In a Q&A session, PSL Datatrack’s managing director, Geoff Gartland says that when properly implemented, production control software can help businesses run more efficiently, eliminate duplication of effort and improve profitability.
Selecting the right production control software can be challenging simply because of the wealth of choices available. It can polarise opinions, with some companies embracing it whilst for others, it simply doesn’t feature on their radar.
The majority of Bracknell, Berkshire-based PSL Datatrack’s customers are SME subcontract precision engineering enterprises, which means the company is well-versed in providing solutions tailored to that market.
PSL Datatrack’s most significant latest news is that its 2021 PSL Datatrack production control software release is now available to both new and existing users. This latest version focuses on enhancements to the evidence and efficiency capabilities of the system alongside greater accuracy, scheduling and usability.
Many of the additions in the update result from submissions made by customers to PSL Datatrack’s Wishlist programme - with the rest being original developer concepts. Each Wishlist submission is logged and assessed for how it would benefit the client concerned – and other users – with PSL then looking to integrate the feature in a future version.
Q) Firstly, what are the latest trends and demands driving customer requirements for your software solutions?
Reporting and efficiency gains. Of the ideas submitted by the user base for the latest release, a key request was for the ability to drill down into the statistics on PSL Datatrack’s main menu navigation screen. Added in the previous version of the software, this dashboard option can present 57 key performance indicators (KPIs) for quick reference to users with relevant permissions.
Now, PSL has provided users with the ability to click into any of the figures displayed to run a report homing in on the details behind the values, providing instant evidence for internal and external requirements. With reporting enhancements in mind, report previews can also now remain open when exiting the module they were originally run from, if desired by the customer.
From an efficiency viewpoint, quotation letters can now be printed to PDF, automatically named and saved to Document Management. The option to specify an extra quantity is now available in both the Quotations and Works Orders modules and quick conversion of quotes using speculative material to a billet material code has also been added.
In addition, new customers taking on the system like to know that they will always be able to speak to a member of the support team in the working day. We work Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00 and offer support via telephone, email and screensharing, so after-sales support and the personal touch is particularly reassuring. This all comes after a personalised training and implementation programme for that customer.
Q) Are you surprised to see paper-based job cards, management of contracts and work schedules being used in customer facilities?
Some customers have stopped generating entire job packs for the shopfloor. Various modules in the system support document management and imaging, meaning files can be stored digitally for fast reference and lookup. Some may still wish to print the process layout/route card, but even this can be called up on the screen and scanned by shopfloor operators using a barcode reader.
Q) What specific areas in your suite of modules are proving most popular with your aerospace customers?
Scheduling is always popular, and has seen a number of additions in the latest PSL Datatrack release. The schedule can now be calculated based on the availability of both machine and setter, particularly beneficial in machine shops where there are more machines than setters available. Additionally, scheduled operations can be set to wait for another operation which is useful for batching subcontract operations together.
Q) What are the most important things a customer needs to know when specifying your products to best meet their tailored requirements?
The features of the system - they need to manage their production process and manufacture quality parts, right first time, sold at the right price and delivered on time. PSL Datatrack covers the administration, sales, purchasing, planning, shopfloor, quality, financial and management aspects of a business.
After implementation of a PSL Datatrack system, many companies have realised multiple benefits including faster order placements, quicker fulfilment of enquiries, more efficient allocation of materials to jobs and a full traceability history, including the generation of certificates which are vital to so many industries.
The Works Orders module has a traceability summary report, which provides a concise summary of related records from all modules for each works order including component issues, material issues, purchase orders placed, goods received, deliveries, rejects, invoices, credit notes, gauges issued, works non-conformance, supplier non-conformance and Shop Floor Data Collection (SFDC) transactions.
Q) Is helping your customers overcome a ‘comfort blanket’ attachment to their legacy systems a major obstacle?
If a company is replacing an existing system, additional care should be taken to ensure none of the existing requirements get overlooked. In this situation the customer would be likely to use the system for training initially, then possibly parallel running and once everything is familiar a going live date would be arranged with PSL.
We will always put together a bespoke training and implementation programme with the exact needs of the customer in mind. The system is intuitive and designed exactly for saving subcontract precision engineers time - some PSL Datatrack users have gone live after as a little as one day of training which is testament to the logical, well thought-out approach together with our thorough understanding of the requirements of their business.
Q) Looking at your suite of products, do you feel satisfied that your customers leverage the full benefits of its capabilities?
As the system is modular, we will agree on the initial package of modules and features best suited to running their business at that particular point in time. Modules/features can then be added as a business grows or requirements change, with the knowledge that they will seamlessly integrate with existing modules and data.
Q) How do you see these systems integrating with Industry 4.0 and the smart factories of the future?
There is a growing expectation that information will be readily available and that systems will no longer be reliant on somebody generating or printing a report. A report is potentially out of date the moment it has been printed, so being able to identify, in real-time, when an operation is taking longer than planned is key to driving efficiency improvements.
PSL Datatrack Status Boards are already used by many customers to provide monitoring and action required information about many aspects of production control. These do not just have to be on the shopfloor and can include monitoring stock, scrap, non-conformance and anything else that requires a review. PSL Datatrack has long interfaced with tool vending, material carousel and machine monitoring systems, and will continue to work alongside other specialised solutions required by our customers.
The smart factory is all about working together, so interfacing with your ancillary equipment, your CNC machines and facilitating a live feed for shopfloor activity in a timely manner is the way forward.
Q) What do you feel are the most important assets of a company?
A combination of things, but from a software point of view people ultimately make a production control system. In order to maximise a system’s capabilities, staff members must firstly understand their own job role and how it ties in with the day-to-day running of the business.
Management should ideally train new staff members or organise provider-led training sessions in order to manage staff expectations. It is also crucial to define key roles, no matter the size of the business. PSL Datatrack helps by allowing management to define what users can and cannot do/see in the system through its User Maintenance module. Every user has their unique profile so the relevant access and permissions can be granted.
Q) What differentiates your company from the competition?
Our product is designed specifically for subcontract precision engineers producing turned parts and machined components. We have over 30 years of industry experience and take the time to understand our customers’ businesses and requirements at the outset with the knowledge that no two businesses are ever the same.
It is our fundamental belief that one size of production control software does not fit all. With this in mind, we provide a modular approach so users can pick, choose and ultimately tailor a system to work the way they need it to for their business. You should not pay for modules that you have no intention of using, no matter what the cost. However, tailoring a system with a range of additional features that can be selected with your business requirements in mind can be extremely cost effective.
Q) Have your long-standing partnerships brought huge benefits, particularly as trusted relationships can lead to a better way forward for all?
Absolutely. We pride ourselves on identifying solutions to problems and maintaining close contact with our customers, some of which have been using the software for over 20 years. These technical partnerships provide us with great feedback and ideas to constantly improve our product.
Q) Finally, where to next for your company?
We will continue to develop PSL Datatrack based on customer and developer ideas and will release a 2022 version towards the end of the year. Part of the 2022 release will be a new module to assist users with contract reviews, which we envisage being extremely popular based on initial discussions with our customers.
