SIMCO CERDAAC helps Korry plan calibration and repair services to minimize production downtime and meet regulatory requirements.
Overview
Korry Electronics Co. has been a trusted name in human-machine interface (HMI) solutions for 75 years, creating the first lighted cockpit controls for the military and commercial aircraft industry. Today, the company continues this tradition by developing state-of-the-art switches, cockpit controls, night-vision filters, and high-performance Display Modules (KDMs).
Korry’s manufacturing production line includes thousands of pieces of equipment regulated by various industry quality standards, including AS 9100, ISO 9001, and ISO/IEC 17025. To maintain compliance and keep equipment properly calibrated, Korry uses a combination of SIMCO’s calibration and repair services and CERDAAC software.
The Challenge
Before 2010, Korry managed these processes using a combination of spreadsheets and handwritten records. Shannon Younger, Director of Quality and Compliance at Korry, noted that tracking these processes manually is often error-prone, which can lead to tools slipping past their maintenance due dates.
“Tracking and scheduling calibration and maintenance on all these different tools is a huge job.”
Younger added that previous attempts to automate with other tools, such as ERP systems, often failed, leading companies to revert back to manual spreadsheets.
The Solution
Since implementing CERDAAC in 2010, Korry now has 137 users managing over six thousand equipment assets. Lisa Reid, Senior Quality Engineering Aid and Calibration Administrator, uses the system to schedule and manage calibration, preventive maintenance, and repair processes.
“CERDAAC gives us efficient tool tracking with complete global visibility into which tools need servicing, and when they are due.”
As a cloud-based software, CERDAAC requires no special hardware and is accessed via a web browser. Because pricing is based on assets managed rather than the number of users, Korry provides visibility to the entire company.
“With CERDAAC, the whole company can go in and see the status of any asset, and get the information they need. There’s nothing hiding under the carpet.”
Results
Minimizing interruptions is critical in manufacturing, where every minute of downtime is costly. CERDAAC allows Korry to predict when parts are due for calibration, saving both time and money.
The system has also transformed the company’s audit performance, as they often undergo multiple audits every month from government regulators and customers. Reid uses the software to notify managers when calibration is coming due so they can plan ahead.
“I can trust that all of the certificates in CERDAAC can pass an audit… We usually shine like stars through an audit as long as it’s a tool that is calibrated by SIMCO.”
During audits, Reid uses CERDAAC to pull up objective evidence and answer regulatory questions efficiently. Additionally, Korry utilizes SIMCO’s managed services for calibration and repair, performed either on-site or in SIMCO’s labs, to minimize impact on the production line.
“The impact of an on-site visit to our productivity is minimal because we use SIMCO’s CERDAAC software to schedule these services in advance… it’s seamless.”
Summary
- Uses both SIMCO calibration services and software.
- 137 CERDAAC users managing 6,000 tracked assets.
- No limit on the number of users gives global visibility into the system.
- Predictive scheduling saves the company both time and money.