AS9100 certification can be a life changer for machine shops looking to expand their presence in the aerospace industry. Compliance with the SAE standard has become a requirement for doing business with aerospace OEMs.
Focused on Machining, based in Louviers, Colo., is a job shop that primarily serves the aerospace industry, in addition to the medical, semiconductor, and beverage sectors. We know that AS9100 certification is crucial to our growth and survival, and it can be a cumbersome and expensive process with the highest level of reporting detail required to meet expectations. In pursuing AS9100, we knew we needed to invest in a more comprehensive ERP system that captured data for manufacturing purposes and could generate reports suitable for submission.
Our efforts focus on the manufacture of components used in satellites and rockets rather than aircraft itself. We’ve always used an ERP system but, while it worked well enough, we were never satisfied. It was like a necessary evil we dealt with every day. We were missing out on a lot of opportunities in the industries we serve due to a lack of AS9100 certification; that’s when I started exploring other options. As the person who wrote our ISO 9001 manual, I knew what it was like to manage that type of system with an ERP that didn’t support quality reporting. I didn’t want to repeat the process again. I discovered ProShop ERP out of Bellingham, Wash., a fully integrated ERP ecosystem built around AS9100 certification. After reaching out to president Paul Van Metre, who was a tremendous help, I demoed the system for about six months before deciding to move forward. In hindsight, I wish I had pulled the trigger much sooner. Once we did, it changed our business dramatically.
Upon entering an order, the system leads us through all the steps necessary to follow for AS9100 certification. Work order documents created within the system are highly detailed. We can input our fixturing, enter G-code, and upload CAD/CAM files. When it’s time to download the program, the tooling is already built, and your offsets and work instructions are all there. There are opportunities to upload pictures, and contract reviews are organized and managed through checklists. All aspects of this system are head and shoulders above everything else.
We’ve also been able to consolidate and organize repeat jobs within the system. This has been especially helpful in keeping things in one place. In earlier days, the paper trail degraded day after day. In the end, though, AS9100 certification was a breeze. We went live with ProShop in January, had our audit in July and we passed with certification in August. Within six months, we had more than enough good data to show the auditor just by following the procedures within the system. And, through achieving AS9100 certification we were able to grow our shop more than 40 percent without adding costs. The year before we changed ERP systems, we earned $1.4 million in revenue, the next year we made $1.7, and we’re currently forecasting $2.7 million for 2022 with no added costs. We’ve grown significantly with basically the same support structure we had when we generated $1 million.
The finance guy in me is extra proud. But certification isn’t the only reason we’ve been able to grow leanly and smartly. The training inherent in the ERP system has played a pivotal role in our operation.
We’ve been able to dispense with cumbersome training manuals and binders that take up time and space. It’s almost impossible not to train when using a cloud-based system that intuitively links all its features throughout the entire manufacturing process. Behind tiny icons on the screen is detailed information about any given field and how that field interacts with others within the system.
This linking and checking further simplifies the learning process, helping people navigate the system without much of a curve. My time has been freed to focus on other aspects of the business because I’m more comfortable letting go of some tasks such as material purchases. In the event someone inputs the wrong information, the system flags it automatically. These are the things that help us be a better shop where everyone can have a role in our success and grow their own skill set to achieve personal success.
Artificial intelligence has also played a role in our growth and, when working in conjunction with our ERP system, it has given us a competitive edge. In response to purchasing agents who needed weekly updates on their part orders, we developed a system to proactively reach out and let them know part status and any other pertinent information. To do this, we engaged a software developer who custom built an API that sends an email to our customers via ProShop after each machining operation is completed on their parts. For example, we have a planning and programming step. As soon as the planning step has been completed, it means the part has been programmed and placed on the schedule. This capability allows us to keep customers abreast of their part status every step of the way, reassuring them that their order hasn’t fallen into a black hole.
It’s this increased level of customer service that sets us apart, which customers realize from the beginning. It’s simple to demonstrate on-time delivery, workflow capabilities, and to illustrate just how long it takes to machine a part. Once you show potential customers these visual cues through a high-level ERP system, they become comfortable with your shop’s ability to help them.
After six years in the U.S. Air Force as a flight mechanic, and an early career trajectory as a financial analyst and commercial lender of small business loans, I found that I connected most with people in manufacturing. Their down-to-earth, hardworking, and honest demeanor reminded me a lot of the military.
I missed that and purchased Focused on Machining in 2016. To watch this business grow through the hard work of our people who are open to learning new technologies and are coming along on this ride is proof enough that our ERP ecosystem investment is sound.
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