Software modules identify bottlenecks and prompt corrective action to provide accurate delivery forecasts and saves at least 70% in tool set-up and machine preparation times.

Dedicated to high precision machining for aerospace, automotive and general engineering industry, Frencken's site in Brno, Czech Republic, manufactures, on average, some 1000 different parts every year. The emphasis at this Czech Republic sub-contractor is on 'done in one' machining and just-in-time supply to a customer base that includes Airbus Industries, Thales, EADS and Bosch. The attraction for these 'blue chip' customers is Frencken's well-equipped 1000m2 production facility that is home to two Mazak Integrex multi-tasking turning centres, three Mazak machining centres, two Mazak Super QuickTurn CNC lathes and a Mazak Variaxis five-axis machining centre.

These machines are interlinked by Mazak's Cyber Production Centre (CPC) production management system, the four software modules providing real-time visibility of every aspect of the production process.

Prior to November 2001, Frencken had been operating a MRP system inherited from its parent company.

This, in the view of Pavel Sobotka, managing director, did not deliver the information needed to manage a continuously changing manufacturing demand and shopfloor process.

However, once installed, CPC began identifying bottlenecks and prompting corrective action.

Two people now co-ordinate the entire shopfloor operation, identifying and resolving potential problems in advance of actual metal cutting.

This not only provides accurate delivery forecasts but, equally relevant, also provides the capability to check on the process status of every order.

The CPC's four modules are: Cyber Scheduler, which is the 'master' as far as parts data is concerned; Cyber Tool Management, Cyber Machine Monitor, which is used extensively within Frencken for analysing machine utilisation and production process rationalisation; and Mazak CAMWARE, which creates Mazatrol and ISO NC programs off-line.

Cyber Scheduler, which is derived from the Preactor family of advanced planning and scheduling solutions, provides the dynamic scheduling function.

According to Sobotka, it has played a pivotal role in the change to proactive process management and has also allowed Frencken to dispense with paper records when providing process documentation.

Savings have been made, too, by using Cyber Tool Management, with Frencken rationalising its tooling inventory and reducing significantly tool replacement/machine downtime.

Prior to this, machine operators had to remove every tool from the magazine after each completed job and then load a new set of tools for the next job.

It is now possible to check tool status and tool life in real-time, meaning that only 'missing' tooling needed for the next job is loaded, together with 'sister' tooling when the predicted life of existing tooling is insufficient to complete the job.

Overall, Sobotka estimates a saving of at least 70% in tool set-up and machine preparation times.

With business increasing at the rate of 15% year on year, Frencken is planning to build a second manufacturing plant.

It intends to control both sites using CPC, enabling this busy 60-employee sub-contractor to synchronise its manufacturing operations and contributing to its growing reputation within Europe.