Interview Gerardo Müller, director of international sales of Tebis
May 25, 2011
With the aim of providing a CAD/CAM solution with which to configure the processes even more productively, 3.5 brings innovative CAD techniques and automatic functions adapted to the practice that can be integrated without problem in existing construction processes. Tebis 3.5 is designed to help reduce drastically the costs per piece. At Interempresas we take the trip by Gerardo Müller to Barcelona to present this software to your clients and friends that explain us in more detail its advantages.
To begin with, the 3.5 version of the Tebis software, what improvements it brings to a company in the metalworking sector?
The most important thing is that each customer has today its own knowledge. The means of production are available around the world, and the only capital of the companies themselves is the knowledge they have to use these means of production. And this knowledge is highly dependent on the staff. Many companies have big problems with the fluctuation of personnel, dismissals, young people not formed properly, retirement... And companies must invest capital in shaping and maintaining the knowledge within the company. Tebis allows you to collect and store this knowledge within the environment of the software. A costly and valuable knowledge to the company that if you lose or certain employees is not shared, it costs money to the company.
Do becomes property of the company worth?
Exactly, and now for the first time can be protected. And this is something is very important because all companies want access to cheaper markets such as China, but without making public their knowledge. This is what allows Tebis: that our customers can manufacture in China but keeping their knowledge protected under its responsibility. It is a unique situation and there is no any other software on the market that allows it.
To what extent is this type of software integrated in the metal sector?
All the companies in this sector have CNC machines, all have access to the purchase of high-tech cutting tools, used software, CAM systems systems... but all use an individualized knowledge. In other words, the operator of the software, of the machine, who knows the cutting properties... they are unique and not all share this information. On the one hand because it is difficult to document and on the other, because there are rivalries, there is interest in sharing data... And in companies of according to size, management also has no notion of what can be saved today in a manufacturing system. Management well known his accounting system but often, we see that the Secretary of management uses a Microsoft Office system but implemented templates and write a letter is to start with a blank page instead of opening a predefined template. This concept can be extended to the workshop.
They are too hierarchical; management does not know what is happening in the workshop...
Yes, and vice versa also. Many times users have the idea that there are improvements that they can be implemented, but because the workload or because there is not a directive by management to improve this situation, there is no change and information flows.
In Tebis, what technological challenges is to develop this type of software?
The truth is that we do not find many problems. In Tebis have introduced a consulting service because we had customers who, by the own workload, may not take the step to make the case or had access to an external authority of made them a proposal for improvement. While it is true that today there are many consultancies, these are companies that do not work at the workshop. Why in Tebis created a company only this: Tebicon, Tebis Consulting.
As director of international sales, what differences ve between Spain and other countries of the EU with regard to the penetration of these systems?
Yes, many differences. As software developers we already have a competitive advantage over our competition, and it is precisely individualized consulting service. And so far the access to this type of service that we are seeing in Germany - our main customers are Germans, while that in other countries is just generating. Two years ago we invest significant capital in the purchase of a customer base in Spain and went from having a representative to have an own delegation: Tebis Iberia, which is already beginning to offer consulting services, which allows to improve the service to the client and, for another, opening doors to our product.
And what you can tell us of its implantation in markets such as Latin America?
They are even ahead. For example in Brazil, a market which has had almost no crisis and where there is a significant investment by European companies that implanted centres there and that invest in machines of production in that country, investment that only justified if they work effectively and previously planned a production process. They are expensive machines and the decision to invest is based on several factors and one of them has with the help of Tebis to automate them.
How does Tebis work with companies?
It is first necessary to analyse the current situation. As a second step, you will discover opportunities or errors within the company, representing a potential savings and in Tebis show them how to reach this savings potential by means of an improvement that can be an investment in machines or new software, implementation or training. If the client study our recommendation, our analysis, then has a basis for a decision, and if you decide to take it, also we show you the steps to achieve this goal.
All customers are usually blind, work among fog and do not have a radar to make a decision.
Use a software like the Tebis 3.5 allows you to optimize and streamline production processes, moving to possible problems in its design phase. Do you you understand, as an investment among enterprises, or as an expense?
It are not, especially small businesses which opt first for these opportunities because the same owner is who makes the decisions. There is no difference between the companies because of its size.
And in Germany the most of our customers are small workshops and small-sized companies.
In the meetings of machining, Alejandro Arjona, CEO of the company, focused his presentation on how to optimize processes in machining workshops. Tebis does in this field, and what improvements the 3.5?
Today these workshops they want to use a software to ensure that its tools do not suffer collisions, something important because a collision is very costly for a company. The piece can get damaged or the same machine and repair costs time and money.
Avoid a collision only may be done if the physical tool is also being used in virtual form within the software. And all of our customers have a wide variety of tools. For historical reasons they have bought from different suppliers, but they are not documented. They are in the workshop and the foreman of the store knows where they are, but the same owner of the company does not have a clear vision of what kind of tools are at your disposal.
The first step then is to assemble a library of tools. This is a huge effort but which brings with it many advantages, such as avoiding collisions. It must be borne in mind that a workshop is a living environment and the tools with the time change. It should delegate and establish who is responsible for buying the tools or who should be classified to them. And these responsibilities often do not exist.
At the moment is when from the Tebis consulting can help them. To open your eyes and know how to organize the workshop.
And we will have to go by introducing new tools as they are becoming clear.
Yes, in the library that has been organized. In addition, these tools have different properties depending on what materials or machines to be used. This is an individual customer knowledge, is not of Tebis, and we show you how you can add this information within the online store and store it there.
Today we find many companies that have a list with every machine and every operator knows to use your machine... but it is very difficult to change an operator's machine, because you are sick or whatever.
Programmes including Tebis version 3.5 are individualized to each machine, and that is a great advantage. It allows to Exchange staff without wasting time, and also the training of personnel is also much easier. Specialized training is offered to a few people authorized for certain tasks, such as the purchase of tools or authorized to establish a new process of machining. These people are few, but users can exchange.
If the workshops buy tools more standards would also easier the exchange of information?
Of course. In addition many times there are no documented standards, and each operator has its own standard and the same variety of standard makes it difficult to function in the company. Even many operators have processes at different levels and sometimes prefer a program of a true programmer, because he thought to be safer, because know them more, because he believes that he has more experience... is why it is not possible to establish a programming standard or a standard of tools that are used in a company? Here is where Tebis helps to open our eyes.
Which sectors belong mainly customers?
90% Of our customers work to the world of the mold, die and automotive design. And 10% work for special applications, whether turbines, energy, nuclear power plants, including some client working on models of architecture, biomedicine - replacement geometries, prosthesis-etc.
Similar executions just the same programming
Tebis 3.5 also allows that, a same programming library can be used for similar executions. Something unique but not difficult. The magic word behind this technology is Automation. And this is only possible if I have access to information to make decisions. At the time that I can store information in the software, I can open the door to automation.
