Several problems, one solution

„HELIOS iNuvio is not just a system that handles our business processes, it is a system that can adapt to our requirements and grow with us."

Ing. Jitka Hurábová

Managing Director of LD Seating

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„We have been using HELIOS from the very beginning. The first system still used DOS and we only dealt with ​​economics, accounting, invoicing and warehousing. In 1999, we switched to HELIOS Orange, which we use to this day. As HELIOS grew along with our company, we never had a reason to look for a different system. At present, it oversees all our company processes - from economics, trading, warehousing all the way to the entire production.

In 2003, we have purchased Production Management and TPV modules and unified our database and interconnected business processes. Growing production volumes put higher demands on automation of certain processes, and we had to expand the system and add additional functionalities. These mainly included customized and additional developments and the deployment of mobile and ETH terminals," says the Managing Director of LD Seating Ing. Jitka Hurábová

Order production process and dispatch

„The task was to establish sample assemblies that use predefined bills of materials, technological procedures and production parameters. At present, LD seating offers approximately 18,000 sample sets and assemblies, which are stored in HELIOS. Production orders are generated from the prepared documents and the work in progress is registered in the Production Management module. All data are concentrated in one place, which allows for easier maintenance and clarity," adds the Managing Director Ing. Jitka Hurábová

When the order is received, the shipping clerk selects the specific assembly from the database based on customer specifications. The number of individual components and the technological process are defined for each sample set or assembly.

The introduction of predefined samples minimizes errors that have been occurring due to the acquisition of input data by individual employees. The shipping clerk creates an incoming/new order, which defines the required quantity and delivery date and sends the order confirmation to the customer.

Production orders are automatically generated from the created incoming order. These orders are used to generate orders for components during the first phase, and also for production planning and finally, to keep records of the ongoing production process.

Production planning

Prior to the implementation of the custom production planning module, employees focus thoroughly on work scheduling which is to be performed at individual workplaces and on preparing documents needed to release these components from the warehouse. We wanted to make their job easier and to increase automation of the entire process.

So we decided to contact Gatema. This company programmed the custom module based on our request. Using this tool, the planner is able to flawlessly and quickly schedule individual production orders for specific production workplaces including human resources,” adds the Managing Director Ing. Jitka Hurábová.

The output of the planning process is a production document for specific workers which contains printed barcodes of the given operations. Further, a request for component release needed for the production is generated from the plan.

ETH terminals are used in the production, and are used to record production operations in various registration modes, according to the requirements of the specific workplace. A great advantage is the option to connect terminals to barcode printers, which are used, for example, at the assembly work station.

The packaging barcode is used to check and weigh the boxes, and the product barcode is used during handling and shipping at the finished product warehouse. An inspector uses a mobile terminal to read the packaging code after the assembly is completed. Inspection information is recorded in the system and components needed for the assembly are automatically written off.

The box is then transported by the conveyor to the scale and the strapping machine. The bar code on the box is read at the scale, the weight is entered into the system and the item is automatically stored at the finished product warehouse - at the handling area. Using Zebra mobile terminals, the warehouse worker moves the products from the handling area to a specific storage location.

Based on shipping instructions and the prepared documents, the warehouse worker prepares the goods for shipping using GatemaWMS mobile warehouseman tool.

„After terminals were introduced at the warehouse, the speed and accuracy of warehouse workers during shipping increased significantly. The 'warehouse map' functionality precisely guides the warehouse worker to the storage location/position and by reading barcodes it monitors whether everything is shipped correctly. The system provides accurate information about when and by whom the goods where released from the warehouse."

„The use of stationary and mobile terminals in our company has been applied widely. This sped up and reduced administrative work. The acquired data enabled us to obtain precise information and, last but not least, gave us the opportunity to monitor the movement of the order through the company processes,” says the Managing Director Ing. Jitka Hurábová, regarding the benefits of the deployment of the barcode system.

IT benefits

In addition to the automation of business processes and daily routine activities, HELIOS supplied by Gatema not only reduced working hours and delivery times, but above all it minimized the number of errors of individual employees occurring due to data acquisition.

Another benefit is the ability to completely trace components during complaint processing, which also gives us feedback with regards to all orders.