Quality Control instruments in use today produce a large amount of statistical data, which, if incorrectly used can be at best misleading, and at worst, conflicting. Current methods involve a significant amount of manual manipulation of data, with inherent inefficiency and risk of error. With this in mind, Filtrona have? designed and developed FAQS, a system combining the best features of FACT (cigarettes) and QUARTET (filter rods) for the collection and distribution of Quality Control Data. FAQS (Filtrona Automatic Quality System) is a software package which will interface with one or more Test Stations and provides a simple method of sampling, and distribution of data to the relevant personnel/departments. This is achieved through flexibility of the system, which utilises local area networking, to support any number of user terminals, be they interactive operator displays on the maker of Supervisor/Management terminals. Production data from the maker, may also be displayed on the operator terminal. In this way, the machine operator instantly receives information in a graphical format, with any actions necessary highlighted. This same information, plus detailed statistical, and individual rod data, is available selectively at other terminals. The use of industry standard software and hardware enables management to run familiar spreadseet and graphical packages concurrently.