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Global Shop Solutions VP of Operations & Service Achieves 25-Year Milestone

THE WOODLANDS, TX, July 13, 2023 – It’s rare to find employees who work 25 years at the same company, especially in the volatile software industry. That’s why Global Shop Solutions, a leading provider of ERP software for manufacturers, is proud to announce the 25th anniversary of Mike Melzer, Vice President of Operations & Service.

“At Global Shop Solutions headquarters, Mike is often the first to arrive and the last to leave,” says Dusty Alexander, President and CEO of Global Shop Solutions. “We deeply appreciate his energy, integrity, loyalty, and knack for addressing our customers' most challenging issues. As I've often said during our numerous customer visits together, standing alongside Mike makes me feel 10 feet tall – together, we can tackle anything!

Others aptly refer to Mike as our Swiss Army knife™,' highlighting his ability to create simple solutions to complex problems that others have struggled with,” adds Alexander. “It's a rare and valuable gift that Mike possesses. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Mike and look forward to many more days at headquarters, Game Day trainings, and customer visits as we continue our mission to elevate manufacturers from good to great!”

Melzer earned his Engineering degree at Colorado School of Mines and joined Global Shop Solutions shortly thereafter. Starting out in service and consulting, he spent much of his time on the road converting customers to the latest version of Global Shop Solutions ERP software. The experience taught Melzer how to build good working relationships with customers and brainstorm better ways to get things done. It also paved the way for what was to come.

About two years into his tenure with the company, Melzer was chosen to run the company’s service department. Since then, his creative thinking and leadership skills have helped Global Shop Solutions grow from a small family business operating in the U.S. to a globally respected ERP provider.

“Mike is highly regarded by customers and Global Shop Solutions employees,” says Alexander. “He still travels frequently to help customers find unique solutions to ERP situations that require out-of-the-box thinking. When back at the office, he devotes significant time to making sure the company keeps employees engaged in their jobs by offering opportunities to learn, grow and advance in their careers.”

Melzer is a skilled, experienced and dedicated person who oversees the vital job of keeping Global Shop Solutions customers happy. What has kept Melzer on board for 25 years?

“This company is exceptional to work for,” says Melzer. “I love traveling, helping people solve problems, teaching customers and coaching employees. Most of all, Global Shop Solutions is a great group of people. We have a world-class ERP product that I am proud of, but what separates us from the competition is our people.”

www.globalshopsolutions.com

 

 

 

NSK trains production staff using VR technology

Operators of high-precision grinding and honing machines in NSK's ball bearing production are now taking advantage of virtual reality (VR) training methods. VR technology has the advantage, among other things, of allowing machines to keep producing, while simultaneously permitting easier standardisation of training courses. For NSK, this first project at its Munderkingen plant in Germany serves as a model for future roll-out at other facilities.

In the production of high-quality ball bearings, machining accuracy requirements are extremely high, which is why NSK’s production sites make use of special high-precision grinding and honing machines. The challenge is to keep these machines running 24/7, while at the same time training employees in their operation.

NSK, working in partnership with Varity.me, has found the solution to this challenge in VR technology: no more production interruptions are necessary to carry out training sessions because they now take place interactively in the virtual space. In addition, it is possible to hold the training in a decentralised location as small as 2 m2 .

One of the advantages of this type of training is that each operator learns how to set up the machine in the same way whenever switching over to the next product. At the Munderkingen plant, set-up workflows are especially important because the plant produces a wide variety of customer-specific bearing types in small batches, requiring frequent machine set ups.

VR-supported training of the set-up process establishes a standard procedure, which reduces cycle time errors, scrap rates and quality deviations. Importantly, operators can repeatedly practice and improve their set-up skills without having to dismantle the machine each time.

Carsten Schleyer, responsible for the project at NSK in Munderkingen, cites another advantage: "The time required for training sessions in the virtual space is often only a third of that required for conventional training, largely because VR training can focus purely on procedures without having to handle real tools and workpieces."

In practice, it quickly became apparent that VR could offer additional advantages to NSK that go far beyond training requirements. For example, consider a machine which is still be under development at the manufacturer. It is possible to install this machine in the virtual space and train employees on it. Set-up procedures can be analysed and optimised using the digital model of the machine. Operators can then make suggestions for optimising the set-up procedures, and even transmit their feedback and proposals directly to the machine’s developers, who can perhaps make adjustments accordingly.

Another advantage of having a digital machine model in the virtual space is the ability to view it from every conceivable angle. This capability can benefit repair and maintenance staff, for example, who can look inside the virtual machine and develop a plan for replacing components.

NSK’s management team sees this project as a good example of how digitalisation not only delivers expected benefits, but also reveals potential in other areas.

"Having a model of a grinding or honing machine in the virtual space not only makes employee training easier, it also helps with the operation and maintenance of the actual machine,” confirms Carsten Schleyer.

Project implementation at NSK's Munderkingen plant took place with co-operation from Varity.me, an interdisciplinary team from Modellfabrik Bodensee GmbH. Varity.me has developed its own software, Varity SDK, for developing interactive training courses in the virtual space quickly and easily.

VR machine training at NSK's Munderkingen plant delivers a number of important advantages (Photo: NSK Munderkingen)

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About NSK Europe NSK Europe Ltd. is the European organisation of the Tokyo-based bearing manufacturer NSK, which was founded in Japan in 1916 and today employs nearly 30,580 people in its worldwide operations. The products and solutions provided by the industrial and automotive supplier can be found wherever things move. In addition to nearly all types of rolling bearings, the company’s portfolio includes housed bearings, linear technology, wheel bearing units, transmission and engine bearings and steering systems. The company is oriented to perfection in all of its business activities. Its aim is quality leadership in its industry, which it strives for through a continuous process of improvement, excellent product development, optimised production processes and customer-oriented service processes. In fiscal year 2021, the more than 4,250 employees of NSK Europe Ltd. generated sales of over € 818 million. www.nskeurope.com

Contact for journalists

Simone Albayrak

Tel. : +49 2102 481 2152

E-mail : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

NSK Deutschland GmbH

Harkortstrasse 15

40880 Ratingen

Germany

Upgrading to hyperMILL

When Shearline Precision Engineering Ltd recently added to its advanced 5-axis machine tool inventory, the Ely based company recognised that it needed to upgrade its CAM software to maximise the capabilities of its investment. That is why the company has invested in the hyperMILL CAM software from OPEN MIND Technologies. 

As part of the Shearline Group that operates out of an 8500sq/m manufacturing space in Cambridgeshire, Shearline Precision Engineering Ltd adheres to standards such as AS:9100, ISO:9001 and ISO: 14001; manufacturing everything from simple to extremely complex components for customers in the aerospace, instrumentation, motorsport, medical, packaging, power generation and printing industries. It is the complex production tasks on its 5-axis investments that have led the manufacturer to OPEN MIND Technologies.

Ultimo’s EAM platform chosen as one of the technologies of the future for MTC’s Digital Manufacturing Accelerator (DMA)

Ultimo has been chosen to showcase how its Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) technology helps realise the factory of the future at the Digital Manufacturing Accelerator (DMA).

The initiative, by the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), lets manufacturers experience the advantages of industry 4.0, IoT, smart manufacturing, robotics, and automation in real life and see how leveraging these technologies can transform the factory environment. As part of the project, MTC will build a state-of-the-art re-configurable factory in the centre of Liverpool to house the technologies.

The Digital Manufacturing Accelerator will make Ultimo’s solutions available to all the companies using MTC’s services. Potential customers can use the factory to get hands-on experience of Ultimo’s EAM cloud platform to evaluate how its features meet their operational challenges. 

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