CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
22 January 2008
Implementation Investments
Edge Products Tightens Change Control Processes and Cuts Product Return Rates by Over 50% with Omnify Empower PLM
Omnify Software announced that Edge Products, a premier manufacturer of aftermarket performance electronics for the gas and diesel truck, and Jeep markets, is using Omnify Software to tighten engineering change control processes and meet fast development requirements.
Edge Products recently brought on a new management team that identified a need for improved change and part control processes. Edge is a rapidly growing company and the nature of their products requires fast development cycles. If a vehicle manufacturer makes a change to an existing product, Edge must react quickly, often with a change to their products. These changes can occur as often as weekly.
"We recognized the need for a system that would require us to be more rigorous in our change control process and provide the kind of history and documentation that is necessary to ensure the quality we are committed to," stated Gerrit Kruitbosch, vice president of engineering for Edge Products. Edge's previous manual engineering processes were not conducive to this constantly changing product design environment. The company wanted to implement electronic processes for easy access to product information and improved efficiency.
Edge was looking for a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system to remove the paperwork burden and provide a complete documentation trail. They searched specifically for a system that included engineering change, Bill of Material (BOM) and documentation management. Direct integration with their existing ERP system, Sage MAS 90 ERP, was a necessity. They wanted a flexible solution that could be easily adapted to their internal company practices such as part numbering schemes and revisions. Edge also needed a PLM system with robust search capabilities and ease-of-use to get the company up and running quickly.
"We reviewed several of the key PLM vendors and were quite satisfied with the way Omnify provided solutions to meet our specific needs," continued Kruitbosch. As a result of implementing Omnify Empower PLM, Edge now has the ability to store all relevant product information in one location. Electronic change control has provided a more thorough review and sign-off process. The direct sharing of part and BOM information between Empower PLM and Sage MAS 90 ERP eliminated manual data entry errors and ensures accuracy of product change information across the enterprise. In addition, product quality has increased resulting in a major reduction in product returns. "Omnify has been a significant contributor to a 50% reduction in our product return rates," confirmed Kruitbosch.
"The Omnify PLM solution is ideal for manufacturers with complex products that require a large number of changes," said Chuck Cimalore, CTO for Omnify Software. "Omnify's change management facility and workflow engine support efficient engineering change control processes and helps customers like Edge react quickly to product changes and maintain high quality products".
For additional product information, including pricing, please call 978-988-3800, email info@omnifysoft.com or visit http://www.omnifysoft.com.
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