Taking control of turned part admin

This includes close cooperation with its customers at all stages of the production process, from initial design through to supplying prototypes and samples. This approach helps to reduce costs and manufacture final products that fully meet customer expectations.

However, as a small turned parts company with minimal staff, administration throughout the entire production process needs to be as efficient as possible and Davturn has addressed this requirement through investment in PSL Datatrack production control software.

The company specialises in the production of turned parts from 2mm to 51mm diameter in various ferrous and non-ferrous materials, including most stainless steel grades.

Using the latest sliding head CNC machines offering up to 32mm capacity, and fixed head machines producing up to 51mm diameter parts, the company's components and products are used by customers in sectors that include the aerospace, automotive, construction, electrical, hydraulics and pneumatics industries.

Before investing in PSL Datatrack, Davturn used its own Excel spreadsheet system to record customer order information and manage the business. Whilst this system could store a lot of information, it was less than ideal for linking together all of the different data relating to the company's customers and orders or for providing a complete overview.

After a demonstration at the MACH exhibition, Davturn invested in a system containing a set of core PSL Datatrack modules and two user licences to cover the company's administration, financial, purchasing and sales functions.

“Alongside a good quality product, we have always tried to offer a professional service. With PSL Datatrack it became possible to streamline our quotation system and run a customer order from the initial works order through to the final invoice, making us more efficient. It has reduced our administration times considerably and the invoicing module in particular is a great help,” says Mark Birley, Davturn’s managing director.

Another positive of PSL Datatrack for Davturn was that the initial investment in the core suite of modules could be added to when needed. So, in 2016, a component imaging function was added which has allowed the company to store pictures of components, fixtures and special tooling or scanned images of drawings and link them to a specific works order.

“PSL Datatrack is excellent for storing and recalling customer records and order information,” Mr Birley says.

Davturn is an ISO 9001:2008 registered company and uses PSL Datatrack to ensure its components are supplied on time every time for each customer order or schedule and backed up by full traceability.

“As we are an ISO 9001 registered company, PSL Datatrack is invaluable when external auditors are onsite because of the full traceability it can quickly demonstrate. We always find that they are very impressed with the system,” Mr Birley explains.

Thanks to the logical and intuitive nature of the software, Davturn staff found it easy to learn how to use PSL Datatrack and the company had just a few hours training before learning further on the job. The business says the software has fitted it like a glove, providing highly reliable production control, reducing administration times and making invoicing much easier.

With further investments in PSL Datatrack on the cards to cover functions including Shop Floor Data Collection (SFDC), process layouts and work in progress, Davturn is well positioned to grow its business, attract more customers and become ever more productive without increasing the burden of administration.

PSL Datatrack www.psldatatrack.com