Project Management is the key RAX process to ensure customer satisfaction. Whenever a customer expresses interest in automating, a project is created for them by RAX. This has two phases, the pre-project and once the customer places his order, the live project.
The Pre-Project
The pre-project is in essence the design phase of the project. This is done in close interaction with the customer. The starting point is understanding the process flows. Often the customer may not have detailed information on these, as the process flow may have been changed recently or there may be other distortions to take account of, such as seasonal shifts. The current process flows are plotted within the existing space available, the customer having provided the relevant drawings when available, RAX creating them when not.
The next step is to identify the throughput requirement. The RAX team accesses relevant information available on the customers databases and analyses this to build a picture of the current status over at least the previous 12 months. The customer adds to this their business planning, allowing the requirement to be extrapolated over the next relevant time period.
Once the existing process flows and throughput requirement along with the relevant numbers of Full Time Equivalents (FTE) are understood, the scope of the ideal automation project is agreed with the customer. Here the RAX team focusses on identifying with the customer where the biggest lever effect of the technology can be created. Often the customer has no experience of the opportunity that the technology can provide to reengineer the existing process. This may well be not where the customer first thought it might be. Some customers initially believe, for example, that the focus should be in automating slow and medium movers. However, although these are complicated to process manually, the bulk of FTEs are usually dedicated to fast movers, and hence focussing on fast movers can create the most opportunities for an automated solution. Such a solution can be routinely elegantly cross-streamed into automating low and medium movers as well, using surplus automation capacity. Often visits to existing RAX sites can help the customer better understand the strategic opportunities of automation.
The RAX pre-project team then, together with the RAX development team, costs out the project. Next, the customer identifies the budget available. The RAX team then adapts the extent of the project to the budget and provides the time frame required to complete the project from the time the Purchase Order (PO) is received.
The Live Project
As soon as the customer places the order, the project goes live. The first step is the design freeze. This usually takes place several weeks after receipt of the PO. During this phase, all assumptions made during the pre-project phase are checked with the customer. An on-site visit takes place to check all dimensions of the space envisaged for the equipment. A discussion is initiated between the customer’s and RAX’s IT teams to identify the detailed IT requirement.
Once the design freeze is agreed, RAX initiates the manufacturing of all the hardware and the development of any additional software required. The personnel required and the time necessary for installation and commissioning of the system are identified. Preparations for shipping are made. All these arrangements are tracked.
Most of our Projects are standard solutions, with similar installations already operational around the globe. For these, the technical issues will already have been mastered, and any technologies required, sourced or developed.
We therefore implement Traditional Project Management methods for standard solutions. For innovative solutions, experience has taught us that Agile Project Management methods can be more appropriate, to be able more swiftly to reallocate resource as required to solve unforeseen or unforeseeable issues.
Throughout, the RAX Project Manager ensures that the customer is fully informed. The Live project is completed with customer acceptance of the overall system performance.
Project Scope
Over the years on the market we have designed numerous solutions, all very different in size and scope.
The challenges small and big companies are facing today are essentially the same: space, workforce and performance
. The larger a company becomes, the more critical those challenges get.
Whether you are a small, growing company or a large
, international player – we have a way to automate your processes and ensure your workflow is smooth and employees happy.
Small project
Storage – 10,000 items
Workload – 3000 items/day
Footprint – 5 m 2
1 rBox (3m), conveyor system
Options – Job compilation, Loose sample automation, Fully Automated Loading, Packaging, Labelling, Sorting and more
Medium Project
Storage – 260,000 items
Workload – 12,000 items/day
Footprint – 100 m 2
4 rBox (15 m), aFill (Automated Loading), xAct (Automated Pairing), xTag (Job ticket printer&folder), conveyor system
Options – Job compilation, Loose sample automation, Packaging, and more
Large Project
Storage – 750,000 items
Workload – 50,000 items/day
Footprint – 1500 m 2
25 rBox (15 m), aFill (Automated Loading), conveyor system
Options – Job compilation, Loose sample automation, Fully Automated Loading, Packaging, Labelling, Sorting and more
PROJECT LENGTH
Depending on the complexity and size of the project the timeline varies between 6 and 12 months.
That includes: contract acceptance, project validation (drawing), machine assembly, installation, software development and integration, commissioning and final testing. This has to be taken in to account when sheduling the “Go Live“ dates, depending on your internal deadlines.
Once the project is live, we make sure the system is fully integrated and satisfies your needs. Our experts are there to help aquaint you with both the software and the hardware RAX provides.
If you are looking for more information or would like to meet with us, let us know. We will be happy to help you find what you need!