Simplifying Processes with a New Scheduling Application at FIMC

We’re receiving excellent feedback on our end-of-the-year SharePoint install at FIMC. Everyone seems to be commenting on improved communication and easier project collaboration. It was a smart move by John and Dustin and is really propelling FIMC forward in terms of connectivity and efficiency. As John and Dustin update their technology and iron out operational kinks, they continue to move FIMC into a  more competitive space within the manufacturing industry.

SharePoint is incredibly beneficial when it comes to task management and collaboration. As a manufacturing company, however, there is a real need for a highly detailed scheduling application. The past couple months we’ve been working closely with Dustin to devise a scheduling application that best facilitates this intricate process.

Their current process

When we started working on this project, it was obvious that FIMC’s current scheduling process was clunky at best. Using Microsoft Excel, employees would open a file to create jobs and steps for each job, scheduling them on specific days or at specific times. When the steps were completed, employees would open the file, update the status of each step and add notes about the quality of work. Once jobs were completed, finance employees would open these files and create summary reports.

This process became particularly problematic because only one employee could open the file at a time and they often ended up spending more time tracking down a file than inputting data. There wasn’t always a good place to enter important information and on account of accessibility issues, they frequently had to deal with corrupted files.

In short, their scheduling process on the manufacturing end of things wasn’t working.

Our goal was to create a new application that resolves their pain points and makes scheduling a breeze.

An application to accommodate their needs

We started by delineating the tasks that FIMC manufacturers need to schedule and manage:

• prepping molds (cleaning, spraying, painting and preheating)
• injecting molds with liquid polyurethane
• baking molds in the oven
• trimming molds
• spraying color details
• adding custom imprinting
• packaging and shipping completed foam mold products to clients around the world.

Ultimately, we built a web application that accommodates all of these tasks and allows for the inputting of data from multiple users across the manufacturing spectrum. This application…

• Automatically authenticates users and provides rights to the application based on their job responsibilities, allowing users to enter new jobs and job steps, edit job status and results and reschedule jobs with the click of a button
• Facilitates finding jobs for editing purposes or for creating new jobs and job duties through the implementation of a powerful search screen
• Makes it easy for finance employees to run production reports and track activity and for floor managers to schedule reports and look ahead at the schedule for the coming week

The best part? Multiple users can access this application with no interference so the application never becomes corrupted.

Our journey with FIMC has been truly remarkable. Watching FIMC take their place in the competitive manufacturing market, freed up to focus on creating quality products instead of tied up in their old, inefficient processes is why we do what we do. Keep checking back with us as we work with FIMC to troubleshoot challenges and help streamline business operations for a strong and successful company future.

Disclosure: Foam Injection Mold Company is a fictional organization created to allow SCS to more fully convey the details of business needs and technical environments related to actual solutions created by SCS without infringing upon the privacy of our clients. All SCS consultants, technical expertise, consulting services provided, and implemented solutions referred to in the Foam Injection Mold Company articles are real! Only the client names and lines of business have been changed to protect the innocent.