Implementation of Stolcad^® Professional as a comprehensive program for shutters at ALKAZAR company - Case Study

The ALKAZAR company has been operating in the fenestration industry for over three decades, since 1993. PVC windows - the company's original scope of business - were expanded over the years including wooden windows, external roller shutters and garage doors. In 2006, aluminium shutters appeared in their offer, which soon became the company's key product. The high quality of production and professional customer service has enabled shutters from ALKAZAR to enter markets such as France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

ALKAZAR company was searching for a comprehensive IT solution for shutters, supporting work in such pillars of activity as: design, production, quoting and the sale of aluminium shutters. Bearing in mind the distinguishing features of its brand, the management of ALKAZAR decided to choose Stolcad^® brand and implement Stolcad^® Professional, which we customized to perfectly meet the expectations of the shutter manufacturer.

Aluminium shutter systems are characterized by complexity, both in terms of the diversity of components, such as sash profiles, fillings, or hardware sets, as well as in terms of the interdependencies in selecting various variants of these elements. To ensure technological consistency, it was necessary to introduce into database of Stolcad^® Professional all dependencies, according to which the selection of individual components of the shutter is made. Our technologists configured technological base of aluminium frames in Stolcad^® Professional

based on the provided technological catalogues, as well as conversations, knowledge and experience of technologists from ALKAZAR. Finally, the automation for selecting construction elements was set up depending on the parameters chosen by the designer; the selection of fittings depending on weight; the choice of fixed or movable fillings; error messages; the ability to insert sashes into empty frames or "sash in sash" constructions. Through such a configuration, the database set up in Stolcad^® Professional ensures the technological correctness of the designed shutters.

Because of the use of the previously described mechanisms supporting the design of aluminium shutters, the designer does not need to have deep knowledge about the chosen technologies. This makes the software easy to use, saves time and ensures the design correction. Stolcad^® Professional allows for designing in two ways, regardless of whether we are designing windows, doors or shutters. The first method involves entering subsequent construction elements into the design area. By introducing frames, division axes, sashes, crossbars, fillings or hardware, the program ensures that there are no conflicts between the individual elements. A construction designed in this way can still be modified. The final verification of correctness occurs during the recalculation of the construction values.

This design method enables the creation of comprehensive and customized shutter constructions. The second method allows for a significant acceleration of the designing process by using previously prepared shutter patterns (within the library of ready-made shutter shapes). To make a project from a pattern, it is enough to click the “Read from pattern” button in the main screen of the program, confirm the pattern in the pattern selection box, enter the desired dimensions, select parameters and technology in the pattern configurator box. Such an inserted construction is already ready for valuation or further editing e.g. replacement of filling or colour. Users of Stolcad^® Professional can add, edit, and group their own shutter patterns in a simple way.

In Stolcad^® Professional, manufacturers of shutters have at their disposal two basic methods of calculating construction prices. The methods are expanded with numerous options allowing for price calculation according to the adopted pricing policy. The first option is material valuation based on the unit prices of the construction's components, calculated per meter or per piece. Material costs can be modified by discounts and surcharges, waste percentage, mark-ups on an element or position, fixed costs, as well as labour.

The second option - price lists - utilizes patterns and is based on predefined price tables dependent on the dimensions of the shutters. Price lists can be easily modified and recalculated in Stolcad^® Professional, or even imported from external spreadsheets. Additionally, after recalculating a position, system discounts/mark-ups, customer discounts, item-specific discounts can be applied, plus other goods and services can be added. A particular advantage of Stolcad^® Professional is the ability to quickly recalculate positions or entire offers with just a few clicks. This allows customers to quickly learn about the variants of the offer for their shutter order, differing e.g. in technology or colour.

The needs of ALKAZAR company were fully covered with the basic features of Stolcad^® Professional in supporting shutter production, such as material usage optimization, generating execution documentation and material lists, along with order lists for the necessary materials. The individual workers receive the necessary information so that they know which materials need to be taken from the warehouse, how to prepare them through cutting, how to paint them and then how to assemble them to create a finished shutter construction.

With the implemented solutions, the flow of information between the design department and the production department has been reduced to the necessary minimum. In addition to ensuring a smooth and predictable production process, Stolcad^® Professional in its main version provides the option to mark orders with appropriate states and statuses. This allows for the insight into currently executed orders and monitors the degree of their progress.

Because of the implementation of Stolcad^® Professional, ALKAZAR company has gained a tool that facilitates its work at all stages of creating shutters: from design, through valuation and quotation to production. Both office and production staff perform their tasks more efficiently by gathering all information in one program so that data exchange is smooth and flexible.

And we proudly expand our offer – this time by implementing a program for shutter production – and we continuously strive to provide services at the highest level.