Seco Tools Transforms Manufacturing Operations from 8-Month Manual Processes to Automated Excellence

Challenge

Fragmented Systems Created Operational Bottlenecks

Seco Tools operated with fragmented data systems that severely restrained operational efficiency. The company managed over 150,000 part files stored as XML documents, 30,000 Excel spreadsheets, and a separate system for CAD drawings. These disparate systems created significant bottlenecks in core business processes. 

Manual bill of materials creation for complex projects could take up to three weeks, involving catalog referencing, technical feature comparisons, geometry analysis, and precise measurements for accurate pricing. The Process Engineering team handled these calculations manually, creating dependencies on individual staff expertise and introducing potential failure points in customer-facing processes. 

Solution

Unified Data Integration Platform with Drag-and-Drop Simplicity

Seco Tools implemented HULFT Integrate to consolidate fragmented systems into a unified Tools Data Management system. The solution’s drag-and-drop architecture enabled complex data transformations without specialized software development expertise. HULFT Integrate’s capabilities to read, merge, cleanse, and process data provided the foundation for automating previously manual processes. 

The platform processed original XML data stored in Azure alongside separately stored CAD drawings, automatically downloading, cleansing, and uploading consolidated information. The system’s intelligent processing enabled Seco Tools to identify and discard 80,000 legacy parts while organizing the remaining 73,000 current part files by utilization patterns. 

A key advantage was the platform’s accessibility to non-technical users. The lead machinist, who had no software development background, completed all engineering work using the intuitive interface. HULFT’s integration team provided domain expertise, training, and guidance during implementation, enabling the internal team to take ownership of the system. 

Results

Dramatic Improvements in Speed, Accuracy, and Scalability

HULFT Integrate delivered transformative results, reducing the data migration project from a projected three years to six months without additional headcount. The platform successfully processed over 150,000 tools, 150,000 XML documents, and 30,000 Excel spreadsheets, consolidating them in under 10 hours for ongoing updates. 

Automating bill of materials creation transformed customer responsiveness. The team can now produce assembly drawings in seconds, tasks that previously took days or weeks. The elimination of manual processes removed individual staff dependencies while significantly improving productivity. The system automatically scans for website changes and updates the database overnight, ensuring accurate, up-to-date part files without human input. 

“HULFT is helping us reduce the time it takes to access the information we need, ultimately making us smarter and more agile to stay competitive.”

Bob Tennant, Process Engineering Manager, Seco Tools

Future Vision

Expanding Digital Transformation Across Global Operations

Seco Tools envisions HULFT as the foundation for expanded digital transformation initiatives across their global operations. The company is exploring HULFT Data Capture to transform flat data formats into digital formats for purchase orders, check processing, and reporting purposes, further reducing manual processes and enhancing operational efficiency. 

The company plans to utilize HULFT to integrate various software systems, including an IoT plant floor solution, to track machine data in real-time. This integration will provide manufacturing unit customers with deeper insights into tool performance and utilization patterns, helping improve maintenance and tool management. Seco Tools plans to leverage their unified data infrastructure to develop advanced analytics capabilities, enabling data-driven decision making across product development, inventory management, and customer service operations.