Aras Corp > Case Studies > SRC Inc.'s Transition to Full-Scale Manufacturing with Aras Innovator

SRC Inc.'s Transition to Full-Scale Manufacturing with Aras Innovator

Technology Category

Sensors - Flow Meters
Sensors - Liquid Detection Sensors

Applicable Industries

Cement
Equipment & Machinery

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development
Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Building Automation & Control
Digital Thread

Services

System Integration
Testing & Certification

The Customer

SRC Inc.

About The Customer

SRC Inc. is an independent, not-for-profit research and development company that applies science, technology, and information to solve problems of national significance in the defense, environment, and intelligence industries. Founded as Syracuse University Research Corporation in 1957, it became an independent institution in the early 1970s and was renamed Syracuse Research Corporation. Today, SRC Inc. is dedicated to defense, cyber security, intelligence, and environmental research. In 2006, a large government order for one of SRC’s inventions led to the establishment of SRCTec, a wholly owned manufacturing subsidiary, to handle this “for profit” work.

The Challenge

SRC Inc., a not-for-profit research and development company, faced a significant challenge when transitioning from small-run R&D projects to full-scale manufacturing for large volume contracts. The company needed a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solution that would allow them to scale and provide the flexibility to continuously innovate and build new solutions. The challenge was further complicated by the company's decision to develop a Windows-based client to improve performance and to stick with their fully custom version, which had served them well for a long time. However, this decision led to them being isolated from the improvements and enhancements coming out from Aras, the PLM solution provider. SRC Inc. had to make a decision about the best way to move forward, considering the many customizations they had made and the cost of replacing Aras Innovator with multiple systems.

The Solution

After conducting a market study to evaluate their options, SRC Inc. decided to stick with Aras Innovator. The decision was based on several factors, including the cost-effectiveness of the Aras subscription model, the continuous improvement and vast resources offered by the Aras Innovator web client, and the functionality of the platform. SRC Inc. took full advantage of the flexibility of the Aras Innovator platform to build applications specifically suited to their needs. They built applications for International Trade Compliance, Customer Order, Work Orders, Serialized Parts, Flow Tags for Assembly and Test Data Collection, and RMA (Returned Materials Authorization) and As Maintained Configuration. They also built a new feature, the flow tag, which documents the build process itself, enhancing traceability. Another significant addition was an application for Commodity Classification to ensure full compliance with international trade regulations.

Operational Impact

The decision to stick with Aras Innovator and build applications specifically suited to their needs has allowed SRC Inc. to successfully transition from small-run R&D projects to full-scale manufacturing for large volume contracts. The company has been able to continuously innovate and build new solutions, enhancing their operational efficiency and productivity. The flow tag feature has enhanced traceability, while the Commodity Classification application has ensured full compliance with international trade regulations. The company is also planning to release a Laboratory Equipment Management application in late 2020, which will track location, damage history, scheduling, and performance of all types of equipment, eliminating the use of spreadsheets for this task. In 2021, SRC will take their next big step by moving to Aras’ standard web client, which will allow them to span the entire digital thread within Aras Innovator.