. “Their digital QC solution is nothing short of
revolutionary for the structural building components industry. It has helped us achieve new levels of
quality and efficiency in our products and processes, and we couldn’t be more impressed with their
ability to drive innovation in our field.”
Lohse went on to commend Q4US for their approachability, dedication, and unparalleled industry
knowledge. “From the very beginning, Q4US was extremely easy to work with and ‘bought in’ to our
needs during the pre-study process,” he said. “This set us up for success throughout the entire
development process, and the Q4US team has been an absolute pleasure to work with.” He also
highlighted Q4US’s ability to regularly deliver software on budget and on time, and to maintain
effective communication throughout each product sprint. “Their software development
professionalism is second to none,” said Lohse. “But what really sets Q4US apart is their deep
understanding of the building component manufacturing industry. This makes them the perfect
partner for us, and we are extremely grateful for their skills, dedication, and commitment to
developing this truly game-changing application.”
Determinants of Success
Q4US Co-Founder and Chairman, Matti Lehtipuu attributed the success of the project to Q4US’s
unique way of working and extensive expertise in the building component manufacturing domain.
He said, “Our deep understanding of the industry helped us build a solution that greatly fulfills the
expectations of our client. Q4US is proud to have had the opportunity to collaborate with an
industry leader such as SBCA and to be able to contribute our advanced technology know-how and
experience to support the industry. We were able to maintain excellent cooperation with SBCA
throughout the project thanks to our transparent and always-online software development and
delivery process.”
Looking Ahead
The development of the Digital QC application and server has allowed Q4US to demonstrate its
commitment to contributing to digitalization, automation, and data-driven decision-making in
industrial operations. The company believes that this trend will continue, enabling companies to
boost their reach and profitability even further. With extensive experience in digitalizing industrial
operations in both Europe and the United States, Q4US recognizes the immense potential for
efficiency and efficacy improvement through the use of software technologies.
More info about Digital QC:
- The Tale of Building Digital QC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl9viKd4Oaw
- Interview about Digital QC with Jeff Smith – SBCA Executive Committee Member and
President/CEO of Trussway Manufacturing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2fvsevFrYY - Component Connection Podcast: Jess Lohse, executive director of SBCA, and Sandun
Dasanayake, co-founder and CEO at Q4US provide some insight into Digital QC’s
functionality and what it took to create it: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/ep-85-
dasanayake-and-lohse-on-digital-qc-software/id1466980922?i=1000570322805