Advanced Manufacturing
Flexibility is the key for SMEs
As with every journey, you have to know where you want to go before you start or risk becoming lost. Praxis has helped countless companies get their start. We are happy to sit down with you and help you understand the advantage and struggles with each phase of the process. We can help clarify not only the technical issues but also help you with the bigger strategies that will lead you to your destination.
Over the past few years, industries have integrated Computer Assistant Design programs into their manufacturing process. CAD along with new paradigms such as Just-in-Time, Six Sigma, and SCRUM processes have dramatically changed the way manufacturing is done. While the blueprint used to be the standard, with CAD drawings you can directly input into many of today’s manufacturing devices and equipment. CAD can transfer the exact specifications and let the machinery deal with the tolerances. The benefit of having a single document that guides the entire manufacturing process is that it allows for a system-wide integration and reduces the need for constant handling. The results have consistently demonstrated with more profitable parts completed in a shorter span of time with fewer calls.
With such advances in manufacturing methods, the emphasis has changed from large machines doing a single process with very expensive tooling, to smaller tools that can do multiple processes with temporary or less costly customization. The speed at which a product went from idea-to-marketplace has shrunk from an average of 18 months in the year 2000 to only 3.5 months today. This agility has allowed smaller manufacturing firms to be able to adapt quickly to service more clients and providing a more stable cash flow. Speed and flexibility have become the hallmarks of smart manufacturing.
With such capacities, it becomes very easy to go from Research and Development straight into production. With the advent of the rapid prototyping using an additive process, it is possible to have multiple generations of a product developed and tested in a single week as opposed to the traditional six weeks it would take to have new tooling made or modified. As the speed of production has changed so has the expectations of the clients. We live in a world where being the fastest to market is sometimes the only competitive advantage a company may have.
Having smart manufacturing that is agile and robust allows new customers to plan their market releases in terms of weeks instead of months. In this difference lies the ability to capture the first and greatest market share for an innovation.
A frequently used term in manufacturing these days is Systems Integration. It can be either vertical or horizontal, meaning that it deals with a particular process and its improvements. Vertical Integration is the process of integrating subsystems according to their functionalities. The more common Horizontal Integration, also known as an Enterprise Service Bus “ESB,” is a method in which specialized subsystems communicate withthe others allowing for the use of a more automated assembly line. Star Integration allows machines used for different purposes to be integrated with each other for the production of a product and changed quickly when a new product is needed.
We have found that most boards of directors, venture capitalists or banking institutions are reluctant to loan small and medium enterprises (SMEs) money for many things but almost all financial institutions see the value in converting from traditional manufacturing into a Smart Manufacturing environment. Everyone wins through this process.
Praxis works differently than other competing companies. We only work for you, out client, and not on commission from manufacturers. Our job is to look at your unique situation and help you design a highly agile and flexible process. A hallmark of a success manufacturer is its ability quickly reconfigured for a new job based on a client’s needs. Because we are not acting as salespeople for any other company, we have the freedom to look at the complete range of solutions and help you understand which may be the best for your particular situation. If this focus on yours something that would allow you to be more competitive in the marketplace, please give us a call.
