Automatic Feed and Encompix ETO ERP Profiled in American
Machinist
Automatic Feed Co., a manufacturer of coil handling and press
feeding automation systems in Napoleon, Ohio, is an
engineer-to-order company that has special integration
requirements. The company needed to increase efficiency and
reduce costs because its existing manufacturing system lacked
advanced integration capabilities. "We wanted to better
integrate our CAD system with the bill-of-materials and
integrate our sales quoting with our costing and supporting
processes," explains Nathan Weaks, AFC treasurer, "We needed to
make information about the best manufacturing times that we've
done on a job more accessible to the team member involved in
making the equipment."
AFC also wanted to integrate its QS9000 quality system with the
manufacturing system, integrate project management and
scheduling to enable tracking and reporting progress on each
project, and improve human resources record keeping. This had to
be accomplished in six months.
AFC chose Encompix Inc. (www.encompix.com) to supply ERP
software and services. "Encompix is set up to handle most of the
issues that machine tool companies face," says Weaks, "However,
we are different from other machine tool makers in that our
average project is in the range of $3 million to $5 million with
thousands of parts manufactured for any given machine. The
Encompix team quickly understood that we were not typical, and
they were able to accommodate our unique requirements on time
and on budget." Since its implementation, the Encompix system
has produced a 20-percent cost reduction and a 30-percent
reduction in cycle time.
According to Thomas R. Cutler, spokesperson for the ETO
Institute (www.etoinstitute.org), "Encompix continues to capture
significant marketshare in the ETO environment because few other
ERP vendors truly understand the nuances and significant
distinctions of the ETO process versus the repetitive
manufacturing process. Encompix now has more than 300 of the
leading ETO manufacturing firms in North America using their ERP
Software solution."
Encompix (www.encompix.com) has filled the manufacturing
software requirements of Engineer-to-Order companies since 1992.
The company name reflects the commitment to developing business
application solutions that encompass the complex areas of
project-based and job-based manufacturing. Encompix provides ETO
manufacturers with a competitive advantage by improving bottom
line results.
Encompix www.encompix.com Roger Meloy rmeloy@encompix.com
513-733-0066