In today’s highly competitive environment, customer support has become more important than ever. When companies need a solution, they need it immediately, and any time spent idling can push already slim margins into the red. To meet this demand for quicker turnaround, many manufacturers have turned to automated systems and lean concepts that provide flexibility and quick response times. At Mazak, we constantly apply these principles to our operations so that we can routinely exceed customers’ expectations and build the long-term relationships needed to succeed. One of our most recent efforts in this area is the development of a parts fulfillment system that can respond to customers’ needs as soon as they arise.
Mazak is no stranger to providing customers with industry leading service and support. From our extensive training initiatives to impeccable technical support, every aspect of our business encompasses the fact that our success is directly proportional to that of our customers. As with any area of customer service and support, excelling in modern parts fulfillment requires a carefully thought out approach. The vast majority of orders are received in the afternoon, shrinking the window in which they must be filled if customers are to receive them the following day. Any system designed to be productive within this extremely demanding situation must be highly efficient and flexible. Mazak’s new parts center accomplishes both of these, providing customers with unmatched service by offering:
Capacity to store 47,000 unique part numbers
Same-day shipping rate in excess of 97%
Improved ergonomics for workers
In the past, Mazak’s parts stockrooms contained pallet racks and small, manually operated vertical lift modules (VLMs). When orders came in, forklifts, skyjacks, ladders and the manual VLMs would be used to retrieve the necessary components. Parts would then be manually transported to an area where they would be packed and prepared for shipping. It was a physically-demanding, time-consuming process that performed well in the past, but was unsuitable for meeting the needs of an evolving market.
When devising a new system, Mazak decided to partner with a supplier that could help design, create and implement a turnkey solution. Such a supplier would need to have project management capabilities for a very large system, as well as offer equipment that met various demands in terms of design, capacity, features, ease-of-use, flexibility and software. After evaluating multiple options, the decision was made to partner with Remstar for the integration of shuttle VLMs, software, conveyors, stacker cranes and pick-to-light, a technology that improves efficiency by visually identifying part location within a tray.
Under the new system, orders are entered into Mazak’s order processing system, via an employee taking a phone call or fax from a customer or the customer placing the order directly via online parts ordering at https://support.mazakcorp.com/Anonymous/OpParts.aspx. The call center for replacement parts operates Monday – Saturday and can be reached at 888-462-9251 or 859-342-1350 for faxes. This is in addition to Mazak’s 24-hour, 7-days-per-week technical phone support hotline at 800-231-1456.
Upon receipt of a new order, it is assigned to a tote with a fixed license plate that is then loaded onto a conveyor at the front end of the system. The system then automatically routes the tote to whichever of the four workstations have access to the requested part. At the workstation, an operator scans the tote and the shuttle VLMs locate the part and deliver it to the operator. The pick-to-light system identifies the correct item in the tray and a customer-specific barcode part label is printed. The operator picks the product and attaches the label before placing it in the tote. Up to eight totes can be scanned at a time, allowing the operator to fill multiple orders simultaneously.
Once the correct part has been added to a customer’s tote, the conveyor automatically delivers it to another workstation if multiple parts were requested, or to a shipping station if the order is complete. Sensors monitor the flow of parts and divert incoming totes to whichever of the three shipping stations has the shortest line. Operators in the shipping area visually confirm that the correct parts have been selected, pack them and then affix an automatically printed shipping label from UPS or Fedex. When all is said and done, an order can be received, selected, packed and prepared for shipping in as little as fifteen minutes. Because of this incredible level of efficiency, customer orders received prior to 7 pm are shipped the same day they are received, ensuring that all parts are received as quickly as is physically possible.
The new system represents a tremendous investment in exceeding the already high expectations of our customers. The final system devised and implemented by Mazak and Remstar offers:
45,000 sq. ft. part center with thirteen shuttle VLMs
47,000 unique part numbers, a 95% increase over the previous system
Same day shipping of 97.5% with 99.67% picking accuracy
Orders picked per hour per person rate of 25, as opposed to 13.9 with previous system
Additionally, the work performed is much more ergonomic and reduces the physical strain placed on employees.
Today’s manufacturers simply cannot afford downtime for any reason. For Mazak’s parts center, the industry’s progress required evolving into a more flexible operation via automation and innovation. We often tell customers of the advantages of lean operations, but in this case they actually experience the benefits firsthand.