RFID Ready to Roll at Custom Cupboards

Wichita cabinet manufacturer looks for ways to track parts, eliminate waste

Looking beyond the horizon and seeking new opportunities have always been part of the company culture at Custom Cupboards, Inc. Now, this Midwest cabinet manufacturer is taking another step to set it apart from the rest.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) of parts and end products in the manufacturing, tracking and shipping scheme at Custom Cupboards is about to “go live.”

Working with woodworking equipment and software supplier, Stiles Machinery, Custom Cupboards will be one of the first, if not the first, woodworking company in the United States to integrate RFID into its processes. The Wichita-based company is a “pilot site” for Stiles’ first RFID implementation. Early returns are positive, according to Custom Cupboards’ vice president of operations, Lance Johanson.

“The greatest benefit for us, so far,” Johanson says, “is the real-time data that allows us to track, monitor and manage throughput.”

The initial stage of the project calls for slitting the panels on cabinet doors and inserting the RFID chip or “tag.” The panel then is glued before further processing, according to Jerry McCall, software division manager at Stiles.

“We’ve been running for a few months,” McCall says of the RFID program at Custom Cupboards. “The next step is to add RFID on the face frames which will trigger processes throughout the plant.”

Background

Custom Cupboards, Inc. was founded in 1981 by Wichita brothers Dan and Ron Henry to build and sell kitchen and bath cabinetry. They rented a 3,000-sq.-ft. building in Wichita and Dan moved his personal tools from his garage into the shop. After contacting local builders for business, a few orders trickled in.

They each held other jobs during the day, so they hired a cabinetmaker to work when they had orders and they pitched in after work. Eventually they had enough business to quit their jobs and turn all their attention to the new enterprise.

The company continued to grow and in 1983 moved to a 6,000-sq.-ft. space. Annual sales volume increased to over $200,000 and the number of employees increased to six. In 1986, Custom Cupboards hired its first salesperson.

By 1987, the sales volume had quadrupled. The rapid growth forced the company to lease an additional 6,000 sq. ft. of floor space and increase the workforce to 16. The first production manager was hired in 1988 and additional employees were also hired.  By 1994 Custom Cupboards had 104 employees on multiple shifts. The company was marketing nationally and sales had grown to more than $5 million. The company was growing so rapidly that Inc. Magazine ranked it as the 277th fastest growing company in the United States.

In early 1994 the company built its present facility at 3738 S. Norman St. in Wichita. With over 200,000 sq. ft. and adjacent land for future planned expansions, Custom Cupboards is pre- pared for the future.

Today Custom Cupboards is a $31-plus million company with over 300 employees. “Value-priced” custom cabinets are currently provided to a national network of over 160 business partners. Products are marketed by five sales/ marketing representatives who cover 27 states.

RFID Project

Johanson was asked a number of questions about the RFID project and related issues.

Wood Digest: Describe your current order entry to ship process.

Johanson: No. 1 – We have an Order Entry Program that is supplied to our dealers. No. 2 -Dealers enter an order, and send to us, via the Internet. No. 3 – Order is imported through our order entry system, and then after order is confirmed, order is exported to a file, and then imported into Pattern Systems software. No. 4 – Pattern Systems’ software generates all cutlists, and creates files which can be imported in to CNC equipment. No. 5 – Orders are placed in our production schedule for production by shipping route or region.

WD: Who are your customers? How do they order product?

Johanson: Dealers that represent our products are our customers. They order our products via the Internet.

WD: Can a customer order a totally “custom” product or does he order from a cafeteria of product components, styles and wood species?

Johanson: The dealer can order via a cafeteria of products from our catalog, or they can order full custom.

WD: Do you offer solid wood as well as laminate products? If so, what are your major species and laminate overlay styles?

Johanson: Solid wood, no laminates. Species include alder, knotty alder, beech, rustic beech, oak, knotty oak, paint grade, hickory, maple, rustic maple, cherry and rustic cherry.

WD: What design software do you use and how does it integrate with your manufacturing processes?

Johanson: We use the Solids software program for all custom cabinets or pieces. We then develop cut lists off of that program to download to the equipment.

WD: Do you batch parts or are they created in another manner?

Johanson: We batch by wood species in quarter-day cut lists per what is ordered. There is no stocking of parts.

WD: What are your major CNC machines and how are they linked? How are G-codes created?

Johanson: We have two Holzma panel saws that run off of the Cut Rite program. We have routers that run off of Planit’s AlphaCAM. We have a Raimann rip saw that runs off of Mill-Vision software. We also have two C.R. Onsrud CNC routers that run off of AlphaCAM. And we have two Dimter Optimizing crosscut saws that run off of Weinig’s MillVision software.

WD: What type of parts tracking process were you using before considering RFID?

Johanson: We used a bar code label at the panel saws and routers to identify and audit parts for slot logic for tracking within a couple of departments. We also ink jet print at the crosscut saws all face frame, door and drawer parts for tracking within those departments per job.

WD: Why did you decide to become a pilot project for RFID with Stiles? Were there some risks? If so, what?

Johanson: Stiles was working with us on some other manufacturing solutions, and we thought we needed to start researching alternative tracking methods for all our parts. We also wanted to trigger equipment, processes or audit points within our manufacturing flow automatically. So, they suggested RFID. I think there is more risk in not trying and being left behind, vs. challenging your staff to look at alternative solutions. We consider ourselves to be very progressive, and that sometimes comes with some pain, but in the long run it’s what well worth it.

WD: What did you expect to gain from the RFID integration?

Johanson: More than anything the knowledge of the technology, as well as future solutions to tracking, information storing and machine language for setup or processing. The greatest benefit for us is the real-time data to track, monitor and manage throughput.

WD: The test concept involved slitting the boards on door panels then inserting the RFID chip. Correct? If so, why was it done this way?

Johanson: Correct, it was done this way so that the RFID antennas could read the RFID tag. In addition, this approach lent itself to best fit our current manufacturing process.

WD: Will the RFID tags eventually trigger the manufacturing processes in the plant? If so, how?

Johanson: Yes, by the end of October 2007, we’ll be using the RFID labels to trigger the final inspection process. The product will pass through an antenna and read the RFID label and automatically bring up all the order information and inspection criteria. The inspector will then use a bar code scanner to accept or reject the inspection criteria. Once the product has passed the inspection cell, the RFID tag then triggers the Packsize CNC boxing machine to make the custom box and print the packing labels. The longterm goal is to have RFID antennas over every loading dock. This allows us to generate a truck manifest as the products pass under the antenna as the trailers are being loaded. We also will integrate readers and antennas in strategic areas of the manufacturing operation to monitor flow and track times.

WD: Is there a mainframe that tracks parts in real time?

Johanson: No. The system uses a Dell Power Edge Server to compile the real-time data, then report the results as we dictate it to.

WD: What sort of error prevention improvements do you expect from the RFID program?

Johanson: The greatest improvement by far is the real-time data. Using this information we’ll reduce the hours looking for lost parts since the data tells us what date, hour, second and location the part passed through the last antenna. Second, it helps us monitor the schedule to ensure that no job is lost and we’re working on the correct jobs. Finally, it lets us lean out our production line and reduce our WIP and inventory by giving us the information we need to make better decisions, in real time.

WD: Has there been a learning curve? If so, how steep?

Johanson: There is always a learning curve. Our learning curve has not been that steep so far. Stiles has been very supportive and helpful to ensure that RFID labels are and will be a good fit for Custom Cupboards.

WD: Why would a potential customer order from your company and how will the RFID program help with that effort?

Johanson: We offer a vast array of customization at a very reasonable price. With the RFID program integration, we should continue to finesse our processes, enhance our quality, and persistently guarantee to our customers high value, limitless customization, at a competitive price.

By Steve Ehle
www.wooddigest.com |10|2007|Wood Digest

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Custom Cupboards, Inc.

Location: Wichita, Kan. Established: 1981
Products: Custom Kitchen Cabinets for the home or office
Market area: Mountains, Southwest, Northeast, Midwest, Upper Midwest,West
Employees: 321
Facility size: 217,500 sq. ft.
CEO: Ron Henry VP of Operations: Lance R. Johanson