NCR has always been aggressive about value engineering and cost management, but it was always post-production. With aPriori, we're able to make more informed product decisions in real-time during the design process. That translates to better products, lower part costs and substantial savings on costs related to product rework, reengineering and sourcing.

ThyssenKrupp Elevator selected aPriori based on the system's ease of use and flexibility to be deployed against a wide variety of cost management use cases. It's a highly automated system, so our users do not need to be cost experts to leverage it. All they have to do is open a 3D CAD model, enter a few basic inputs, and they can generate an accurate cost estimate in seconds. We have integrated aPriori cost reviews into our standard product development process - to conduct Make versus Buy analyses, to streamline process routings in our manufacturing facilities and to determine if we can standardize common changes across product platforms. By taking this broad-based approach, we're attacking cost at the point of origin, and maximizing the potential cost savings for the company.

Like many things, success in product cost management comes down to leadership and execution. aPriori is a vital tool in that regard. It provides the tools the design team needs to take responsibility for product cost. It also highlights the need to do something about product cost - in black and white details. Prior to aPriori, our team simply did not have the insight into cost analytics. There was no focus or awareness and therefore no action. Today, that has all changed - and aPriori is playing an integral role in enabling and causing that change.

Our goal is to attain best costs first by ensuring quality in the initial process and eliminating quality problems at each subsequent process. Using aPriori, we will expand on this by identifying and eliminating unnecessary product costs in design – before they get built into the product. This benefits our customers in the automotive industry as well as their end-user customers.

It’s one of the things about the tool I like; it forces you to dig into stuff and discover things that you didn’t know before.

It’s really quite easy to use. All you really need is some experience with 3-D modeling and Windows. It’s very straightforward.

Response time is key. Most customers are looking for a quote that’s in budget with a supplier they can trust and can count on vs. the lowest possible quote. It’s not always about the best price. It’s about the best price/value/ reliability.

aPriori provides Sunset Metal Works with the ability to respond to new business opportunities with greater speed, accuracy and consistency. For an organization that competes in the contract manufacturing environment, this is a real and sustainable advantage.

We are looking to better understand the cost implications of both the design and manufacturing decisions we make. aPriori’s software provides our engineering team with a consistent and systematic approach to product cost assessments with real time access to cost data to inform their design decisions.