Seiki Scheduler smooths production for Goodwin International Ltd

Seiki Systems, a specialist provider of real-time production management solutions, has announced that Goodwin International Ltd has successfully implemented the Seiki 50 Resource Assembly Level Scheduler in its Valves division.

With customers in 50 countries, many of which are oil majors and international engineering contractors that demand very short lead times and mission-critical, on-time delivery levels, precision planning and scheduling capabilities are vitally important for Goodwin. This is why the company has invested in the 50 Resource Assembly Level Scheduler, operating in a standalone capacity, from Seiki Systems. Seiki's strong reputation in these sectors is demonstrated by the fact that Goodwin's decision was based on a recommendation from an existing customer. The Scheduler is complemented by Seiki's Networked Manufacturing System (NMS), a complete shop floor system that electronically distributes and collects manufacturing process data.

Nigel Brown, Production Director explains what benefits the system will bring to the company: "Seiki offered a complete machine monitoring and assembly level scheduling system that supported our key objectives from investing in a new system. The primary benefit we anticipate is an increase in operational visibility which will support our wider business planning. We will also have more accurate decision making capabilities as well as more effective utilisation of resources with in turn will generate customer service benefits."

The Scheduler has already been installed with the NMS system comprising monitoring, Shop Floor Data Capture (SFDC) and Seiki's Jobpack control software due to be installed in early 2013. On the machine monitoring side Goodwin has 28 CNC machines, 16 of which are solely used by the Valves division and these will each have their own 17" Senor PC running NMS. This will allow the company to carry out queue Management [i.e. book on & off jobs], open and view Jobpack folders and auto monitor the CNC machines thus allowing the operators to enter reasons for downtime etc.

Seiki Sales Director Paul Lane comments on the project. "Goodwin is a great example of a company that recognises the real benefits of achieving a better flow of manufacturing information through their organisation and that an integrated manufacturing system offers the best solution to support their continuous improvement objectives. In this case the combination of Seiki Scheduler, Machine Monitoring, Shop Floor Data Collection and Performance Analysis will not only improve visibility but also ensure that data from the shop floor can contribute directly to the effective planning and management of their production facilities."