New Engineering Services Company Will Help Automakers Set Up Plants

The layout and operation of an automotive assembly plant involve a highly complex set of activities.  They call for the application of a great deal of skill

and expertise in design, setup and process coordination.

It's a stiff challenge for automotive manufacturers to set up successful plants themselves.  They understand the end-product and the production environment well enough.  However, they often face time and work constraints in trying to achieve proper integration of assembly operations, optimal layout for parts flow, effective material handling and parts presentation, and good ergonomic practices.

Now, SES automotive Inc., based in Troy, Michigan, has been established to provide relief to automotive manufacturers.  Its purpose is to help get plants up and running on time, on budget and with maximum efficiency in process operations.

SES automotive is working with companies like Ford and DaimlerChrysler to improve process engineering, material handling and program launches.

Over the years, the SES automotive team have built up a knowledge database and skill-sets in project-management that allow them to get the job done right the first time, whatever the scope of the operation. While an in-house team has more than enough knowledge and experience to complete the job, they rarely have enough time to be involved in the exacting details of parts flow and how it relates to other functions.

Their strength is to make sure that every production cell operates as efficiently as every other one in a timely, coordinated fashion, with no congestion, restrictions and safety hazards anywhere in the plant.

The main elements of SES automotive's services are as follows:

One of the advantages SES automotive brings to the industry is that they operate independently of any equipment suppliers so they have no vested interest in promoting certain products.  They can be totally objective and ensure that the client gets the solution that suits him best.  They are also highly skilled at issue resolution.

SES automotive operates with total dedication and a level of professionalism that is based on many years of experience, knowhow and a proven track record, plus they can work to extremely tight deadlines.

In all projects, they are prepared to create and manage the program timeline for the client to ensure the orderly implementation of new products and coordination where necessary with existing systems and operations. They are prepared to provide dedicated management from program initiation to completion - a complete 'cradle to grave' approach, in fact, to alleviate the burden on the client, which can be significant especially if there is a tight deadline.

Coordination is one of the most important keys to success.

The automotive assembly plant is home to many different elements, including facilities, direct labor and indirect labor, and it is at the interfaces of the various elements that serious problems tend to occur.  If the interfaces are not designed and set up properly in the first place, those problems can be ongoing, creating productivity, safety and other issues.  The role of SES automotive is to make sure that things run smoothly from day one.

Coordination also applies to how SES automotive is prepared to work and interact with other teams at the site, including free exchange and consultation on AutoCAD and engineering support documents, process analysis, on-site support and participation.

At the micro-level, SES automotive is exceptionally strong in the optimization and evaluation of workstations, to help promote production excellence.

They are skilled at evaluating individual workstations to optimize material delivery and parts presentation to the operator, then developing ergonomic solutions that work.  As well, they are confident that they develop the most innovative recommendations for solving problems relating to station and delivery congestion.

SES automotive maintains close communication with hardware suppliers at all times during project implementation, conducting audits to ensure that the proper processes are in place and being maintained.  It also conducts equipment reviews at suppliers' premises to ensure adherence to specifications, with 'punch lists' to track open issues from initiation to resolution.

Their product launch support is comprehensive and includes throughput verification and plant concurrence.  They also coordinate plant maintenance training to ensure optimal performance and will stay close to the client to ensure that any ongoing issues are resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible, even in areas where they may not previously have had direct participation.

The SES automotive team is extremely flexible in everything they do and always maintain clear, open lines of responsive communication with the client.