Reducing planning and updating production status time from two hours to 30 minutes

Searching for a scalable and flexible scheduling package

Schoeller-Bleckmann Oilfield Equipment Vietnam (SBOEVN) is a high-precision manufacturer for large complex products made from high-alloy, nonmagnetic, corrosion resistant steels. These include components for measurement while drilling (MWD), logging while drilling (LWD) and rotary steerable tools. One of the main strengths of SBOEVN is the availability of special non-magnetic steel provided by the SBO Group.

SBOEVN aims to provide global customers – in oilfield service and other industries – a leading, high-precision manufacturing solution in the Asia-Pacific region. The benefit of this is to offer high tech precision products for extreme environments from a strategically beneficial location in the Asia-Pacific region, leveraging quality assurances and experience of the SBO Group. SBO has been leading in high-precision manufacturing for decades and is known for producing and processing high-strength, nonmagnetic steel grades for the oilfield and other industries.

To ensure best-in-class scheduling and logistics and to improve its operational efficiency, SBOEVN wanted a scalable and flexible scheduling package that integrated with their existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) system and homegrown shop floor data collection system. The answer was Siemens Digital Industries Software’s Opcenter™ Advanced Scheduling software. Opcenter Advanced Scheduling is part of the Opcenter Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) solution and the Siemens Xcelerator business platform of software, hardware and services.

This APS solution helps manufacturing industries improve synchronizing manufacturing processes, offering greater visibility and control to increase resource use and on-time delivery while improving customer service.

Needing an advanced scheduling solution

Previously, SBOEVN relied on a spreadsheet for scheduling, which was time-consuming due to copying and pasting data from processes, machines, work orders (WO), sales orders (SO) and part identifications (ID) into their planning worksheets.

This required a high level of understanding of high-precision products, processes, people, machines and techniques. However, the traditional scheduling and tracking process did not include detailed timing for each operation (OPS), WO and part ID.

Additionally, SBOEVN’s manually tracked orders and processes in a visual manufacturing execution system (MES), which would take one to two hours per day.

As the factory expanded its operations, the production team faced numerous challenges concerning data preparation, copying and pasting and machine and manpower constraints, often resulting in errors.

Benefiting from tightly coupled integration

To overcome these limitations and challenges, SBOEVN leveraged the information technology (IT) architecture provided by East Sea Automatic Electrical Technology Engineering Co. Ltd (ESTEC), a Siemens digital manufacturing solution partner. With this architecture, the factory could manage finite-capacity planning, bill-of-materials (BOM) and routes in their ERP system. They could also pass work orders to the MES and Opcenter APS, which is used to communicate with two other systems.

With ESTEC’s help as an experienced system integrator, they were able to swiftly configure and customize Opcenter APS to meet SBOEVN’s tailored requirements. Additionally, with the partner’s excellent customer support services, implementing these solutions went smoothly.

“The Siemens and ESTEC teams have done a fantastic job installing the new system,” says Paul McLaughlan, general director at SBOEVN. “The way they serve customers and commit to delivering the best results is commendable.”

“Using Opcenter APS streamlines our work processes, reducing reliance on manual intervention and providing clearer, more detailed instructions for effective planning,” says Hoang Nguyen, production planner at SBOEVN. “System management helps us prepare better for the future, especially with our 150 pieces per month shipment list. As the factory grows, we can use Opcenter APS and not worry about errors in calculations or copy-pasting data.”

Leveraging Opcenter Advanced Scheduling provides detailed, real-time visibility and order traceability throughout the manufacturing process, feeding information back to the ERP system upon completion.

SBOEVN’s sales department also uses Opcenter APS to conduct simulations via what-if scenarios and plan projected orders. This way they can understand workloads and impacts on ongoing orders.

“APS support enhances our teamwork and coordination,” says Thy Pham, production assistant at SBOEVN. “Opcenter software has a user-friendly interface, making it easy for team members to use.”

For manufacturing operations, leveraging Opcenter APS provides real-time visibility into work-in-process (WIP), machine and operations loading plans and operational bottlenecks, as well as the ability to use calendars and set manpower and machine constraints. With this solution, SBOEVN optimized machine use by up to 90 percent.

“Using Opcenter APS supports production team leaders and supervisors when comparing machining for each machinist and their work performance,” says Hung Nguyen, production assistant manager at SBOEVN. “Leveraging Opcenter APS software helps us create good habits for working according to the schedule and plan. The software forces all of us to follow the correct process. This is our chance to fix our past pending issues.”

Now, when a customer orders a custom-made part, the promised deadline considers the time constraints of the manufacturing tools and machines, with manufacturing integrated into planning processes.

“With Opcenter APS, our team leaders can view the monthly overall plan on the computer and know which product is at risk of delivery delays,” says Tre Phung, production team leader at SBOEVN. “We can monitor detailed information for the stages the product goes through, and the time taken at each stage in a process.”

Overall, by using Opcenter Advanced Scheduling, SBOEVN was able to reduce planning time and updating production status time from two hours to 30 minutes.