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THOuGHT LEADErS The importance of technology, processes and people in meeting future energy demands

AuTOMATION SOfTwArE CRM, ERP and PLM solutions deliver positive results for local manufacturers

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PRODUCTIVITY Modification of motion control products can provide safer, more efficient operations

LEAN MANUFACTURING Understanding Canadian manufacturing’s three-stage evolution plan

GRIPPING POWER Ramping up robotic assembly line tasks

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edUcation A British Columbia college debuts online robotics lab to boost hands-on learning

Machine Safety AIT uses Siemens’ integrated platform to improve performance of Boeing’s Dreamliner fuselage assembly process

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VFD-C2000/CP2000 Series Powerful Features, High Efficiency

The VFD-C2000 Series is a high level field Devicenet, MODBUS TCP and EtherNet/IP. oriented control AC motor drive with a high performance variableAlong with the traditional drive frequency Technology, system offered in the C2000 FOC control. It features versatile series to target traditional driving controls, modular design, applications, Delta has also wide variety of applications, easy released the CP2000 with maintenance, self diagnosis and incorporates the benefits of the competitive market price. It C2000 and more! The CP2000 brings customers not only highincludes a realtime clock and 10k efficiency construction but also step PLC programming capacity, the most economic solution to it is designed for the building compete with the global market. automation sector with built in BACnet and MODBUS RS-485. The CP2000 has a quick settings The VFD-C2000 series AC function to allow for fast and easy motor drive provides the most setup for functions such as efficient and cost-effective sleep/wake , flying start and skip solution for many types of drive frequency. The CP2000 also applications including printing offers a fire mode and by pass machines, extruders, calendar mode: continuous pressure and paper machines, output to extract smoke when fire compressor, wire drawing accident or other emergency machines, mixers, conveyors, occurs. and more. It features precise speed, torque and position control functions that are suitable Rated up to 690VAC 745HP for both sensor and sensorless types of synchronous and asynchronous motors. The C2000 series is also equipped with built-in PLC functions and supports the CANopen Master/Slave extension for the ultimate in system flexibility and • PLC’s fast data exchange as well as MODBUS (built-in • Power Capacitor Banks standard). The Advanced Drive controls • Vision Systems incorporate door width auto-tuning, environmental • Temperature controllers compensation, safe stop, built in brake and • Servo motors and drives synchronous point to point control. The C2000 has • CNC solutions been designed as a modular solution to allow you to • HMI get only the components you need! Expanded I/O, • Power supplies hot pluggable LCD screen, a variety of encoder • Protocol Modules and Converters feedback and network cards including Profibus-DP,

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New Trumpf Canada space better serves customers

GE closes U.S. engine plant, moves to Canada

General Electric says it will invest US$265 million to build a new engine manufacturing plant in Canada in a move to take advantage of Canadian export credit financing. Meanwhile, it will close a manufacturing plant in Wisconsin, which builds gas engines for compression, mechanical drive and power generation applications. GE currently employs 350 at its Waukesha, Wisc., facility. The company announced that work on the new plant, which will initially provide 350 jobs, is expected to be completed in 20 months. The planned location of the new plant was not disclosed. The new Canadian plant, according to GE, will be a flexible facility that can expand over time and also support manufacturing requirements for other GE businesses. “With today’s announcement, GE fully expects to expand its relationship with EDC (Export Development Canada) in support of the company’s Power & Water, Oil & Gas and Transportation businesses,” the company said in a statement. While many countries have export credit agencies (ECAs) that support domestic manufacturing for export, the US does not. Congressional authorization for the U.S. export credit agency, the Export-Import Bank, lapsed on July 1. “We believe in American manufacturing, but our customers 4 MA • www.AutomationMag.com

Manufacturing AUTOMATION was there in March as Trumpf Canada, a manufacturer of fabricating machinery and industrial lasers, celebrated the grand opening of its relocated office in Mississauga, Ont. Boasting 50 per cent more space, the new facility shows off a wider range of fabricating solutions, and can stock a larger selection of spare parts, it said. The festivities also included a surprise announcement — we learned that effective April 1, Stefan Fickenscher will become the new managing director for Trumpf Canada, taking over for Stefan Schreiber, who will move back to Germany and serve as head of central sales subsidiaries, Machine Tools Sales division. Fickenscher presently serves as product manager, TruLaser product group. Visitors of the grand opening got the opportunity to check out a variety of Trumpf technologies in the new demonstration room, including the TruLaser 2030 fiber, TruLaser 3030 fiber with Rotolas, TruPunch 2000, TruBend 3100 press brake, TruBend 7036, TruMark laser marking system, and power tools. “With additional technologies on display and increased access for local visitors, we hope our customers will love the new location as much as we do,” said the company. The manufacturer moved locations last fall. in many cases require ECA financing for us to bid on projects,” said GE vice-chairman John Rice. “Without it, we cannot compete and our customers may be forced to select other providers.” GE is currently bidding on US$11 billion of projects that require export financing and the company noted that last year the EDC facilitated exports and investments of approximately C$100 billion. — With files from The Associated Press

Lafert North America welcomes Ken Clune

Lafert North America — a Mississauga, Ont.-based supplier of metric motors, gearboxes and pumps — has appointed Ken Clune to the position of national director of sales. Clune brings more than 19 years in the electrical industries. The company describes him as a “strong visionary who successfully builds teams to drive results” Ken Clune with a “diverse” background and knowledge in the area of sales and marketing for products, services and solutions, through a variety of sales channels. He will be based in the Mississauga office.

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Siemens partners with Seneca, Sheridan College for Mechatronics training

In February, Siemens Canada signed two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Seneca College and Sheridan College, highlighting the Mechatronics programs and strengthening the cooperation between Siemens and the two Ontario institutions. The Siemens Mechatronic Systems Certification Program is an industry skills certification offered together with partner schools worldwide. A central theme is the System Approach, a special set of teaching and learning methods developed over 25 years in Siemens technical schools in Germany. Mechatronics is the integration of mechanics, electronics, control and systems theory, and computers into a single system used within production and manufacturing, to optimize its efficiency, productivity, and quality. First developed at Siemens’ Technik Akademie Berlin in Germany, Siemens Canada can now provide a three–level Mechatronics certification program to students in collaboration with universities and colleges across Canada. “It is very important for Siemens to create a culture of continuous learning,” said Robert Hardt, president and CEO of Siemens Canada, saying the MOU signings “reconfirms Siemens’ commitment to education and training that is supported and driven by key partnerships with Canadian colleges, universities and government.”

With an emphasis on troubleshooting, hands-on practice and technical decision-making, the program aims to provide the Canadian workforce with knowledgeable workers who are able to

Roxul announces North American Industrial, Marine & Offshore integration

Roxul has announced a new strategic direction for the North American Industrial, Marine & Offshore business. Effective January 1, 2015, the Roxul Industrial & Marine team integrated into a global platform with Rockwool Technical Insulation (RTI), and the North American Industrial, Marine & Offshore division will be known as Roxul Technical Insulation. In 2014, the ProRox and SeaRox brands were introduced to North America, joining with RTI in offering a global brand identity for Industrial, Marine & Offshore customers. The integration of the Roxul team into RTI is the next

easily move into a variety of production, technician, and/or engineering roles. Mechatronics-related technical fields include automation technology, robotics technology, process and controls, industrial maintenance, and electro-mechanical technology. “As a partner in the Siemens Mechatronics Systems Certification program, our Electromechanical Engineering graduates will qualify to write an additional exam to gain this globally-recognized, professional credential soon after graduation – something that’s especially important for our growing population of international students,” said Dr. Jeff Zabudsky, president and CEO of Sheridan College (photo 2). “Our partnership also opens the doors for increased collaboration with Siemens Canada in the form of guest lectures, workshops, co-op placements, and engineering internships.” “We are proud to be expanding Seneca’s relationship with Siemens, an industry leader around the globe. This agreement will allow our students to benefit from their expertise, receive highly-specialized training and have increased experiential learning opportunities,” added David Agnew, Seneca College president. In 2014, Siemens Canada signed educational collaboration MOUs with five colleges and universities: the University of Waterloo, McMaster University, Mohawk College, the University of Alberta, and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT).

logical step in linking the North American business to a global community, said the insulation manufacturer. “With our existing expertise and combined resources, Roxul Technical Insulation can provide improved support to its North American customers by leveraging our global influence, ultimately bringing greater value to our local response,” said Mike Kozokowsky, vice-president industrial, sales. Roxul believes this new alignment will be well received and will provide businesses with a new level of service by providing the performance driven solutions and the technical expertise required in today’s business environment. The North American team will continue to be headquartered out of the Milton offices in Ontario. Year in Review 2015 • MA 5

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112 stop work orders issued in Ontario machine safety blitz

Ontario inspectors issued 3,669 orders — which includes 112 stop work orders — for violations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations during a recent safety blitz that focused on machines that were not properly guarded or locked out during maintenance, repair and other activities. The inspectors visited almost 700 workplaces in the industrial sector, such as wood and metal fabrication, manufacturing, chemical and plastics, and pulp and paper, in the Ministry of

Company fined $80K after worker burned by hot plastic

Magna Exteriors & Interiors Corp., a manufacturer of various plastic automotive parts using plastic injection molding machines, has been found guilty and fined $80,000 after a worker suffered burns on the job. On June 25, 2012, a worker at the company’s plant at 26 Kenview Boulevard in Brampton, Ont., was assigned the task of troubleshooting and repairing an injection molding machine that was failing to inject plastic into the mold when cycled. The worker, after confirming that melted plastic was backing up in the machine, adjusted the temperature to cool the nozzle head of the machine, then was called away several times for repairs to other machines, according to the Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL) investigation. The worker returned to the machine and started to remove its head bolts, but decided to crack them loose instead. After being called away again, the worker returned to the machine and took out all but the last bolt, using a hammer to 6 MA • www.AutomationMag.com

Labour blitz that took place from November 3 to December 14, 2014. They checked that employers were taking appropriate action to assess and address possible hazards involving machines that were not properly guarded, locked out or blocked. “Workers can suffer serious injuries such as amputation of limbs or even death if machines have improper or missing guards or if improper lockout procedures are used,” said George Gritziotis, chief prevention officer. “We’re working to improve the health and safety of workers in Ontario. But we can’t do it alone. Government, employers, workers and others must share the responsibility to keep workplaces safe.” They also checked that employers were protecting workers from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and chemical exposure, and that workplaces had a strong internal responsibility system (IRS) in place to ensure worker health and safety. “Since 2003, the number of injuries in Ontario workplaces has decreased by 40 per cent, but blitzes like this show that more can be done and needs to be done to ensure the health and safety of all workers,” said Kevin Flynn, minister of labour. “These blitz results send a strong message that non-compliance continues to be a problem in many industrial workplaces, and it will not be tolerated by the Ministry of Labour. Ontario workers deserve to return home safe and sound after a hard day’s work, and we will persist in our efforts to ensure they do.”

tap on the nozzle to loosen it. Without warning, molten plastic was expelled from the machine, hitting the worker mainly in the torso and as a result, the worker suffered serious burns. At the time of the incident, the worker was not wearing a face shield as required by Ontario Regulation 851, which governs industrial establishments. The regulation states that a worker exposed to the hazard of injury from contact of the worker’s skin with a hot object, hot liquid or molten metal shall be protected by wearing apparel sufficient to protect the worker from injury or a shield, screen or similar barrier appropriate in the circumstances. The company was convicted of failing as an employer to ensure that the measures and procedures prescribed by law were carried out in the workplace, and was fined $80,000. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Ontario sells GM shares for $1.1B; proceeds to be invested in infrastructure

Ontario has sold its remaining interest in General Motors Company; the proceeds will be invested to help build a “new generation” of public infrastructure, it said. The Ontario government said it will gain about $1.1 billion from the sale. Both Ottawa and the Ontario government acquired GM shares in 2009 after providing about $10.6 billion in aid to the automaker. Ontario made $4.8 billion in financial assistance available to GM and Chrysler, in partnership with the federal government. Finance minister Charles Sousa says the sale marks an important step in unlocking the value of the province’s assets to grow the economy and invest in public infrastructure. “The Ontario government is proud to have been able to play an important role in protecting thousands of jobs across the province through its support of the auto sector in 2009,” he said in a release. — With files from The Canadian Press

THE IMpOrTANCE Of TECHNOLOGY, prOCESSES AND pEOpLE IN MEETING fuTurE ENErGY deMAnds

ou know that desperate Behavioural insights feeling when the battery in Trends in consumer energy conyour phone dies? How the sumption and behaviours are being minutes seem to drag on forever analyzed and used to modify behavwhile you wait for the charger to reiours. For example, companies are connect you to the world? Imagine using insights gleaned from data to living in a time where the availability develop energy-efficient products of energy is erratic and unpredictand services. Also, using data-based able. When, for example, flipping insights, campaigns and initiatives the switch doesn’t always turn on are created with the goal of incentthe light. In the developed world, ing consumers to reduce their this may be a worst case scenario, overall energy use. but the reality is that an energy These are just a few examples crisis resulting from a widening of countless ways technology is By PRAdEEP AMLAdI gap between demand and supply is being used to radically improve the entirely possible. energy industry. Yet, whether it is The world’s population is becomfocusing on operational excellence ing increasingly “middle class.” According to the Organisation or resource conservation, anticipating and taking advantage of for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the size changes is only possible if you have a knowledgeable, motiof the global middle class will increase from 1.8 billion in 2009 vated workforce. Talent acquisition and development, as well to 3.2 billion by 2020 and 4.9 billion by 2030. This emerging as lifelong learning to bridge the technology gap, is essential. middle class will consume their fair share of resources including clean water, reliable energy, fossil fuels, modern electronics, and Attracting new workers a variety of healthy food. Unfortunately, energy and natural resource companies are While demand is increasing, discovering and extracting facing the prospect of a large scale shortage of skilled workforce resources is becoming more expensive and challenging. A report as experienced baby boomers begin to retire at a faster rate than by the McKinsey Global Institute concludes only 20 per cent of new workers can be hired. This exodus of older workers not the resource supply is readily achievable and 40 per cent will be only leaves companies with less manpower, but they are faced hard to capture, forcing companies to look at new or less explored with the prospect of losing significant institutional knowledge. channels such as drilling for oil in the deep sea or extracting water Oxford Economics reported that while companies have a from deeper ground reserves. Certainly, there’s the possibility growing need for skills like analytics and cloud computing, less that new sources may be discovered, however, these will do little than half of employees expect to be proficient with these key to off-set the global supply and demand imbalance. technologies in three years. Additionally, in a global survey, SAP found that 80 per cent of energy and natural resource companies Meeting future energy needs view Big Data as critical to meeting their strategic objectives, yet With every challenge comes the opportunity for innovation. To only 20 per cent consider themselves mature in this area. Faced solve the world’s potential energy deficit, companies must find with a smaller pool of qualified talent and increased competiways to harness the power of people, processes and technol- tion, one answer to successfully attracting, hiring and retaining ogy. In doing so, they can benefit from an important increase a skilled workforce is to leverage new technology solutions. in productivity. For manufacturers, in particular, these three Millennials are a tech-savvy, digital native generation. By 2025, elements combine to create significant competitive advantages. they’ll make up about 75 per cent of the American workforce, according to this Oncore article (bit.ly/1oIy38O). Millennials Predictive maintenance grew up on modern technology and are comfortable using it Energy manufacturers are using data transmitted from sensors how, when and where they want. Therefore, it is logical that they embedded in to improve platform and equipment up-time. The are most attracted to a similar type of work environment – one constant stream of communication is captured and analyzed that features state-of-the-art technology, training in multiple to identify trends, which are then used to predict performance formats and collaboration capabilities. Unfortunately, a disconof particular pieces of equipment. Armed with this insightful nect exists between the technology millennials want and the knowledge, technicians can conduct proactive maintenance and technology used by many organizations. avoid expensive downtime. Energy and natural resources companies are racing to capture knowledge held by older workers, racing to retain an Improve operational processes existing workforce, and racing to attract younger talent from Companies are using data-based technological and process a limited pool of resources. Missteps in any one of these areas innovations to improve operations including more efficient dis- could mean the difference between successfully meeting the covery and extraction of resources. For example, collecting data world’s future energy needs or not. • and analyzing it in real-time allows rig operators to detect and then react to downhole pressure changes while drilling, which Pradeep Amladi is the vice-president marketing, energy and natural improves the safety and efficiency of water drilling operations. resources, and discrete manufacturing industries at SAP. Year in Review 2015 • MA 7

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10 reasons TO CHOOSE pC-bASED CONTrOL By JOE OTTENhOf

-based control systems for industrial applications have been around in various forms for as long as PCs themselves. In fact, PCs have been relied upon for machine control just about as long as PLCs have. In certain circles, however, there continues to be a misunderstanding about the reliability and capability of an Industrial PC (IPC) for “real” machine control applications. When we speak of PC-based controls, we are talking about an industrial control system that utilizes a PC designed as a control platform. While functionally the same as an office PC, the IPC is specifically designed to be rugged enough for demanding plant environments. IPCs are tested to be a reliable computing platform with operating specifications to withstand plant environmental factors such as temperature, vibration and shock — far exceeding the commercial PC. Components used are qualified, standardized and available in the long-term, with product lifecycles that can go toe to toe with any PLC and win. The PC-based control platform offers a wide range of reliability and capability advantages, among other benefits. Here are 10 reasons that make this case:

pC control leverages mainstream hardware computing technology

The IPC uses the same basic technology used in the millions of PCs produced everyday around the world. The latest technology gets implemented in the IPC without the need to prorate development costs over many years and millions of devices. No matter which PLC one may use, that supplier can never match the sheer volume of product produced by a single PC supplier. The net result is that the PC control platform is always modern and always reflective of stateof-the-art computing power. The PC is a mainstream societal technology, yet the PLC is quite the stranger to most of society.

pC control leverages mainstream software computing technology

Many IPCs use Microsoft operating systems for non-real-time control tasks. 8 MA • www.AutomationMag.com

This means that the IPC can be used for multiple applications. Not only will the IPC perform as the real-time control platform, it can also be used as the HMI platform simultaneously. It also provides the connection to the enterprise network using standard Ethernet (NIC) connectivity. Other non-Microsoft operating systems, such as Linux, can also be used.

IpCs are lower in cost

IPC manufacturers take advantage of their economy of scale to produce lower cost products. The PLC manufacturer creates a proprietary electronics platform, the cost of which is prorated over thousands of units rather than millions of units... the unfortunate by-product then is that the PLC platform ages quickly from a technology perspective. An outdated IPC can be replaced anytime, likely with a lower cost model that reflects the powerful dynamic in the PC world of “increased power at ever lower costs.”

IpCs are more powerful

IpCs are future-proof

Many IPCs today use multicore, 64-bit architectures with several gigabytes of RAM and have virtually unlimited mass storage, providing a tremendously capable computing platform. The PLC is designed for a single task and is equipped with just enough processing power to perform that task. Compare this with the typical PC computing capability and there really is no comparison.

The PC is the ultimate “de facto” standard. There is no end in sight, either to the form factor (ATX, 3½ inch, PC104) or the concept. Combining with Windows operating systems and IEC 61131-3 programming software creates a computing and control platform that will “always be there.” Compare this with the traditional PLC product family with a three to five year general availability and again, no comparison.

pC control protects Intellectual property (Ip)

A PC control solution is implemented in software, abstracted from hardware. The customer’s investment is maintained in a truly “open” architecture that can be moved from one IPC brand to another with rarely anything more than a software recompile. Compare this with a PLC solution which is usually a function of software developed on proprietary hardware. The software cannot be separated from the hardware, so there is no abstraction between the two. Unavailability or lack of support on a PLC platform usually means a complete redevelopment of the software application, starting from scratch.

pCs are more maintainable

The IPC control solution uses technology known to the masses. The Windows environment is familiar and comfortable to more people and ultimately to more of today’s maintenance personnel whether they admit it or not. IPC users can utilize more internal resources than would be available to support a PLC platform.

pC control provides simpler control architecture

The power of the IPC combined with a high speed, real-time control network, such as EtherCAT, means the control architecture can be compressed into a single layer. There is no need for gateways, switches, protocol converters or data links. All control devices are on one Ethernet-based CAT5e network.

pC control provides better diagnostics

The power of Microsoft is perhaps most evident in the number of third party applications available for the operating system. A PCbased control platform easily exports control information for offline processing by third party applications and tools, resulting in powerful diagnostic and analytical tools that can provide improved performance, maintainability and reliability. By comparison, the PLC has few resources available for advanced diagnostics. A maintenance person often takes extreme action

such as “forcing a contact” to resolve machine operational issues rather than being directed to the “root cause” by advanced diagnostics.

10.

pC control converts hardware “boxes” to software applications

If you think about what is in a special “box” that performs an auxiliary function within the control system (for motion control, measurement, safety or something else), you will see that it consists of some sensor electronics, a processor, some memory and usually special software or firmware. The PC control platform has all the necessary computing technology to accomplish the required functions of that box already. In PC-based control, the sensor or other field device simply gets connected to standard I/O. The special application can be implemented in powerful software, either in real-time using IEC 6 1131-3 programming tools or in standard computing languages, such as C and C++.

In conclusion, a PC-based control system provides a powerful, flexible, maintainable and very cost-effective alternative to a traditional PLC-based system. There are many thousands of PC-based control applications around the world — and here in Canada — that provide many of the benefits described in this article. Granted, there is still resistance to change from those who still swear by PLC-based platforms in the name of stability or reliability, or a friendly relationship with a distributor. Change may require additional work to migrate over to a more modern and powerful system, but no business has ridden the “we’ve always done it this way” mantra to long-term success in today’s globally competitive industrial marketplace. • Joe Ottenhof is general manager of Beckhoff Automation Canada Ltd. He has over 30 years of experience in industrial automation and controls. Ottenhof is an Engineering Technology graduate of St. Lawrence College, Kingston, Ont., where he studied Instrumentation and Process Control. Year in Review 2015 • MA 9

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CaSe Study roundup Software solutions deliver positive results for Canadian manufacturers COMPILEd By ALySSA dALTON

everal months ago, Manufacturing AUTOMATION extended an invitation to software vendors to share examples of their recent success stories. How did they fare? Read on to discover how two Canadian businesses leveraged automation software to meet their challenges in a fluctuating economy.

AuTODESK

redetec recycles 3d printer filament for reuse with help from autodesk The Company: Founded in December 2013 by Alex Kay, David Joyce and Dennon Oosterman, ReDeTec is a designer and producer of sustainable design tools. The company strives to maintain sustainable 3D printing. “But this technology has so far remained unsustainable. Whether it be the cost of buying new feedstock, or the waste generated as you finalize your design to perfection, true creative freedom is being held back by the consumable nature of the industry,” say representatives of the Toronto, Ont.-based company. 10 MA • www.AutomationMag.com

The Challenge: In order to help design its first product, the ProtoCycler, ReDeTec turned to the Autodesk Cleantech Partner Program and software including Autodesk Fusion 360, Autodesk Inventor and Autodesk PLM 360. The product is an all-in-one filament recycler unit for 3D printers, and comes complete with a built-in grinder, distributed spooling and intelligent computer control. It also creates filament at up to 10 feet a minute in any colour.

The Strategy: “In this day and age, it’s almost unimaginable to start a business without adopting every useful technology you can,” says Oosterman. “We have 3D printers and CNC mills for design and prototyping and a range of software granted to us by the Autodesk Cleantech Partner Program to help in everything from product development to resource management.” The results: According to Oosterman, PLM 360 was “fantastic” for tracking the progress as a team and the development of the product. “It’s one of those tools that keeps showing use in more and more applications, and we’re trying to expand it across the whole company so we have a unified data management system that tracks everything from financials to order fulfillment.” Meanwhile, the Inventor program has been at the core of ReDeTec’s design work from a functional and practical point of view “for a while now,” he adds. Once the company moved from design to development to product commercialization, it began to use more of Fusion 360. “The easy learning curve and collaborative nature allowed our industrial designer to work seamlessly with our hardware lead, which is something we hadn’t been able to manage on any other platform,” he notes. “This ultimately led us from a proof of concept to functional prototype in a matter of weeks instead of months.”

GENIuS SOLuTIONS

erp helps custom manufacturer scale up worldwide The Company: Eddyfi designs and manufactures non-destructive testing (NDT) equipment using eddy currents and electromagnetic techniques for nuclear, power generation, oil and gas industries. Founded in 2009, the company offers solutions for the inspection of critical components and assets, including probes used in tubes and on surfaces to identify defects in metal and welds, equipment that generates electromagnetic fields and acquires data, and software to visually analyze the acquired data. Eddyfi has its R&D, manufacturing facility, and headquarters in Quebec City, Que., and sales offices with calibration centres in Houston, Texas, and Lyon, France. The company serves customers in more than 50 countries around the world. The Challenge: The company manufactures highly complex and custom engineered-to-order and make-to-order products, requiring it to keep track of significant amounts of data. To be competitive, the company needs to ensure its products are manufactured and ready to ship to customers as rapidly as possible. As it was preparing to expand into new markets, it became vital for Eddyfi to implement a software solution that would provide its project management and finance teams with realtime and accurate job costing. The Strategy: The ability to handle exponential growth and worldwide operations was a major consideration factor when Eddyfi undertook selecting an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software solution. It was important that the software

be integrated throughout the organization and be able to handle the unique needs of its complex engineered-to-order and make-to-order environment. “We knew we had to invest in software that would scale alongside us and support our custom manufacturing needs,” said John McCormick, operations vice-president and general manager of Eddyfi, as the company ultimately selected Genius Manufacturing ERP software. The results: “Genius Manufacturing ERP manages our entire customer order lifecycle, from quote-to-cash. Since implementing Genius Solutions software three years ago, we have grown from 25 to 115 employees, and our revenue has doubled year over year,” said McCormick. The ERP software provides Eddyfi with streamlined purchasing of materials, accurate inventory control and realtime job costing. Rapid delivery is extremely important to meet the needs of Eddyfi’s oil and gas customers, and it says Genius Solutions has helped Eddyfi significantly reduce delivery times to its customers all over the world. “With Genius Manufacturing ERP, we’ve been able to reduce delivery times on highly complex engineered-to-order custom products from over six weeks down to just two weeks. And, we’re now able to ship make-to-order products to customers within two days of receiving an order.” Eddyfi uses Genius Manufacturing ERP across its entire organization. “The software is very user-friendly, with common terminology and similar looking screens across all of its modules, making it very simple for our employees to learn,” says McCormick. The R&D department also uses Genius Solutions software to track labour and material expenses related to internal R&D projects. • Year in Review 2015 • MA 11

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