September/October 2022

Software
MAKING THE MOST OF IT
Total Fabricator speaks to Greg Beachim, Sales Manager at First Degree Systems, who says
whilst new machinery is a great way to introduce new efficiencies to a business, it needs to
be fed the right information.
As the threat of a downturn looms, many
fabricators will be looking at the costs in their
business and either looking for ways to cut
them, or finding ways to get more bang for their buck.
Machinery has always been a particular focus
when enquiries start to slow because many
benefits can be realised; if you can afford the
capital expenditure, then new machinery can speed
up operations, allow you to add new products to
your range and delay taking on more staff.
“Automation, while it comes at a cost, is key
for fabricators looking to deliver market leading
products in a competitive timeframe,” said
Greg Beachim, Sales Manager at First Degree
Systems.
“And like most things, its advantages can only be
truly realised if it is used efficiently.”
Greg Beachim
Greg argued that in an ideal world, you would buy
a new welder or machining centre, plug it in, and
feed it profile all day long.
But managing that throughput is not the
responsibility of the machinery – it is either done
manually or through the right software.
“All machinery – new or old – can only work as fast
as the information being fed into it,” Greg explained.
“And if there is a bottleneck in the design
processing side, for example, then machinery
could be standing idle, which eats into potential
profits.”
Window Designer from First Degree Systems is
said to be one of the most widely used window
design processing software in the industry, but
many fabricators could be realising extra benefits
by upgrading their package.
According to Greg, these upgrades can help
reduce errors, minimise stockholding, and
increase the throughput of product in the factory.
“Many fabricators bought Window Designer years
ago and haven’t updated or added to it,” Greg said.
Automated machinery is the first
port of call for many fabricators.
but having the right software
also helps cut costs
40 T F SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 CONNECTING THE WINDOW, DOOR & ROOF FABRICATION SUPPLY CHAIN