Samco Shop Package Project
Background
Samco Machinery is a roll forming equipment manufacturer located in Toronto, Ontario. As part of the course project for APS1013: Applying Innovation in Engineering and Business Operations, I was tasked with investigating Samco's shop package release process with five of my fellow classmates.
Problem identification
After a site visit and a few discussions with the engineering team at Samco, the team quickly determine the main problem as inefficient data transfer between Samco's CAD vault and its ERP system. The process was largely manual and therefore time-consuming and prone to human error.
Approach
The team performed extensive research, and had furthur discussions with the Samco staff. A "middleware" solution, which will automate the data transfer between Autodesk Vault and Microsoft Dynamics 365 is suggested. The team compared various middleware offerings on the market based on Samco Machinery's needs. A number of other approaches to address the issue including reducing data complexity and size of data were also explored.
Recommendations
The team recommended CoolOrange PowerGate as the optimal middleware for Samco Machinery, citing its superior compatibility with Samco Machinery's existing infrastructure, and using a case study to justify the selection. Some other recommendations are made, including moving towards modular designs, consolidating fastener sizes, and encouraging a more collaborative team environment.
Result
The team gained immensely valuable insight into how a large, complex engineering firm operates. It also gained a deep understanding of the inner workings and values of ERP systems. Being able to interract direcly with and learn from the company CEO and top level management was an eye-opening experience.