A pressing, structural problem
At Custom Company Arop in Wilrijk, they were at their wits' end. The automation machine they had purchased for a lot of money turned out to be anything but productive. The quality and output were nowhere near an acceptable functional level. As a result, the machine was not used, and Arop had to deploy nearly thirty people manually for what should have only required a handful of workers.
Tony Matthieu, Project Manager/Technical Supervisor at Arop: “Due to internal problems with the original installer of this device, the programming was not carried out adequately at the time, with quite dramatic consequences. To make a long story short: this machine could not be used, which meant we had to pay the wages of over 20 people for an additional six months to get the necessary work done manually. Because we urgently needed a professional; one who is proficient in Siemens programming language, we then contacted Centif.
This is by no means obvious. Few automation companies are eager to engage in software that has previously been mishandled by others. Thanks to some clear agreements and a well-defined delineation of responsibilities, we were still able to confidently kick off the project. We intentionally allocated an experienced automation engineer to guide this process effectively.
Productivity safeguarded throughout the optimization process
It was clear that a well-thought-out plan of action was necessary here. When there are so many structural issues in the software, you don't go in like a bulldozer. Every intervention can have unexpected consequences, something that has proven to be effective multiple times despite the cautious approach.
By working proactively and step by step, we gained insight into the underlying problems and were able to intervene effectively. With carefully planned analyses and interventions, the device was made profitable again. Additionally, the continuity of production was only sporadically interrupted, which was a significant added value for the customer.
Today, we are back at an acceptable level both qualitatively and in terms of output. Moreover, we are achieving this with a team of only 7 people, a significant difference compared to the 27 employees that were previously needed to achieve a similar result.
Today we are once again delivering acceptable quality and output with a team of 7 people instead of the 27 that were previously needed.
‘Interlocking’ and remote module are vital
Tony Matthieu: “The approach of Centif quickly made a world of difference! Not only because of productivity, but also given the current scarcity in the labor market, this success story gives our company a tremendous boost. In terms of speed, the machine is now even pushing against its physical limits again. Only in terms of quality and waste is there still some minimal room for growth, but we have every confidence in a great result.
That all of this was no easy task is clear. At certain moments, the machine even threatened to program its own destruction; everything was set up so dramatically! It was a tangled mess where the smallest change could have disastrous consequences. With interlocks between different parameters and processes, we ensured that problems are safely isolated. Now we can tackle issues without the risk of harmful impact elsewhere in the machine.
A significant added value is the proactive approach and personal dialogue that Centif employs. At one point, Centif advised us to integrate a remote module. As a partner of Ixon, for remote access and dashboarding, Centif knows how to handle this. This also allowed for quick remote intervention when necessary. Experience has shown that this was a crucial move. It even saved us days of productivity when the device, for example, could not start up. Of course, the smooth availability of Centif was at least equally decisive in this regard.
People-oriented approach; decisive for success
Tony Matthieu: “The approach of Centif quickly made a world of difference! Not only because of productivity, but also given the current scarcity in the labor market, this success story gives our company a huge boost. In terms of speed, the machine is now even pushing against its physical limits again. Only in terms of quality and waste is there still some minimal room for growth, but we have every confidence in a great result.
That all of this was no easy task is clear. At certain moments, the machine even threatened to program its own destruction; everything was set up so dramatically! It was a tangled mess where the smallest change could have disastrous consequences. With interlocks between different parameters and processes, we ensured that problems are safely isolated. Now we can tackle issues without the risk of harmful impact elsewhere in the machine.
A significant added value is the proactive approach and personal dialogue that Centif employs. At one point, Centif advised us to integrate a remote module. As a partner of Ixon, for remote access and dashboarding, Centif knows how to handle this. This also allowed for quick remote intervention when necessary. Experience has shown that this was a crucial move. It even saved us days of productivity when the device, for example, could not start up. Of course, the smooth availability of Centif was at least equally decisive in this regard.