Redthorn Article in Aerospace Manufacturing Magazine – April 2020

Aerospace has always been very specific in its requirements for data accuracy and traceability and this hasn’t changed, however we are seeing increased requirement for visibility of data and connectivity to other systems, both internally and up and down their supply chain.

Customers are recognising the benefits and cost efficiencies of having multiple specialist systems that are interconnected rather than one all encompassing and often cumbersome large-scale ERP system.

Any other specific demands? Whilst the staples of price, quality and delivery are a given, anything else, such as customer relationships, flexibility, after-sales support, the personal touch for example?

Purchasers of software systems are far more knowledgeable than they used to be, so it is no longer viable to do a generic demonstration of software . Price and quality are key of course, but we have to understand what the customer wants from the system and address any list of requirements. Flexibility in the style of implementation and also payment structure are always key factors in the sales process.

At Redthorn we recognise that people still buy from people, and a good relationship will lead to a long-term customer.

Paperless Job Cards are still very much the norm in most of our SME customers because they form part of a simple process. For many customers there is no substitute for being able to walk up to any job on the shop floor, pick up the card and instantly know what it is. We do have paperless customers, but it is certainly not the standard practise.

Work schedules are more commonly electronic now, and we have had EDI’s on our systems running for order book in-load for twenty years.

Customers who may have traditionally taken a relaxed approach to recording and reporting shop floor efficiency and productivity data are now investing their time in looking at this in conjunction with OEE data to ensure they are putting the best resource into continuous improvement on the shop floor. This has resulted in a far greater interest in what our data capture and quality modules can do for them.

To assist this process Redthorn are seeking funding for a project to Identify how SMEs will benefit from increased understanding of OEE, how to measure it with access to a prototype digital toolset and techniques as part of a scalable standardized continuous improvement platform that can be rapidly deployed by multiple tiers in the advanced manufacturing and Engineering supply chain and other high value manufacturing sectors.