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'Real time' job managment system made for SMEs
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A competitive subcontracting SME machine shop has to have a job management system, which provides its staff with factory status reports in 'real time' To trade effectively in the highly competitive small turned parts market, a subcontract machine shop has to have a job management system that can show the factory status at any point and in 'real time'. Which is why Qualiturn Products uses PSL Datatrack's modular and readily adaptable software for bespoke production management. Qualiturn Products operates 18 CNC automatic lathes - 16 Star sliding head machines and two Miyano fixed headstock types. In 2006, the company shipped more than seven million machined parts in average batch sizes of around 1300-off. In doing so, PSL Datatrack enabled Qualiturn to deal efficiently with more than 6000 individual work orders from clients in aerospace, automotive (direct and indirect), food manufacturing machinery, UK Ministry of Defence, medical and electronics industries. Director of Qualiturn Products, Nick Groom, said of PSL Datatrack: 'It is true what is claimed, the software is designed by engineers for engineers and you can tailor it for individual needs.' As an example, Groom said that the company had just integrated an automatic tool crib into the Datatrack system. Qualiturn's Robo Auto Crib 2000 system - only accessible by certain staff and the automatic lathe setter-operators - reads works orders issued by Datatrack and presented by the setter-operator, then releases tools required. The Crib constantly records tool life data and updates tool stocks, according to PSL Datatrack forward scheduling. PSL Datatrack is also integrated with electronic production status data display boards in the machine shop. 'We did this so that the machine shop team can see what is urgent,' said Groom. 'Also they can see what jobs go out that day.' Note that Qualiturn only employs setter-operators in its machine shop, and virtually all CNC programming is done at the machines. * production scheduling and control - all incoming information and orders - be it written, e-mails or Internet, are uploaded/scanned into the Datatrack sequential scheduler - including drawings and images. Each order is given its unique code or production number in the Datatrack system, and data is also loaded into the general history database. The Datatrack system issues work orders on a daily basis, and warns of priority changes or 'panic' jobs appearing as the day or individual shift progresses. The work orders include machining process layouts. In effect, the comprehensive database assists estimating enormously - also done on Datatrack - providing fast and accurate quotations from a constantly updated customer database and history or work costs. 'Also, whenever we need to, we can automatically update all individual work costings,' said Groom to manufacturingtalk.com. 'For example if stainless steel or brass costs rise, it is automatically updated.' The same applies to achievable cycle times. For example, Qualiturn products has bought two of the latest CNC sliding head automatics - the Star SR 10 J - from Star Micronics. Cycle times can be 30% faster on these machines, compared with the earlier automatics, so the work data is uploaded into the Datatrack database, as the SJ10Js get to work. Quality control functions are also integrated with DataTrack. Groom explained: 'Any non-conformances are linked to the job and all trends are included automatically in credit notes. Lately linked into DataTrack are the two coordinate measuring machines (CMMs), including a Tesa CMM and a Tesa Scan 50, machine vision scanning CMM, which can scan work up to 50mm diameter. 'Datatrack makes sure that checks are OK,' said Groom. 'On a day-to-day basis, everyone at Qualiturn Products is involved with DataTrack according what they need to know,' said Groom. With Datatrack, restricted data can be readily 'blocked out' from personnel according to their involvement in company activities. * Paperless manufacturing - summing up the application of PSL Datatrack at Qualiturn Products, Groom said: 'We are trying to become 'paperless'. We link in everything in our business and we achieve full traceability in terms of who did what, materials sourcing, and so on.' Groom added: 'We are part of a PSL Datatrack 'community'. If one user has a good idea, we can all benefit, it helps us all. If we all want to make use of an idea, the system will show the costs involved'. * About Qualiturn - today, Qualiturn products, located in Hertford, Hertfordshire, UK, employs 27, of which 10 operate on the shop floor and in despatch. Only setter-operators are employed on the machine tools, and with nearly all programming being done at the machines, skills are maintained. The company was founded by Groom's father, Bernard Groom, in the mid 1970s and, as Nick Groom said, today works on a 24/7 x 365 and 'lights-out' basis. The company can handle orders from 1-off to 1 million-off, but most orders are around 1000-5000. Component sizes are generally 1mm-50mm diameter, machined from bar, in steels, stainless steels and non-ferrous alloys. The turned parts market is very much price-driven, which why an efficient production management and estimating system is so important. It was in the early 1990s that Qualiturn products entered computerisation, initially using a DOS system, but moved over to Microsoft Windows in 1995. The company was using PSL Datatrack from its earliest introduction. When asked about competing systems, Groom said they do watch progress of alternative systems. 'But, we have a good understanding with PSL, 'said Groom. 'If we want a change, they get it done. If PSL had not kept up technically, we would not still be using it.' He continued: 'We have to keep our machine tools up to speed, and also our computers up to speed. We invest GBP 400,000-500,000 a year in CNC and computer systems to try to stay ahead of the market'. This collaborative relationship, a common feature in PSL's customer base, has now spawned the 'Departure Board' system, a feature that allows customer-chosen messages to appear on screens at any point in the factory or in offices. Changed delivery requirements, for example, can be communicated to those who need it and lists of upcoming despatch requirements can be viewed and followed by those involved in producing a job or batch. Qualiturn Products' next investment will be in a tower-type raw materials store to free up more shop floor space for two more machine tools. 'It will be immediately integrated into PSL Datatrack,' said Groom. 'It will be fully secure - no one will be able to remove materials without a password, works order and so on.' http://www.manufacturingtalk.com/news/psp/psp111.html |
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