Case study: successful implementation of Prodio software in injection molding industry

Injection molding manufacturing software implementation – fast changes on the  way

Please read the story of one of our first clients from the injection molding industry.

Fixing System is a company that has been producing synthetic elements for the automotive industry. Marek Barczak, the owner, tells about its history in terms of the time “before Prodio” and “after Prodio implementation.”

One of the biggest problems in the company was information flow between the shop floor and the managers. Workers didn’t know which material should be used to make a particular element and deadline. They felt lost not remembering everything because there were so many different plastic elements with different parameters. The boss was giving a code with the name of a product, but the workers failed to recognize it. Similarly, they had a problem picking the right mold because different ones should be mounted each time on presses. “I had to be present in the workshop at all times” – remembers Marek – “because I was scared of making costly mistakes and what follows complaints from the customers” – he adds.

Another issue was the work organization because, in many cases, the same person had to work on a few machines simultaneously. Production was varied, so the boss had to be present at the end of each shift when workers changed to fill in the starting shift on the progress and delegate tasks. It was time-consuming and tough, considering that three shifts were working in turns.

It was not surprising that Marek’s private life was badly affected: mundane work duties marked the daily rhythm. The holiday or a proper time off was a distant dream.

 

What happened after injection molding manufacturing software implementation in Fixing System

It was natural that Marek was afraid of changes, and first of all, he was concerned that new manufacturing software would be complicated. It turned out that his fears were unfounded: “Prodio is user friendly and intuitive,” – confirms Marek enthusiastically.

Prodio is an online tool, which really enables you to monitor production from any place in the world. “I can sit at home and log in every 2 or 3 hours to see what is going on at the production hall. I set up a machine, operations and technology, delegate tasks, and decide what is produced,” – adds Marek. “There are no questions, and everybody can focus on their tasks.” 

What’s more, there is full documentation for each element in the form of a product database in Prodio. The employee can click the product and see some photos presenting a finished element from different angles and visuals of potential mistakes and possible quality defects.

Being aware of what can go wrong helps to minimize the number of defects at the start. Moreover, several molds are saved in Prodio; that’s why it is clear which one should be used, together with comments on how to mount it. Thanks to that, all precious know-how stays in the company (ex. when there is some unusual mount, a worker knows straight away how to proceed because they can check this information in Prodio).

It makes the work easier for new employees because they can learn faster without the need to rely solely on the experience of more seasoned staff as the knowledge is in the system, not only in their heads. All in all, it minimizes the number of mistakes.

At present, each order has a unique number in Prodio, and all boxes with ready elements (stoppers for car mats) are marked with Prodio ID, which enables them to identify easily. Thanks to that fact, the company is compliant with all norms and standards. Numerous controls and audits from the automotive industry showed that even though it is a small manufacturing business, the production is organized better than in many larger automotive companies, especially considering the quality and transparency. Fixing Systems is regularly praised for their great organization; that’s why they can deliver elements for the first assembly on the leading product lines.

The implementation of manufacturing software in Fixing Systems was fast and smooth. After just a few days of using the Prodio system, there were visible positive results and overall improvement. The employees had no problems with clicking and checking in/checking out the system (the company decided to implement RFID codes). It proved to be easy to use and comfortable. Today employees cannot imagine life without Prodio. Marek is delighted that he can monitor what is happening in his workshop all the time without the need to be physically present there. It is exactly what he was looking for because it is agile and shows real-time progress and changes. “Thanks to Prodio, I was able to go on holiday for the first time in ages without worrying that the production will stop” -he remembers. “I had with me my laptop, and I could check everything  (…) Prodio has changed my life”.  

If you want to read more about using Prodio in the injection molding industry, click HERE.

---