Client Profile

Hunan Yuanchuang Precision Machinery Co., Ltd., located in 益阳 High-tech Zone, specializes in CNC machining of automotive and aerospace components. 120 employees, 35 CNC machines, annual revenue 45 million RMB. Challenge: Production visibility was near-zero - management could not answer basic questions like where is order #2024-0842 in production? or what is today actual OEE?

Project Scope

Custom MES covering: Production scheduling (Gantt-based visual scheduling), Shop floor execution (tablet-based operation reporting with barcode scanning), Quality management (in-process inspection with SPC), Equipment management (OEE tracking, preventive maintenance), Material management (WIP tracking, kanban replenishment), Integration with existing Kingdee K/3 Cloud ERP.

Project timeline: March 2024 kickoff through June pilot on 2 production lines through September full rollout (all 5 lines). Budget: 180,000 RMB (significantly below industry average thanks to lean approach focusing on highest-value features first).

Key Innovations

Lightweight deployment: Used industrial Android tablets (2,500 RMB each) instead of expensive terminals (15,000+ RMB). Custom rugged cases and finger-friendly UI designed for workshop environment. Phased capability release: Month 1-2 focused purely on job tracking and status visibility (immediate value). Month 3 added quality data collection. Month 4 added equipment connectivity (direct PLC data capture for 15 priority machines). Month 5-6 added advanced analytics dashboards and ERP deep integration.

Change management: Weekly lunch-and-learn sessions with operators. Gamification element - production lines competed for best data quality scores. Prize: team dinner funded by productivity gains.

Results 3 Months Post Go-Live

OEE increased from 58% to 73%. On-time delivery improved from 71% to 91%. WIP inventory reduced by 34%. Quality cost (scrap plus rework plus warranty) reduced by 41%. Real-time production status accessible anytime via mobile dashboard. Customer quote: For the first time in 15 years, I know exactly what is happening on my factory floor at any moment. - Wang Jian, General Manager