Industrial Tube Manufacturer Chooses Cybernet for their Factory

CP Industries wanted to upgrade its ERP system to optimize quality assurance and streamline its staff’s time-in process. They had originally chosen to move from Kronos to Infor as their ERP provider but were saddened to see Infor’s labor tracking module wouldn’t scale well for them. After deciding to entertain a different provider, they came across Casco Development. 

Casco’s ERP solution seemed better suited for CP Industries’ needs and they were excited to find hardware that could play well with their new provider. Hardware-wise, the team needed a device that could stand up to their highly volatile workplace. CPI’s manufacturing takes place in old, unconditioned environments that regularly see 90+ degree weather in the summer, frigid winters, leaky roofs, and debris, making the need for something industrial-grade readily apparent.

Finally, the team needed a device with a built-in barcode scanner for quality assurance purposes. CPI’s products require a heavy amount of production- the process takes anywhere from 8-12 weeks. They used barcode sheets to correspond with serial numbers written on their metal tubes to track materials through the production process. Having a device that could scan cylinders into the ERP system and track them through every stage of this arduous process would ensure no drops in quality could occur. 

For labor tracking, the CPI team’s original Kronos ERP system logged employees in with biometric fingerprint scanners. Unfortunately, their experiences were less than desirable as these scanners only worked 50%-60% of the time. With that in mind, the team also prioritized finding a device that could support RFID scanning so floor workers could time in with a badge without having to make several fingerprint scanning attempts.

Casco Development had originally sent CPI some modules from a third-party provider. Unfortunately, the team immediately noticed glaring issues. First and foremost, the terminals had a notably high failure rate. Of the units the team received, 25% of them either didn’t work or needed to be returned for repairs right out of the box. Additionally, the devices’ touch screens were finicky and hardly functioned consistently. These issues were reason enough for CPI to begin searching for new hardware. It was then that they found Cybernet and purchased an iPC R3 Industrial Panel PC and a Rugged X10 Industrial Tablet for testing. 

Cybernet’s selection of products had immediately impressed CPI due to their rugged construction and durability. Thanks to their IP65 rating and operating temperature range of 0-40 degrees Celsius, the devices were protected from debris, moisture, and weather-related damage. They were also very happy to hear that the devices could be customized to include RFID readers and barcode scanners, making them more than equipped to handle use as a  production workstation as well as a time-in module.  

After a successful evaluation and seeing how seamlessly the two Cybernet devices they bought for testing were able to meet their needs, the CPI team decided to purchase additional iPC N19 Industrial Panel PCs to outfit factory floors across their organization.

CPI now uses their new iPC N19s across the floor as its primary time-clock and production control panels. At the beginning of the day, employees can now clock in using the panel PCs’ RFID readers to scan their badges and immediately begin their work. Using the barcode scanner included in each device, employees can also scan and track steel cylinders as they’re being pushed through the several stages of their production to ensure quality isn’t compromised at any step. 

CPI has been happy to report that there have been no cases of hardware failure despite the harsh nature of the environments the devices have been placed in. They also worked closely with a representative from Cybernet’s team to ensure the devices could integrate with the RFID badges the team was familiar with using and had the custom hardware installed on all of their devices. Thanks to the RFID, CPI has been able to streamline both the clock-in process and quality assurance across the several stages of their manufacturing line. 

The X10 tablet they ordered for testing originally is still being readily used in their composite line where they manufacture CNG cylinders. In response to the resoundingly positive reviews from their staff, they plan on purchasing additional Rugged X10 tablets to further optimize the composite line in much the same way they streamlined their primary operations.