Atrium Companies, Inc. (Atrium) has gone live with a new data collection system at two sites using MAC-PAC XE. The new system uses Nutech System’s Viewpoint Windows Edition, integrated with MAC-PAC XE using the TDCI Integration Server™.

The Viewpoint for MAC-PAC XE system went into full operation at Atrium’s Anaheim, California window manufacturing site first and then, using the same configuration, the Viewpoint for MAC-PAC system was deployed in Atrium's Arizona facility, a few months later.

The implementation approach Atrium is using has a Windows server to hold validation files kept continuously updated from MAC-PAC XE by Integration Server. Transactions are collected on the Windows server and forwarded every few minutes to MAC-PAC XE on the iSeries/400 – again via Integration Server – to be processed through standard MAC-PAC XE screens using the Viewpoint Mapper module. This approach allows data collection to be performed even if access to the network or the iSeries is temporarily unavailable.

"There are actually two levels of protection from downtime in this approach," states Nutech Vice President, John Manilla. "The Viewpoint Windows Edition server can validate and capture transactions even if MAC-PAC XE is not available, and the data collection devices can capture transactions even if the Viewpoint server is down. This way, production should never need to be slowed down due to problems with the system. Another advantage of using the Integration Server approach is that the same data collection system can be integrated with multiple different ERP systems at other sites if that becomes desirable in the future."

Viewpoint is available in either a Windows or iSeries Edition. It can be implemented with real-time integration or using the Integration Server approach. Viewpoint includes the following modules: Warehouse Management, Manufacturing Inventory, Time and Production System. It is compatible with most major brands of hardware, including Intermec, Symbol, Teklogix, Denso and Telxon.

Nutech and TDCI have a formal joint marketing relationship to provide Nutech data collection solutions to MAC-PAC XE users.

For more information about this and other Nutech products,
please contact the sales department at 800-830-8058.