Cosworth makes team working world class
1 min read
Northampton-based race engine developer Cosworth has created a common information window for engineering, purchasing and suppliers that's transformed its business operations. The firm implemented Documentum's eRoom, initially for exchanging CAD information but is now enabling collaboration with customers and suppliers way beyond design.
According to Cosworth head of business systems Jeremy Hill, the system, which has about 200 users internally and 100 customers and suppliers, is delivering huge benefits. "Things are so much more organised and clear. It would be a shock to see how much we've saved: for example, it's probably more than doubled the effectiveness of our processes."
Looking beyond design, he says: "Engineering people provide the output which generates demand. Procurement then needs to send out an RFQ and that's built into eRoom, which tells suppliers what demand we're looking for, batch sizes, part details, delivery dates and so on, and asks them if they're interested in quoting."
Behind the electronic purchasing processes, Documentum goes back into the engineering data system and pulls across PDFs generated automatically from current CAD data. "As the RFQs come back from the suppliers, our buyers see them on their web browser 'enterprise room'," explains Hill. "The buyers get a condensed view, and can then drill down into each of the electronic supplier rooms... It's faster; there are electronic records; it forces standard processes."
And it doesn't stop there: "The next stage is that the buyer raises an order on our ERP system. When that's confirmed, it looks to see if it's got eRoom data for that supplier. If it has, it generates a PDF of the order and populates that record with the PDF." Order management is covered in much the same way.
"The system ensures that we have firm commitment on all aspects. Also, if there are changes, the buyer can go back in, change the order, and it generates another PDF and keeps everyone updated. eRoom populates an order tracking database that sits there till the parts arrive and acts as an automatic expediting mechanism."
Hill says the biggest benefit remains the fact that the system is in touch with what's inevitably fast-moving engineering development: it's the mechanism behind making collaboration with suppliers work from concept to delivery. He also says it's making a big difference with design for manufacture - putting manufacturing engineers and production in touch with pre-release CAD models and the design intent around them.
