It’s Only Common Sense: Be the Vendor They Compare Everyone Else To
Marcy’s Musings: Additive Processes, Signal Consequences
The Marketing Minute: If Your Marketing Budget Gets Cut in Half, Then What?
Vardya: Yes. We learned this a little bit later but we've made some huge investments in our engineering organization in the last couple of years. We have decided to convert our entire Genesis platform to GenFlex because of all the flex and rigid-flex work we are doing. We were having to do a lot of manual processing in the Genesis software and we decided to upgrade to GenFlex so we can get out of the manual work and get more automation. The other thing we have done is convert a manual based traveler system to InPlan, which is a rules-based traveler system. So we really embrace the software aspect of what is needed in order to become more competitive.
The other thing we invested in from a software standpoint is TrueChem, a software package that works on controlling all of our chemistries. All the authorized people can look at control charts sitting right at their desk. If they are trying to troubleshoot a problem or a process issue that occurred three days ago, they can quickly pull up all the information on their computer and look at what was going on with the process chemistries. Historically we would be going through notebooks to try to find that information and a lot of times people just wouldn't do it. It was too hard to go figure it out. We made troubleshooting very easy and made sure that our processes are staying under control.
Matties: That's the key. If you are in control you at least have a fighting chance. When we talk about the labor pool, it seems to me when you bring in this technology, LDI and such, it's a different kind of experience. You are looking almost more for a computer operator, someone who understands systems more than they do the technology itself.
Vardya: I would agree with that. You need a higher level of operators, but you also need a higher level of engineering because you need to make sure you are utilizing the tools effectively. A lot of times if you don't plan that out right you don't get there.
Matties: This is great. Congratulations again. I enjoyed my time at your facility and I look forward to another visit.
Vardya: Okay, great. Thanks, Barry.
Matties: Thank you.
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