Future-proof planning

Software selection and evaluation can be an arduous process, calling for a significant investment of time and resource – and that's before the financial outlay. The opportunities that advanced planning and scheduling software brings are widely recognised, but for many the prospect of a time-consuming selection process means delaying the project – in turn, postponing the much-needed benefits. But it needn't be that way, says Rod Schregardus of Production Modelling, whose Orchestrate system is now available on a try-before-you-buy model – downloadable free of charge from www.simulation.co.uk. "We can deliver a trial version of Orchestrate to manufacturers, populated with their own data," he says. The process is swift, as it can all be carried out via the web, including any presentations and online meetings. That's not to say traditional face-to-face meetings are on the back burner. But for some, the opportunity to be presented with an 'oven ready' trial system without committing team time and resource represents a serious saving – they can see their own products and processes in context, making it easy to visualise efficiencies and net results. "It's about streamlining and quickening the delivery process," asserts Schregardus. "By the time you've seen the product and seen it used in situ, the benefits are proven. It's very powerful; there's no smoke or mirrors." It's a delivery method that's also proving beneficial for Coventry-based Production Modelling, which is enjoying growth of 20% year on year and has seen some big wins with manufacturers beyond its usual UK and Europe catchment area. For example, it demonstrated and delivered the Orchestrate system for BE Aerospace which is now using the system in two US sites and another in Mexico (see WM Oct, p21). "Using the web more effectively enables us to reach a wider audience, and it enables customers to use the software, feel confident, then deploy it over the internet, too. It's quite a shift in the way we do business but it's very positive all round," says Schregardus. Any manufacturer concerned about trialling with commercially sensitive data need not worry: Schregardus says a US pharmaceutical company recently tested Orchestrate by populating it with products labelled A, B and C and lines numbered 1, 2 and 3. "It worked well. When they have proved the concept, we can update it with the right product names and line information." Production Modelling has also identified another route to market: via industry-specific engineering organisations. Schregardus explains: "Within certain sectors, we will work with engineering companies that will use Orchestrate as part of the delivery process, using 'what-if' scenarios and capacity planning to prove their assumptions to the end user. They will use it for the capital justification, showing how many items of kit the site needs, labour resource, and so on. But more than that, they can then pass that database to the customer who can use it for day-to-day scheduling when they go live." It's an unusual distribution arrangement but a persuasive pitch and one that's sure to reap rewards. It's not only about using the web for system sales, however. Schregardus points out that training and workshops can also be performed remotely – with the added bonus that the client then has the necessary skill set to carry out subsequent changes. One business that was won over by the ability to trial Orchestrate in its own business environment was Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. Its site in Llanberis, Wales is now using the system to manage the complex planning required for manufacturing of minute coated beads. Previously, schedulers were spending 20-30 hours each week compiling schedules for beads and their buffer stocks of coatings. The complexities involved meant a planning horizon of just one and a half weeks – restricting production flexibility. So, at the start of this year, the site implemented Orchestrate, linked to a large touchscreen planning board displaying the current schedule in real time. Planned times are automatically replaced by actual times, critical tasks highlighted and automated alerts identify potentially missed operations. Orchestrate sits comfortably beside the company's SAP system, which provides input in the form of MRP requirements. Since implementation, Siemens has calculated cost savings of £60,000 per year. Scheduling time has been cut by 15 hours a week and production lead times by five days. Plus, crucially, key staff have been freed up to perform other valuable activities. This is a fine example of the long-term partnerships that Production Modelling is developing, says Schregardus: "We've been working with Siemens for four years. They trust us as a business and trust that our approach works."