Quality and innovation are more than ever at the heart of today's industrial landscape. It goes without saying that effective risk management is an absolute must. Jonathan Hebrard, Technical Project Manager at PEM, invites us to discover the impact of Skill FMEA Pro software on risk management processes in the metal coatings sector. By delving into PEM's experience, we reveal the vital importance of equipping ourselves with the right tools to meet international standards and customer expectations.
Through the testimony of Jonathan Hebrard, let's explore how the integration of Skill FMEA Pro at PEM has changed their approach to risk management, breathing new life into their quality and operational performance.
What is your position at PEM, and what are the main challenges and responsibilities associated with your role?
I'm Technical Project Manager at PEM, a company operating two production sites in the Haute-Loire region of France, specializing in the coating of metals such as copper, aluminum and steel. The company employs around 200 people.
My main responsibilities include managing Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMEA), purchasing quality and implementing the 5S program, a set of practices aimed at maintaining an organized, clean, safe and efficient work environment.
The position of Technical Project Manager at PEM brings with it significant challenges, particularly in terms of risk management and continuous improvement. FMEA, as one of the pillars of these responsibilities, plays a very important role in identifying, analyzing and preventing potential risks associated with production processes.
By optimizing processes and reducing the risk of failure, the company succeeds in strengthening its competitiveness in the marketplace. Success in these areas requires constant monitoring of technological and standards developments, as well as the ability to adapt quickly to new challenges.
How did your collaboration with Skill Software begin, and what were the initial motivations and challenges that guided your choice of Skill FMEA Pro for your FMEA projects?
Our relationship with Skill Software goes back a decade, during which time we had already had the opportunity to work together. Over time, however, the focus on FMEA had given way to other internal priorities.
My arrival at PEM coincided with a renewed interest in FMEA, following specialized training provided by EURO-SYMBIOSE. We had initially tried to manage our FMEAs via Excel, an approach which proved to be laborious and complex.
Faced with the limitations of Excel, particularly for more advanced developments, and with evolving standards requiring our databases to be updated, we opted for a ready-to-use solution: Skill FMEA Pro. Although we were familiar with Skill, we hadn't fully grasped the extent of its recent evolution, especially as in-house knowledge of it had faded with the departure of former colleagues.
The transition from Excel to a specialized system like Skill FMEA Pro underlines the importance of adopting tools capable of simplifying and automating critical processes, while complying with standards.
This evolution is not just a question of convenience, but also of operational efficiency. As a result, the ability to react quickly to changes in standards, and to seamlessly integrate these adaptations into existing processes, is becoming a competitive advantage.
Could you describe the results obtained by using Skill FMEA Pro in your FMEA processes ?
Switching to Skill FMEA Pro after experimenting with Excel was a revolution for our FMEA process. Previously, completing an FMEA on Excel took six months, a timeframe now unimaginable. Skill FMEA Pro's ability to automatically update files and generate customized reports greatly simplifies our work. The integration of surveillance plans with FMEA management within the same platform is a major advantage, significantly optimizing our efficiency. During customer audits, the presence of Skill FMEA Pro brings peace of mind to both our team and our customers, some of whom are already familiar with the software. All these factors contribute to an overall satisfaction rate of 90-95% within our site, with positive anticipation of future software updates.
The software requires acclimatization to its specific logic, which can sometimes come as a surprise. Nevertheless, the flexibility and adaptability offered by Skill, notably through the use of "generics", allows a certain degree of customization, aligned with the specific needs of our company. This adaptability is very important for the effective creation and updating of FMEAs.
Skill FMEA Pro also stands out for its training offer and responsive technical support. The two-stage training structure, with a six-month interval between the two levels, is wisely designed to maximize learning and practical application of the software.
The accessibility and responsiveness of the support team, including for complex technical questions, reinforce confidence in using the software. In terms of cost, although I'm not directly involved in the purchase, the investment in Skill FMEA Pro seems justified in view of the significant benefits it brings.
Skill Software's commitment to ongoing training and technical support underlines the importance of a strong partnership between software suppliers and their customers. This ensures a successful technological transition, while promoting ongoing professional development for users.
Have the objectives you set when adopting Skill FMEA Pro been achieved?
Absolutely, our expectations of Skill FMEA Pro have been fully met. At PEM, adopting the ISO9001 standard was an initial step, but our ambition extended to obtaining the IATF standard, which requires rigorous application of FMEA processes.
Thanks to the integration of the software, our approach to FMEA has been profoundly transformed. We no longer carry out these analyses simply to satisfy a requirement; they have become a pillar of our analysis and development approach, particularly for the introduction of new production lines.
The integrated monitoring plan module has also enabled us to identify quality gaps or excesses, thus optimizing our processes.
By replacing Excel with Skill FMEA Pro, PEM has streamlined its processes and improved its responsiveness to audits and certification requirements. This transition marks a step towards more structured risk management and better identification of opportunities for improvement in production.
By focusing on concrete results, PEM has been able to leverage Skill FMEA Pro to refine its quality strategy. In doing so, the company is not just passively responding to normative requirements; it is actively using these processes as leverage to optimize its operations, boost customer satisfaction and, ultimately, position itself advantageously in a competitive sector.
Could you describe the main steps involved in integrating Skill FMEA Pro into your information systems?
Our collaboration with Skill Software began with the integration of Skill FMEA Pro into our information system (IS), an operation which our IT specialists found relatively straightforward. The process began with an initial three-day training session in February 2023, designed to familiarize us with the basics of the software.
Although there were four of us taking part in the training, I'm the one who's running the software to its full potential. I'm currently working on a process to ensure that Skill knowledge and skills are passed on smoothly, so that it can continue to be used in our company, even in my absence.
This phase of adapting and customizing our work to the logic of Skill lasted around six months, during which time we explored and implemented the many functionalities offered by the software. Following this, we took part in Level 2 training to deepen our mastery of the tool.
The ability to seamlessly integrate a software solution into existing information systems, while guaranteeing a rapid and effective ramp-up of user skills, is fundamental to maximizing operational efficiency and project quality. PEM's proactive approach to training and preparing its team for optimal use of Skill FMEA Pro illustrates a model for companies aiming to strengthen their in-house skills and ensure continuous adaptation to technological and normative developments.
What aspects of Skill FMEA Pro do you particularly appreciate and find most beneficial to your work at PEM?
What I appreciate most about Skill FMEA Pro is the wide range of features it offers, including the ease of creating links between different folders and the simplicity of handling the database. The exceptional responsiveness of the Skill Software team to user feedback is also a remarkable aspect.
Whether it's to resolve bugs or improve the software, their ability to react and adapt the product far exceeds what we've experienced with other tools, including Excel. What's more, Skill FMEA Pro's flexibility to integrate updates to standards such as AIAG VDA is essential for us. This adaptability ensures that we remain at the forefront of compliance without the hassle of manual updating, a considerable advantage over less specialized solutions.
The ability to integrate normative updates quickly and efficiently is a major asset in an ever-changing regulatory environment. Skill Software's responsiveness, in particular, highlights a customer service model that goes beyond mere technical assistance to become a true strategic partnership.
This level of support and collaboration enables companies like PEM to navigate the complex landscape of quality standards more easily.
How would you sum up your overall experience with Skill FMEA Pro software?
Skill FMEA Pro is a high-performance tool, impressive in its initial complexity, but of undeniable value once mastered. It is this mastery that fully reveals its potential and usefulness.
