How DELMIAWORKS helps PCI increase traceability for ISO compliance

DELMIAWORKS delivers leaner & faster manufacturing operations with less raw materials cost

In Summary:

• Improved data integrity and accessibility
• 99.3% improvement in on time deliveries
• ISO compliance achieved through improved traceability
• Quote accuracy improved
• Better customer communication and customer service
• Achieved tighter inventory control.

Project background:

Specialists in automated manufacturing since 1989, Plastic Components, Inc (PCI), manufacturers critical injection moulded thermoplastic parts for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

With over 78,000 square feet of manufacturing space across two facilities, PCI’s presses, robots, parts conveyors and automated material handling systems produce parts on a fully automated basis 24 hours a day – every day of the year.

• Multi-database systems used by PCI were significantly hindering their growth:
• Staff resources were being put under pressure by separate systems that didn’t communicate with each other
• Data was scattered across the various systems which restricted the organisations ability to provide value quotes to customers
• They lacked inventory management control.

Competing on a global stage

Faced with an increasingly competitive global markets, offshoring, increased energy costs and lower labour costs in certain countries many plastic moulders were making adjustments to their manufacturing processes just to remain competitive.

PCI had already taken an innovative approach with complete process automation to keep costs low and quality high.

By eliminating all non-value-added labour from its manufacturing process, PCI has prospered to become a leading, globally-competitive supplier of critical moulded plastic parts for a diverse range of OEMs – shipping over 25,000,000 parts per month to customers across the world.

To remain competitive globally, PCI has pursued a policy of ‘doing things better’ – from process automation to adopting lean manufacturing principles and investment in quality equipment and systems to aggressively pursuing process improvements.

“PCI has experienced strong growth as a low-cost, at-home injection moulder, but our multi-database system was hindering growth. For us, it all boiled down to having better control of our critical business data. We wanted a single-database solution that offered centralised, accurate, and relevant data that was accessible to everyone in our company. In other words, we wanted a system that was in line with our vision for success.”

Administrative Manager, PCI

Single database manufacturing ERP uncovers waste in processes

PCI operates 60 fully automated manufacturing ‘cells’ which deliver ‘fully-automated, lights out, next generation’ injection moulding capability. These cells run 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year without the need of operators.

Running such a unique system requires detailed and timely data. PCI relies on DELMIAWORKS manufacturing ERP (formerly known as IQMS EnterpriseIQ) to manage everything from manufacturing and plant operations, sales and distribution to finance, payroll, customer relationship management, preventative maintenance, and many more business critical operations.

• Quality standards are vitally important to maintain ISO certification. Corrective actions, deviations, return material authorisations, serialised lot number tracking and traceability are all supported by DELMIAWORKS
• Everybody in the organisation can access reliable performance data to drive improvements
• Eliminated the time and costs associated with quarterly physical inventory counts
• Tighter inventory control means operating leaner and faster with less investment in up front raw materials
• Accurate raw material and finished product delivery has resulted in a 25% reduction in warehouse space
• Improved customer relations thanks to delivering on promises.

As PCI’s Administrative Manager commented:

“Our company relies on automation to wring out all waste in the manufacturing process, DELMIAWORKS lets us apply that same high level of excellence to the management of our business. We can now monitor and assess all manufacturing operations as they happen in real-time. We’re also better able to communicate accurately amongst ourselves and with our customers and suppliers. DELMIAWORKS gives us the ability to focus on what we do best. We know our profitability down to the part, so we can deliver real value to customers and give them the advantage of working with a supplier closer to home. DELMIAWORKS is at the core of our success, and because DELMIAWORKS is always improving its technology to help its customers succeed, DELMIAWORKS will remain a mainstay in our day-to-day operations as we move into the future.”