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Manufacturer of Motion Controls and
Network Servo Drives
Background
This business began when a group of engineers, who would meet regularly to swap
invention ideas, decided for protective measures to incorporate. On September
13, 1978 the group incorporated in New York State. However,
it wasn’t until 1982 that the firm hired its first full-time employees, as that was the
year the four founders secured a significant amount of venture capital. It was
also the year the firm developed and began marketing a microprocessor-based
motion controller for controlling servomotors in automation applications for
general purpose. The first products offered were single-axis motion controllers
based on Intel microprocessors.
For some time, these Rochester-based engineers introduced new products
as often as they could with very little competition. But by 1996, foreign competitors
had invaded the market in grand fashion.
Over the next few years competitive pressures continued to mount, making every sale harder
to win.
European presence strengthened, and rapid advancement of technology was
becoming more than the firm could handle. Another rapidly advancing development,
that is still powerful today, is one manufacturer being the prime producer and
integrator of a project.
Management was finding they didn’t have the expertise to handle all of these
challenges required to grow the business. Yet, they needed to keep forging ahead
to remain as a strong, viable producer of motion control products.
Assistance Provided
The NYS TAAC performed a diagnostic of the firm’s operations, which concluded
the firm must develop ways to improve internally and externally in order to
compete more effectively.
The recovery strategy focused on this firm's ability to market and sell its
products in different parts of the World that would otherwise be closed to the
firm because of the specific standards required by these countries. This
strategy included the firm’s need to internally organize their manufacturing
structure, provide better controls, and implement the benchmark systems needed
to face the growing global markets; specifically, ISO certification.
Today, ISO 9000 standards have been embraced by all European countries and by
more than 50 nations worldwide. The World accepts ISO 9000 as a comprehensive
set of standards assuring quality in manufacturing. The standards are flexible
enough to accommodate variation from company to company. Once a manufacturer is
certified customers look upon them as a company that is “in control.” It has
also been proven that improved quality systems will save money for the business.
ISO 9000 will also complement the firm's CE Mark, which certifies the firm has
subjected its products to a variety of tests and the products meet stringent
health, safety, and environmental regulations.
Together, the designations will give the firm the tools it needs to confront the
fast growing and demanding global motion control market.
Project Results
After eight months of intense analysis, flow charting, process improvements, and
streamlining its entire operations, the firm passed its ISO 9000 audit and
received certification in May 2005. The firm is now able to offer its products
to customers who, before, closed their doors to the firm, customers who will
do business only with suppliers who have a defined, fundamental quality system
in place.
Along with generating additional sales, the most important outcome of this
project allowed the firm to get control over manufacturing operations. Today
all of the processes and procedures are documented and the manufacturing
flow is streamlined and controlled.
Another outcome of this project, all documentation is computerized; everything
that comes into the firm gets entered and is tracked on the system. Nothing
enters the shop without the proper documentation. Now everything is in place for
the firm to be a “world-class” manufacturer, and management is anxious to see
how their business is going to change.
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