Case Study
Transforming operations and data systems for international metal powder manufacturer.
Project Overview
We are collaborating with a leading metal powder manufacturer to develop a comprehensive suite of software solutions aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and data management. This ongoing project focuses on creating robust systems that address various aspects of the manufacturing process, ensuring a streamlined approach to production and inventory management.
As we continue to build upon this foundation, our ongoing collaboration focuses on refining and expanding these systems to further enhance the manufacturer's operations, drive innovation, and support their growth in the competitive metal powder industry.
The Problem
Before our collaboration, the client relied on a patchwork of tools and processes that created significant operational challenges:
Lack of Audit Trails:
Key production and inventory activities were logged manually or across various spreadsheets, leading to inconsistent records and limited visibility into past actions. This made it difficult to trace issues or maintain accountability throughout the manufacturing process.
Overwhelming Excel Sheets:
As operations grew, critical data was managed in massive Excel files that became unstable, prone to crashes, and difficult to maintain. The size and complexity of these documents hindered productivity and increased the risk of data loss.
Complex and Fragmented System Usage:
Managing production, inventory, and lab data across multiple spreadsheets and documents introduced unnecessary complexity. Employees struggled with version control, collaboration, and maintaining consistency, slowing down workflows.
Limited Functionality of Traditional Tools:
Excel and other document-based tools could not accommodate the dynamic needs of production and inventory management, such as task automation, real-time updates, and streamlined reporting. Basic tasks like autocompletion or workflow tracking required manual effort and were error-prone.
Slow and Inefficient PLC Data Pipeline:
The existing data ingestion pipeline for the PLCs was cumbersome and unreliable. Frequent manual interventions were needed to keep it operational, and even then, data was delayed by up to 30 minutes, preventing timely responses to production issues.
Outdated Analytics Software:
The analytics tools used to interpret operational data were outdated and slow, limiting the ability to derive meaningful insights in real-time. This reduced the effectiveness of decision-making and hindered process optimization.
Scalability Challenges:
As production volumes and complexity grew, the existing tools and processes could no longer keep up. This bottleneck impacted efficiency, making it clear that the company needed a more modern, integrated system to support its growth and ensure operational excellence.
Our Solution
Our comprehensive software solution addresses the client's operational challenges by streamlining workflows, improving data accuracy, and enabling real-time insights. Delivered as part of an ongoing collaboration, the system has already transformed key areas of production and continues to evolve with new features and enhancements.
Accounting Tab for Financial Reporting:
To improve financial visibility, we developed an accounting module that integrates seamlessly with the production and inventory data. This tab provides real-time financial reports, including material costs, production expenses, allowing the finance team to generate accurate insights and make informed decisions quickly.
Stock Management System:
The new stock management system ensures real-time tracking of raw materials, work in progress, and finished goods. This solution eliminates the need for error-prone spreadsheets and optimizes inventory levels, reducing waste and ensuring materials are available when needed.
Lab Testing and Reporting Suite:
Our lab suite automates the testing and reporting process, making it easy for lab technicians to record results and generate detailed, shareable reports. With this system in place, quality control processes are more efficient and reliable, ensuring products meet strict standards.
Work in Progress / Production Management Suite:
The production management suite provides real-time visibility into manufacturing workflows. Managers can track progress on active jobs, allocate resources efficiently, and monitor key production metrics—improving overall productivity and reducing downtime.
Data Ingestion Pipeline for PLCs:
We built a robust data ingestion pipeline that collects real-time data from the client's PLCs without manual intervention. This pipeline eliminates the 30-minute delay from the previous system, ensuring that production data is available immediately for analysis and decision-making.
Analytics Integration for Better Insights:
We replaced the outdated analytics tools with modern, high-performance software that integrates directly with the data pipeline. The new analytics system provides fast, actionable insights, helping the client optimize production, predict maintenance needs, and improve efficiency across operations.
Simplified System Usability with Automation:
Our system replaces the cumbersome Excel-based workflows with an easy-to-use interface, automated processes, and features like autocompletion. This simplifies operations, reduces errors, and allows employees to focus on high-value tasks instead of manual data entry.
Tech Stack
Frontend:
Vite
React
Amplify
Backend:
Amplify Backend
Node.JS
DynamoDB
S3
EC2
Redis
Cognito
GraphQL
AppSync
Web Sockets
REST API
Application Load Balancer
AWS VPC
Route 53