One company's engineering department managed to streamline workflow by 15% with apps developed in a cross-platform desktop, console, and web development tool.
Background
In 2006, Omar Abbasi, Director of Engineering for Ayenbee Group in Pakistan, was challenged with the enormous task of designing an entire motorcycle manufacturing plant. Abbasi had worked with other software tools in design stages to simulate mechanical processes at Ayenbee’s other plants in the past, but he was looking for a cross platform solution that was easy to debug and deploy. The company uses Mac computers, but in rare circumstances where temperatures exceed 120 degrees F, they use special hardware that runs on Windows. He discovered Real Software’s development tool Real Studio when a free copy was included in a magazine. After creating various demos, he soon realized it was simply the best presentation tool for developing interactive apps to simulate and demonstrate mechanical processes. Abbasi decided to use Real Studio to help design the motorcycle plant. He developed applications to control (in real time) almost every aspect of the facility including inventory, assembly lines, paint line and testing equipment in about six months.
“Developing the software proved to be one of the most painless and predictable of the tasks,” said Abbasi. “Despite lack of experience with anything other than Mac, deployment on Windows machines proved to be seamless.”
The company began using it in the testing area and its use spread to multiple areas within the company, including developing and pricing automotive wiring systems, electrical testing of automotive wiring systems, testing lights and electrical systems and a suite of real time apps automating other assembly lines.
The Real Solution
Omar was able to develop efficiently using Real Software because of the following features:
- Localization: Real Studio is available in 9 languages and applications can be localized into as many languages as appropriate. Additionally, with full support for Unicode built-in, Real Studio allows applications to support multiple languages simultaneously.
- Cross platform deployment: Real Studio makes it possible to develop software on one platform and deploy on multiple platforms with native-looking results.
- Rapid application development: Real Studio is a rapid application development environment that gives programmers the power to write, test and ship software four times faster than C++ or Java.
- Automation: With Real Studio’s “Build Automation” feature, users can visually drag and drop build steps to execute common actions, like copying files and running IDE scripts, before and/or after an application is built. All of this can be done from within a given project.
- Code Editor: The Real Studio code editor includes an auto-complete feature that helps users write code faster with fewer errors by offering suggestions on valid syntax. Also included are code assistants that are a contextual menu of syntax options that help users code faster and with fewer errors.
Results
Within one year, Ayenbee was producing 80 bikes a day thanks to smart software controls that helped Omar simulate processes and design the motorcycle manufacturing plant in the most efficient way possible. Ayenbee saved more than $500,000 by building equipment that would otherwise have been imported, almost 20 percent of the entire project cost. Thanks to the smart software controls, the facility consumes 5% less energy than competitors with standard equipment. Specifically, up to 10% cost is saved due to efficient paint and water use.
“We have a streamlined workflow for all our development,” said Abbasi. “As result, I think we use our time and money very efficiently.”
Since deploying applications developed in Real Studio, the company was able to economically manage the complex documentation related to ISO TS16949 protocols in all of their production facilities. As a result, production lead times were significantly reduced. Omar estimates that Ayenbee has streamlined workflow by 15% on average, while saving thousands of dollars in software development costs.
About Real Studio
Real Studio, is a full-featured cross-platform software development tool suited to creating a wide range of applications, from utilities to enterprise-class applications.
About Real Software
Real Software provides Real Studio, a cross-platform desktop, console and web development tool. Real Software was founded in 1996 and is based in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.realsoftware.com.
