Xerox Engineering Systems turns in high level performance at Jaguar Cars
by Simon Jackson
Business expansion inevitably increases pressure on existing systems – often exposing the inadequacies of outdated systems just when reliability and performance is most needed. For Jaguar Cars Engineering Centre in Coventry, acquisition by the Ford Motor Company brought with it huge new opportunity, but also increased pressure – and the resultant exposure of its existing document management systems as unable to cope with the level of work being thrust upon them.
Using a combination of 16 different electrostatic and thermal machines to serve four separate production areas – each providing varying speed and quality of output, the increased productivity demands were proving impossible to meet. In addition, the time spent by skilled design and engineering personnel in ‘maintaining’ output equipment alongside the spiralling costs of thermal and electrostatic materials were making the old systems uneconomic.
CAD Manager Mark Bache explains: “We had obviously been operating at maximum level for some time but it was not until we were called upon to deliver increased productivity that the cracks in the old system really started to show. It seems obvious that documents play a hugely important role in the effective progress of jobs, but it is not until the output systems fail that you realise just how many people are relying on speedy availability of material in order to deliver their part of the work on time.
“As productivity demands increased we began to experience regular breakdowns on the existing plotters, which in turn had a negative impact on the ability to meet production demands. It was obvious that a totally new set of equipment was required.”
With separate production sites for each model it was important that any new system should have network capability, with appropriate output devices capable of matching the productivity demands located in each area – thereby reducing the amount of time spent collecting and outputting documents. Jaguar was also keen to reduce the cost of consumables with its thermal and electrostatic materials costing £70 a roll compared to £7 for paper.
Following a full review of all the options, Jaguar decided upon the purchase of 5 Xerox 8830 plain paper plotters. With a three-roll media capacity and 400dpi resolution, the Xerox output of A4 – AO sets and was 50% faster than competitors digital plotters. Supporting the XES commitment to ease of operation, a full suite of client software tools is available with the Xerox 8830, designed to ensure that highly skilled designers and engineers spend their valuable time working at the ‘coalface’ rather than organising copy output and collation. Remote access printer and job queue management is provided through the Print Manager Tool, whilst the unique Document Submission Tool enables users to construct single or multiple file jobs, set output and print directly from desktops.
Terry Osmond who has overseen the installation of the XES equipment explains the benefits in practice: “Productivity has received a huge boost thanks to the installation of reliable, fast output equipment and it has proven to be real hit with everyone involved. Engineers – the real ‘users’ of the documents much prefer the output from the 8830’s as it is much clearer to read from plotters, CAD stations and even PC’s. The installation of ‘local’ output equipment has also generated substantial time savings, with the support software enabling far greater control of work in progress – urgent documents can take priority simply by the use of the job interrupt function.”
Arnold Vink, Marketing Manager UK and Netherlands for Xerox Engineering Systems explains that the Jaguar experience is not uncommon: “Older systems often perform remarkably well – until they are put under real pressure to perform. Advances in technology are such that whilst older equipment can still deliver when it comes to ‘standard’ requirements, it simply cannot match the quality, speed, reliability and multi-function offers of the latest technology. At Xerox Engineering Systems we have an on-going commitment to both developing and recommending solutions which can match the needs of today and which have a future tomorrow – hence our focus on producing modular systems which can be expanded rather than replaced as business needs change and grow. A growing business needs a system which is capable of growing with it – otherwise the investment made can be wasted in a very short period of time. Jaguar now has a system in place which can grow and expand as its business needs demand – in effect it’s flexible, cost effective and future-proof.”
Simon Jackson can be reached at simon@bclo.com