CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
11 January 2005
Implementation Investments
Fresno Valves to Improve Order Response Times, Accuracy with RuleStream
RuleStream Corporation announced that Fresno Valves and Casting, Inc. is implementing RuleStream's RPM solution to accelerate responses to RFQs with engineer-to-order custom designs. RuleStream will also help Fresno Valves to improve design and documentation accuracy in the production of its irrigation systems for the agricultural industry.
Fresno Valves asked CAD Graphics West to take the lead in finding a solution to meet rising demand for its fabricated slide gate product line. Fresno needed to take its RFQ, product development and design process to a higher level of efficiency by automating and integrating disparate ERP, 2D drafting tools, spreadsheets and email communications systems.
CAD Graphics West recommended RuleStream, and worked with Fresno Valves to implement the solution. RuleStream enables Fresno Valves to automate their processes within a single integrated environment for the engineering department, including the generation of Bills of Material (BOM), cost estimates, approval drawings and 3D manufacturing drawings for all custom orders. RuleStream solutions will also be deployed within the sales department to automate the quotation and estimation processes by executing engineering rules at the time of sale.
In addition to more efficient RFQ and product development processes, the rapid and cost-efficient implementation of RuleStream's solution is expected to save Fresno significant time, money and professional resources. These savings can be applied to greater improvements in products and services.
"Predicting interest in products, and ultimately predicting purchasing decisions, can be very challenging for both sales teams and engineers at engineer-to-order manufacturers, no matter how much logistical and marketing information you may have available," said Ed Miller, president of the manufacturing industry research firm CIMdata. "One common tactic is to pre-engineer as many potential product variants as possible, but this can often impose artificial constraints on product design; as soon as the big order comes in for an as-yet unpredicted product variant, a manufacturer must often scramble to meet the demand. Companies like Fresno Valves are beginning to use rules-driven product management tools to meet a growing, increasingly diverse demand from their customers."
Fresno Valves expects a return on investment for the RuleStream implementation in less than a year.
"The tremendous growth we've experienced during the last six months has placed considerable stress on our engineering and sales departments to respond to more RFQs while continuing to prioritize the product development process," said Jeff Showalter, engineering manager, Fresno Valves. "With RuleStream, we'll be able to respond more efficiently and quickly to the unique needs of each or our existing customers and prospects, delivering more timely and accurate quote responses and better products with improved customization capabilities."
"Fresno Valves is an excellent example of an already strong company becoming even more competitive by implementing our solutions to improve its RFQ and product development processes," said RuleStream CEO David Vredenburgh. "CAD Graphics West was able to work with Fresno to design a fully scalable, powerful RuleStream solution that addressed their specific needs. And for RuleStream, this agreement marks our move into providing solutions for the agricultural machinery industry, another sign that our value proposition resonates with manufacturers across a wide array of industry segments."
Over the past 25 years, Fresno Valves & Castings has expanded to include three major divisions (introduced below) and nine offices throughout the United States servicing markets throughout the world. Fresno Valves & Castings product line now includes some of the world's leading water control devices.
CAD Graphics West Incorporated (CGWI) provides comprehensive solutions to engineering and manufacturing organizations.
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