In an interview with Insights Success, Jeffrey Sawka, Manufacturing Professional at AIM Computer Solutions shares key insights into the organization’s journey and how its specialized ERP solutions and services are continually growing to meet the dynamic needs of an evolving global market.
Below are the highlights of interview between Jeffrey and Insights Success:
Give a brief overview of the company, its uniqueness, and its vision.
AIM Computer Solutions, Inc., offers ERP business solutions and consultancy for automotive production part suppliers and other manufacturers. Since 1991, we have designed and developed software to meet the EDI, barcode, inventory control, shipping, receiving and production needs of repetitive and discrete manufacturers.
What are the cutting-edge ERP solutions offered by AIM Computer Solutions?
- At the heart of AIM Vision®, our primary modular based ERP software solution for automotive suppliers, are EDI and barcode labeling applications. They include embedded business logic for more than 450 trading partners with more than 1,800 trading partner-specific barcode label formats. AIM Vision provides seamless business processes with no mapping required. Manufacturers gain operational efficiency with MRP, CRP and MES integrated into AIM Vision ERP software solution.
- For companies brokering products from overseas, AIM delivers ERP with a purchasing module that offers tracking and brokering solutions. It offers EDI and supply chain logic to manage the import of goods, schedule the arrival and account for their delivery against multiple customer releases.
- We collaborate on financial software development with the experts at Microsoft and have certified integration of financial reporting with Microsoft Dynamics GP.
What are the new approaches adopted by AIM Computer Solutions to advance its ERP solutions?
Manufacturing happens on the plant floor and modern automotive manufacturers need the ability to input information using the latest hardware. AIM Mobility Apps provide a real-time method to input transactions into the AIM Vision ERP suite through an Android tablet and barcode scanner directly from the plant floor or hi-lo. The AIM Mobility App suite includes:
- Mobility MES: Easily track and report out on various execution systems, from time clock and work centre tracking to load materials and printing directly to a Wi- Fi-enabled printer within the plant.
- Shipping: Gain direct insight into the shipping floor for paperwork and direct shipping actions, all from the tablet.
- Receiving: Manage both physical receiving and container movement from within the app.
- Clipboard: Keep track of operator efficiencies, work center efficiencies and other critical information digitally, replacing paper production tags.
- Physical Inventory: Reduce the time it takes to perform physical or cycle counts using bar code labelled tags. Real-time access to missed tags and inventory variances so analysis can be started.
- Container Move: Achieve production posting of material, best used at quality inspection operations or when part number changes frequently.
- Warehouse Transfers: Works in conjunction with inventory to transfer lotted material from one warehouse to another.
- Consumption: Remove remnant material lot quantities from inventory.
- Location Tracking: Track the storage location of anything from your inventory to your assets – not the “perfect” science of warehousing, but rather a way to track “where’s my stuff.”
What challenges company face while providing Class ERP solutions and how is AIM Computer Solutions serving to tackle them?
- An ERP implementation has a significant impact on a company, introducing best-in-class processes across multiple departments, and offering new ways to capture and share information for the overall benefit of the entire organization. Yet, when it comes to pre-launch testing of a new ERP system, we often see gaps in both the process and stakeholder participation. These voids create disappointing results, and in some cases, a failure of the entire implementation.
- One way to reduce the risk and uncertainty associated with an ERP implementation is to use a Conference Room Pilot (CRP) to get out process or data barriers in a test environment and address them before the new system is launched. The notion of CRP is not new to manufacturing – it parallels the use of preproduction or prototype runs.
What are the dynamic factors that enable AIM Computer Solutions to stay ahead of its competitors?
AIM Computer Solutions was founded to offer technology solutions specifically for automotive manufacturers and their suppliers, decades prior to Industry 4.0. This company has a legacy of understanding the unique business operations of each of the trading partners in the supply chain.
What according to you could be the potential future of the AIM Computer Solutions and how does the company envision sustaining its competency?
AIM Computer Solutions will continue to provide leadership to AIAG, MMOGLE & Supply Chain committees, so we stay up-to-date on the latest news and trends in the industry. Our 30-year footprint in the Automotive Industry will continue to guide suppliers to comply with OEM/Tier 1, Tier 2 and Sub-tier requirements, including IATF 16949:2016 requirements, for EDI, shipping, and barcode labelling.
About the Leader
Jeffrey Sawka specializes in analysing operational processes and making recommendations that improve processes and increase profits. He has nearly 20 years lean manufacturing and management experience and a proven track record of successful project implementations to achieve the desired results as a plant manager, materials manager and software consultant. He holds both a Bachelor of Science – Engineering in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science – Engineering in Manufacturing from the University of Michigan.
Clientele Testimonials
“While there are many great things about the AIM family and software, I feel the user group meetings are a great way that I can get current and upcoming info on the use of the software, changes and other software solutions that we can use to support our operations.” – Ellen M. Lee, Controller, Eclipse Mold, Inc.
