Software helps boost factory profitability
By simplifying product designs, Hypertherm has decreased labour expenses by 70% on redesigned products.
Hypertherm has achieved a 600% increase in profit/m2 of factory floor space using Boothroyd Dewhurst, Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) software in a five-year redesign programme.
Correspondingly, warranty cost per unit has declined more than 75% during that same period, from January 2003 to January 2008.
"We started with a vision to make radical improvements in both product performance and product economies", says Mike Shipulski, Hypertherm's Director of Engineering.
"Hypertherm met both of these goals by aggressively applying Boothroyd Dewhurst's software within our existing programmes for robust design and lean manufacturing".
"We found their product simplification software made it easy for us to improve a product's performance-to-cost ratio".
"Moreover, we learned that DFMA ideas and financial estimates also lead to profound savings beyond labour and part cost, creating a domino effect 'downstream' in operational areas of our organisation".
All technology development, product development and manufacturing of Hypertherm's plasma cutting equipment is done in New Hampshire.
By simplifying product designs, Hypertherm has decreased labour expenses by 70% on redesigned products.
That achievement has proven that design simplification is a fundamental and highly effective competitive strategy for negating the effect of cheap foreign labour rates.
IHypertherm actually sells more of its products in regions like Europe, Asia and South America than in the United States.
More of the world's cutting tables are equipped with a Hypertherm mechanised system than all other plasma brands combined.
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