For over 20 years we have been developing and managing innovative software and workflow solutions. We have been privileged to work in industries as diverse as automotive manufacturing, pulp & paper, print media and consumer appliances. Here are just a few of our successful projects.
Data
Collection and Management Reporting system
Real-time production reports allow management to identify and react to reject, production count and down time trending, as well as monitoring and reporting on other critical production statistics. Client used report data to identify control issues and then modified PLC code to improve throughput, reduce downtime and produce measurable cost savings and quality improvements.
• Custom VB data collector and PLC code to monitor
PLC automation of 6 CNC lathes
• Custom Access 2007 database aggregates data
and produces real-time production reports
Used: MS Access, VBA, Rockwell Software RSLogix
Computer Based Training and Testing
Laptop based training and testing application for learning 300 Safe Operating Procedures created as Word documents.
Provides low cost training and testing to new employees and re-training for injured employees on disability. Reduces compensation expenses. Accelerates orientation and training schedules and reduces time required to bring new hires to a productive capacity.
• Custom Access 2007 database using VBA control
on a Windows XP Pro platform
• Built import framework in VBA to automatically
import bookmarked content in Word documents
into the database
• Convert processed Word documents into a PDF
format and embed into the database for use as
local source training material
• Tests are automatically scored and users are forced
to re-take each test until a minimum acceptable
score is achieved
Used: MS Access, VBA
Time Clock and Project Tracking
Custom Time Clock and Project Tracking system utilizing magnetic card readers and touch screens.
System automatically logs time-sheet data, enabling management to track project progress and costs in real time. Tracks quoted vs consumed times for all aspects of a project allowing management to pro-actively identify and correct cost over runs, design and build delays and other trends which directly impact project completion and bottom line profitability. Facilitates detailed documentation of project challenges, experimentation, testing and re-engineering details to support SRED claims and audits.
• Evaluated existing time clock and project
management systems, both stand alone and web-
based and developed software specifications for
custom system to meet management requirements
• Developed specifications and system architecture
after extensive exploratory meetings with client
• Developed a networked system which enables
employees to clock on and off of specific projects
and sub-assemblies (right down to a drawing
number) using a swipe card
• Through dynamic menus and selection lists and a
touch screen interface complete transaction times
are under 5 seconds
• System runs on Microsoft Windows XP Pro
workstations over a secure corporate network.
Used: MS Access, MS Excel, MS Project, FastTrack Schedule, VBA, ConceptDraw, Adobe PhotoShop, VPN, Remote Desktop.
HMI Operator Interface
Develop redundant GUI and VB tags in Visual Basic for conveyor monitoring and alarms system. Successfully built a redundant control system and GUI in VB which provided backup control and monitoring for a large warehouse conveyor system without requiring expensive licenses for a duplicate HMI software system.
Used: MS Visual Basic Studio, WonderWare, MS Excel, MS Access.
SCADA/Data Collection and Reporting
Took over an abandoned SCADA/data collection project, which required bar-coding appliances being manufactured on an assembly line. Required real-time recording of production and defect data at various stages of assembly and control logic to prevent defective units from reaching the packaging area. Managers were able to proactively identify and resolve production quality issues and stock shortages in real-time.
• Wrote scanner program code in Allen Bradley
Pbasic, debugged PLC ladder logic program code,
and established communications between barcode
scanners, PLC and barcode label printers
• Created database and all SQL queries, triggers and
mapped data points, defined database and data
mapping schemas, generated management reports
and wrote Operator manuals
• Bridged plant network and corporate LAN to
provide real time reporting to Head Office without
compromising network security
Used: Allen Bradley SLC 5/04, BASIC modules, KTX and 3COM NICs, KF2 remote access module, USR 33.6 modem, Metrologic and Symbol barcode scanners, SATO barcode label printers, DH+ industrial network, Ethernet TCP/IP network, MS Office 97, MS Access 97, MS Windows NT Workstation, Rockwell Software RSLinx, RSLogix500, RSSql, Allen Bradley Pbasic, Adobe PhotoShop, MS Project 97/98, VISIO Professional, Adobe Acrobat, PC AnyWhere, LapLink, Telnet, Telix, PanelMate/PanelView Touch screens.
Online Ordering and Fulfillment System
Salvaged an online ordering and fulfillment application built using Cold Fusion after it was abandoned by the original developer.
Successfully delivered a stable application which serviced over 70 retail stores across Canada. Significantly reduced the time that Account Reps spent reviewing and confirming emailed orders and re-keying orders into their order processing system.
• Provided real-time interactive order status,
inventory tracking and stock depletion,
reorder level alerts, email approvals for
high dollar orders, multiple inventory
sources and payment methods, and
multiple shipping and billing methods
• Eliminated manual order taking,
non-standardized emailed order requests,
data entry errors
• Completely automated a time consuming
manual order fulfillment process
• Required debugging 15,000 lines of Cold
Fusion, HTML and JavaScript code and
normalizing an MS Access image database
of 6,000 items
Used: Macromedia/Allaire Cold Fusion, MS Access, DreamWeaver, BBEdit, Adobe PhotoShop, Fetch, WS-FTP.
Online Ordering and Order Tracking System
Built a web-based front end to a proprietary ordering, tracking and reporting system for large courier company.
Successfully developed a Cold Fusion based front end which integrated with proprietary internal ordering system. Allowed registered clients to book and track their own orders over the web in real time. Reduced operator error, support calls and duplication of data and significantly reduced the amount of time that Customer Representatives spent on the phone taking and confirming new orders.
• Orders were automatically inserted directly
into a proprietary internal scheduling
application (hooks to SQL Stored Procedures)
and processed in real time
• Provided automated time and zone based
pricing of orders and real time reporting,
order tracing and daily-weekly-monthly
or annual reporting
Used: Macromedia/Allaire Cold Fusion, MS Access, Adobe PhotoShop.
Workflow Scripting for Business Card Ordering and Production
Built an AppleScript workflow solution which successfully post-processed emailed text files and generated press-ready print files. The fully automated system saved setup time, eliminated manual data entry, data duplication and operator errors.
• Running under Macintosh OS X, the scripts
extract text data from emailed job orders,
retrieves and populates a matching Quark
template, generates and emails a PDF proof
to the client and forwards a print ready Quark
file to the film department for final approval
and output.
Used: Quark XPress, AppleScript Studio, Microsoft Entourage, Adobe Acrobat.
Real-time production reports allow management to identify and react to reject, production count and down time trending, as well as monitoring and reporting on other critical production statistics. Client used report data to identify control issues and then modified PLC code to improve throughput, reduce downtime and produce measurable cost savings and quality improvements.
• Custom VB data collector and PLC code to monitor
PLC automation of 6 CNC lathes
• Custom Access 2007 database aggregates data
and produces real-time production reports
Used: MS Access, VBA, Rockwell Software RSLogix
Computer Based Training and Testing
Laptop based training and testing application for learning 300 Safe Operating Procedures created as Word documents.
Provides low cost training and testing to new employees and re-training for injured employees on disability. Reduces compensation expenses. Accelerates orientation and training schedules and reduces time required to bring new hires to a productive capacity.
• Custom Access 2007 database using VBA control
on a Windows XP Pro platform
• Built import framework in VBA to automatically
import bookmarked content in Word documents
into the database
• Convert processed Word documents into a PDF
format and embed into the database for use as
local source training material
• Tests are automatically scored and users are forced
to re-take each test until a minimum acceptable
score is achieved
Used: MS Access, VBA
Time Clock and Project Tracking
Custom Time Clock and Project Tracking system utilizing magnetic card readers and touch screens.
System automatically logs time-sheet data, enabling management to track project progress and costs in real time. Tracks quoted vs consumed times for all aspects of a project allowing management to pro-actively identify and correct cost over runs, design and build delays and other trends which directly impact project completion and bottom line profitability. Facilitates detailed documentation of project challenges, experimentation, testing and re-engineering details to support SRED claims and audits.
• Evaluated existing time clock and project
management systems, both stand alone and web-
based and developed software specifications for
custom system to meet management requirements
• Developed specifications and system architecture
after extensive exploratory meetings with client
• Developed a networked system which enables
employees to clock on and off of specific projects
and sub-assemblies (right down to a drawing
number) using a swipe card
• Through dynamic menus and selection lists and a
touch screen interface complete transaction times
are under 5 seconds
• System runs on Microsoft Windows XP Pro
workstations over a secure corporate network.
Used: MS Access, MS Excel, MS Project, FastTrack Schedule, VBA, ConceptDraw, Adobe PhotoShop, VPN, Remote Desktop.
HMI Operator Interface
Develop redundant GUI and VB tags in Visual Basic for conveyor monitoring and alarms system. Successfully built a redundant control system and GUI in VB which provided backup control and monitoring for a large warehouse conveyor system without requiring expensive licenses for a duplicate HMI software system.
Used: MS Visual Basic Studio, WonderWare, MS Excel, MS Access.
SCADA/Data Collection and Reporting
Took over an abandoned SCADA/data collection project, which required bar-coding appliances being manufactured on an assembly line. Required real-time recording of production and defect data at various stages of assembly and control logic to prevent defective units from reaching the packaging area. Managers were able to proactively identify and resolve production quality issues and stock shortages in real-time.
• Wrote scanner program code in Allen Bradley
Pbasic, debugged PLC ladder logic program code,
and established communications between barcode
scanners, PLC and barcode label printers
• Created database and all SQL queries, triggers and
mapped data points, defined database and data
mapping schemas, generated management reports
and wrote Operator manuals
• Bridged plant network and corporate LAN to
provide real time reporting to Head Office without
compromising network security
Used: Allen Bradley SLC 5/04, BASIC modules, KTX and 3COM NICs, KF2 remote access module, USR 33.6 modem, Metrologic and Symbol barcode scanners, SATO barcode label printers, DH+ industrial network, Ethernet TCP/IP network, MS Office 97, MS Access 97, MS Windows NT Workstation, Rockwell Software RSLinx, RSLogix500, RSSql, Allen Bradley Pbasic, Adobe PhotoShop, MS Project 97/98, VISIO Professional, Adobe Acrobat, PC AnyWhere, LapLink, Telnet, Telix, PanelMate/PanelView Touch screens.
Online Ordering and Fulfillment System
Salvaged an online ordering and fulfillment application built using Cold Fusion after it was abandoned by the original developer.
Successfully delivered a stable application which serviced over 70 retail stores across Canada. Significantly reduced the time that Account Reps spent reviewing and confirming emailed orders and re-keying orders into their order processing system.
• Provided real-time interactive order status,
inventory tracking and stock depletion,
reorder level alerts, email approvals for
high dollar orders, multiple inventory
sources and payment methods, and
multiple shipping and billing methods
• Eliminated manual order taking,
non-standardized emailed order requests,
data entry errors
• Completely automated a time consuming
manual order fulfillment process
• Required debugging 15,000 lines of Cold
Fusion, HTML and JavaScript code and
normalizing an MS Access image database
of 6,000 items
Used: Macromedia/Allaire Cold Fusion, MS Access, DreamWeaver, BBEdit, Adobe PhotoShop, Fetch, WS-FTP.
Online Ordering and Order Tracking System
Built a web-based front end to a proprietary ordering, tracking and reporting system for large courier company.
Successfully developed a Cold Fusion based front end which integrated with proprietary internal ordering system. Allowed registered clients to book and track their own orders over the web in real time. Reduced operator error, support calls and duplication of data and significantly reduced the amount of time that Customer Representatives spent on the phone taking and confirming new orders.
• Orders were automatically inserted directly
into a proprietary internal scheduling
application (hooks to SQL Stored Procedures)
and processed in real time
• Provided automated time and zone based
pricing of orders and real time reporting,
order tracing and daily-weekly-monthly
or annual reporting
Used: Macromedia/Allaire Cold Fusion, MS Access, Adobe PhotoShop.
Workflow Scripting for Business Card Ordering and Production
Built an AppleScript workflow solution which successfully post-processed emailed text files and generated press-ready print files. The fully automated system saved setup time, eliminated manual data entry, data duplication and operator errors.
• Running under Macintosh OS X, the scripts
extract text data from emailed job orders,
retrieves and populates a matching Quark
template, generates and emails a PDF proof
to the client and forwards a print ready Quark
file to the film department for final approval
and output.
Used: Quark XPress, AppleScript Studio, Microsoft Entourage, Adobe Acrobat.
