them to provide a finished product rather than simply a raw casting. Tis has resulted in foundries forced to carry out more diverse operations internally (machining, painting, coating, as- sembly etc) and to control more subcontracted processes. All of these have meant that foundry specific software has had to add functionality to deal with these additional requirements.
What is on the horizon for metal casting production control software?
Te company’s continual development stream of soft-
ware specific to the casting industry and the demand for our specialist knowledge has maintained an ever increasing demand for the software. Synchro see much more integra- tion with external systems; CRM (customer relationship management), cloud and data access. Really exciting are the possibilities with 3D printing and CAD. Te virtual factory set up is on the horizon and we intend to be part of this exciting future. Embrace technology.
What are global trends you see in the industry? Talking to our customers we are increasingly aware of work
returning back to its country of origin. In many cases because capacity has been reduced by the initial flow of work towards more cost effective economies this return of production can cause its own issues. Te trend of reverse flow has been triggered by issues with logistics (in the main) but also concerns with on-going provision of quality. Companies understanding their own strengths, playing on these strengths and developing them has contributed significantly towards the reacquisition of lost business. Tis trend is set to continue and ultimately balance out, unless there are significant changes in the availability of material or manpower to counter them. Innovation is (and has always been) one of the key factors
that drive the metalcasting industry. One of the newest drivers is 3D printing. Tere are many companies out there now experi- menting with this new technology which is set to change the face of casting manufacturing. We see the term “Revolutionary” over used in everyday language but in its true sense 3D printing WILL be revolutionary to the cast metal industry; early adopt- ers and innovators will gain early competitive advantage.
What will be required of foundries today and in the future to remain competitive and profitable?
To remain competitive and profitable companies today
need to focus not only on the old mantra of quality, continu- ous improvement, and technological advantage; but also on the customer and supplier relationship management. Increasingly seen as an area for improvement, the communication between companies and the flow of information can not only save time and money but open up new avenues for taking advantage of business opportunities as soon as they become apparent. Companies are now seeing the true advantages of working as a team with their customer and suppliers and are starting to really understand the benefits of mutual reliance and business growth. Sadly, we still see companies resistant to install fully integrated systems, managing on home grown spreadsheets or data bases with poor traceability and disparate sources of information; these companies will not survive.
软件需要的服务有非常具体的需求，其中包括更高的质量 要求，铸造过程跟踪系列化，更严格的材质规格控制等 其次，铸造厂已发现他们的客户，要求他们提供成 品，而不是简单的原始铸件。这导致铸造厂被迫开发内 部更加多样化的经营（加工，喷漆，涂装，装配等）和 控制更多的分包过程。所有这些都意味着专业的铸造软 件需添加处理这些额外要求的功能。
铸造生产控制软件的趋势是什么？
铸造业的不断发展和一直保持着不断增长的软件需 求，要求软件公司的专业知识持续增长。Synchro 公司 见了如此多的外部集成的系统，CRM - 客户关系管理， 云数据访问。真正令人兴奋的是CAD3D打印的可能性。 虚拟工厂即将很快实现，我们打算成为这令人激动的未 来的一部分。接受新技术。
哪些国家将成为或继续是重要参与者， OEM /铸造厂关 系的变化，铸造领域最前沿的创新将是什么？
说到我们的客户，我们越来越意识到了工作回到其原 产国。资本倒流的趋势已经引发的物流问题（主要）， 但也与持续提高的质量。公司了解自己的长处，发挥这 些优势并显着的发展，以重新获得失去的业务。这种趋 势将继续，并最终平衡，除非材料或人力资源的可用性 有重大变化。
创新（一直）是推动铸造业的关键因素之一。最新的驱 动之一是3D打印。那里有许多公司现在尝试这一新技术被 设置为改变面貌铸造生产。我们看到，“创新”一词，在 日常语言中过度使用，但真正意义上的3D打印，将是铸造 业的创新，早期采用者和创新者将获得更早竞争优势。
根据客户的要求，铸造厂目前及未来如何保持竞争力和 赢利能力，在生产需要，资本和人力投资？
要保持竞争力和盈利能力，企业需要关注的，不仅是 老生常谈的质量，持续改进，技术优势，而且要对客户 和供应商进行关系管理。企业之间的沟通和信息传递， 不仅可以节省时间和金钱，而且可以把握商机开辟新的 途径并尽快实现，这越来越被看作是有待改进的领域。 因为公司现在真正的优势，是作为一个团队与他们的客 户和供应商合作，并开始真正了解相互依赖和业务增长 的好处。令人遗憾的是，我们仍然可以见到一些公司抵 制安装完全集成的系统，用电子表格处理可追溯性差的 数据和不同来源的信息，这些企业将无法生存。
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FOUNDRY-PLANET.COM | MODERN CASTING | CHINA FOUNDRY ASSOCIATION May 2013
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