CompositesWorld
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CompositesWorld.com 81 NEWS N E W S N S N E W S E N W S W Integrated Optimization Software Read this article online | short.compositesworld.com/WIP-TPO Read CW's previous coverage of this subject online in "Automated cutting accelerates" | short.compositesworld.com/AutoCut 707 Fulton Ave. • Rockford, IL 61103 USA afpm@ingersoll.com • 815-987-6000 production rate, you have to spend more operator and engineering time because you are increasing the time machines are in use and the coordination of materials into products. But if you don't double your operator and engineering hours because of something like TPO, then this allows you to increase your production rate without increasing your overhead." He notes one additional value due to TPO's integration in both the inventory and MRP systems: "I can make better decisions about how much materials to buy and when. Tis sometimes saves more money than the 5% raw materials reduction." Implementation IAI fully understood that integrating TPO into its production would require training. Ben-Bassat notes the process was made easier because "continuous improvement is in IAI's DNA, so there was no chal- lenge in getting everyone's buy in." Tat said, Plataine's experienced integration team still had to answer a lot of questions and make sure IAI's needs would be met. "We had to make a lot of adjustments," says Ben-Bassat. "We then began testing the confguration." Te team started with one nest on one product and performed validation tests to make sure IAI's team got the results it wanted. "Every day we would add more products, but we kept to static nests until week two." Plataine then began combining nests and adding products and functions until TPO was fully implemented across all parts in production. "It's no diferent from any enterprise-level software implementation," says Ben-Bassat, "you don't want to just fip the switch overnight. It took three to four months in all." Staying competitive IAI has not yet incorporated the RFID tracking available with TPO, but Hod says the company might do so in the future. "We are always looking to improve," he observes, explaining that all suppliers in the commer- cial aircraft industry are under pressure to reduce the price of their products. "Although the parts are very expensive, we are always looking at how to do this to meet our customers' needs," says Hod. "We must remain competitive." ABOUT THE AUTHOR CW senior editor Ginger Gardiner has an engineering/materials background and has acquired more than 20 years of experience in the composites industry. ginger@compositesworld.com