MACHINE SHOP GUIDE
Feature Story Shop-control software "Where
is that job?"
Contract
Manufacturer - Florida
"JIT is a 'bear' for the contract manufacturer,"
says Norman Gaither, MIS and training manager.
"Only REALTRAC could properly schedule a
job shop, perhaps because they came out of that
background. REALTRAC understands the job shop
environment and is working on updating their software
to deal with today's JIT nightmare for the job
shops ... As the JIT requirements jump around,
REALTRAC modifies the sub-dates, priority, queue
times, employee vacations, and so on."
MODERN MACHINE SHOP
Scanning The Horizon "Controlling
Complex Jobs"
Manufacturer
for Aerospace and Defense Industries - New Mexico
"The real-time database only grows in importance
in assembly work since any errors in assumptions
about the status of individual part runs can quickly
become compounded as they apply to the entire
job. The complex jobs function in REALTRAC provides
a master control for all this activity."
TOOLING & PRODUCTION
Manufacturing Solutions: "Video,
pictures, CAD illustrate job setups."
Manufacturer
of Precision Aerospace Components - California
REALTRAC software now has the capability to capture
images and store the graphics as a part of the
REALTRAC job documentation system. This means
that machinists can capture a visual record of
the job setup and download the images as still
photos into the PC-based REALTRAC permanent job
file. Even hand-drawn sketches done by the machinist
or handwritten notes can be captured. In addition,
REALTRAC has a voice function, which enables it
to capture the machinist's verbal descriptions
of the job setup and make them a permanent part
of the job file. Moreover, it can deliver this
information to the shop floor without paper or
wires by utilizing readily available laptop computers
and wireless local area network (LAN) technology.
MODERN APPLICATION NEWS
Feature Story: "Real-time Scheduling/Tracking
System Pays Off At Machine Shop."
Services,
grinding subassemblies for oil and gas equipment.
Manufacturer of pultrusion dies, polished mandrels
- Texas
"Without a doubt, we wouldn't be in business
today if we didn't have the REALTRAC System."
says Richard Massey. In 1985, we were the first
machine shop to purchase and install the REALTRAC
computer system for job shops. Richard Massey
talked about how this real-time scheduling and
tracking system helped his company survive a severe
market downturn and diversify into new markets.
CNC~WEST
Cover Story: "The World Of Real-Time
Shop Floor Control - Job Shop Improves Production
Efficiency 50% with Constantly Updated Information
via Terminals."
Manufacturer
specializing in aerospace contracts and in rubber
molding, injection molding, CNC machining, tooling,
bonding and assembly operations - California
President and CEO, Frank Power is impressed with
REALTRAC because it's a "user friendly"
system. He said, "I figured if I can understand
it, anybody can." Power says his productivity
is up due to the shop floor control system. "It's
certainly improved by close to 50%."
AMERICAN MACHINIST
Casebook: "Company gets on track
with software."
Service,
repair for gearboxes, pumps, blowers, and valves
- Texas
Company says that, "REALTRAC software from
Mindbridge estimates all job bids, tracks WIP
and scheduling, and provides all information to
customers in 'real-time'." REALTRAC for Windows
Version 8.0 features a Microsoft 32-bit fast client/server
architecture. For estimating and scheduling, an
operator can perform graphic analysis of what-if
simulations, all handled in real-time. The Multimedia
Shop Floor Documentation feature enhances ISO
9002 tracking.
MODERN MACHINE SHOP
Cover Story: "Managing The Shop In
Real-Time."
Manufacturer
of components for the semiconductor industry -
California
VP Mike Philipp said, "We now offer an 'ASAP
priority service' in which we will guarantee on
price and delivery in four hours, and parts in
two to five days. That simply would not have been
possible without the help of Realtrac's real-time
shop floor control."
THE AMADA NEWS
Cover Story: "Job Shop Of The Future"
Uses Newest Equipment, Advanced Job Tracking System."
Manufacturer
of precision metal fabrication shop serving the
electronics and computer industries - Michigan
President, Dennis Suddon, said, "This is
really an amazing system. It allows us to know,
at any moment, exactly what's happening on every
job in the shop - who's doing what, how much time
we're spending on each job we do, when a given
job will be completed, how we're doing on material
supplies, everything. We use it to track cost,
do estimates, and generate reports on our overall
operation."
AMERICAN MACHINIST
Cover Story: "Scheduling a job shop
- Track work and costs in real-time."
Large
job shop that does machining, production drilling,
grinding, sheet-metal fabrication, plastic and
fiberglass fabrication, and molding - Massachusetts
Shop foreman Pete Watson said, "REALTRAC
is capable of tracking the shop schedule, the
loading of all the workcenters, and the cost of
all jobs in-house, all in real-time." System
manager and estimator Scott Williams noted that
after the installation of REALTRAC, "The
on-time-delivery picture improved considerably."
Assistant foreman Willy Anderson said that with
REALTRAC, "By entering each operation start
and finish on each job at the microterminals,
the paperwork of cards is eliminated."
THE FABRICATOR
Cover Story: "Shop floor control
in real-time - How a real-time computer system
helped increase a job shop's revenue."
Manufacturer
of computer peripherals, medical, surgical and
dental equipment, telecommunications and video
technology components - Pennsylvania
Alan Schiff, president, said, "Our revenues
rose about 40% since the real-time system was
installed a year ago."
