Success Stories

SPX Contech Automates Its Data Collection Process in BLIS-400

The noise of machines hits you as you enter the production area. Not unexpected. But what is a surprise is the robotic activity.

At SPX Contech, robots rule.

The company manufactures complex die-cast components and forgings for the automotive industry. The cutting edge machinery and latest technology is SPX CONTECH's competitive advantage for its top-quality products.

The bright minds in the front office are what drive the company's global success.

And these minds conceived the next stage in the automation process at SPX CONTECH: developing a data collection solution to count part production and scrap at a machine level - without human intervention.

The goal was to improve the accuracy of Finished Goods inventory in the BLIS-400 ERP system, which resided on the IBM iSeries/400 server. The information would be used - in real-time - to make changes to processes and procedures and to cut costs while increasing revenue.

The pilot site was selected - CONTECH's Alma, Michigan facility, which had the right combination of volume, complexity and machine-driven production. SPX CONTECH worked with Nutech Systems, an expert implementing iSeries/400-based data collection solutions, and Moss Telecommunications to provide the network infrastructure.

In addition to their business objectives, SPX CONTECH had certain technical specifications to ensure reliability and durability. The die-cast process presents challenges to many system options - they are limited by the use of molten metal, chemical washes, and large robotic systems throughout the facility.

Aside from the environmental conditions, the automated system needed to collect and store information if communication to the host was not available. Once the host was back online, it needed to provide a consistent and reliable means of uploading stored information.

To address the technical objectives, Nutech Systems and Moss Telecommunications designed and implemented suitable infrastructure and communication software. The Nutech software monitors a 48-port card on the remote computer for “hits” from the production machine via a patch panel from Moss Telecommunications.

“Preliminary results indicate that Finished Goods accuracy is 99% with automated machine monitoring, as compared with 60% accuracy recording production manually and having data keyed into the system,” says Mike Schieber, Director at CONTECH's Alma site. “And that's 24 to 36 hours after production is complete!”

Mike has also seen a dramatic increase in efficiency and production performance. As the automated data acquisition results were immediately shown graphically to operators and supervisory personnel via PCs on the shop floor, the team made process changes to improve the operation.

Manufacturing may be automated, but it's still the human brains that implement changes and improvements. For SPX CONTECH, that's the ideal combination of leading edge technology and exceptional people.