Manufacturing Today - Summer 2010 - (Page 120)
Optex Systems Inc.
www.optexsys.com / HQ: Richardson, Texas / 2009 revenues: $27 million / Employees: 100 / Products: Optical sighting systems and assemblies / Danny Schoening, COO and GM: “We have ongoing investigations into other markets.”
other Six Sigma tools,” he says. “We are strong proponents of lean and Six Sigma, but we focus on the tools which link directly to the three manufacturing themes: quality, delivery and costs. So we tend to ‘lean’ toward tools which reduce costs and variation.”
Vertically Integrated
Founded in 1987, Richardson, Texasbased Optex Systems produces laserprotected glass and acrylic periscopes, electronic sighting systems, howitzer sighting systems and ship binoculars with a continuous focus on identifying additional product lines and developing new features to increase the value of its existing product lines. The company is a major player in the armored vehicle market, with 10 to 15 of its products on every Abrams tank and Stryker vehicle. “We are a vertically integrated operation which starts with the machining of raw material or castings,” Schoening explains. “These parts are then combined with other machined or purchased parts to create subassemblies which are aligned for optical or mechanical properties and then permanently fixed into the final specified proper alignment. Final assemblies are painted, cleaned, tested and ultimately shipped to the customer.”
optex systems produces vision and sighting systems primarily for department of defense applications.
Serving Soldiers
optex systems has the procedures in place to assure quality, reliability and flexibility. by kathryn jones
When you’re a company that manufactures items for soldiers in the line of duty, there is no room for mistakes. Quality and reliability are customary attributes for manufacturers that serve the military. Optex Systems Inc. knows this all too well, having spent more than two decades manufacturing vision and sighting systems and assemblies primarily for Department of Defense applications. “Ultimately, the focus is on the warfighter, so they expect 100 per120
manufacturing-today.com SUMMER 2010
Clean Bill of Health
Optex Systems was well equipped when the recession struck because it had already recognized some business “health” issues, according to Schoening. “Upon internal and external advice, we started an improvement process which was linked to our income statement and our balance sheet,” he says. “We improved our diet, we increased our exercise, we eliminated some bad habits, and we saw some incremental improvement. “Fueled by this improvement, we continued the process and expanded
cent reliability for mission success and soldier safety,” General Manager and COO Danny Schoening says. “Our manufacturing systems and procedures are focused on three simple targets: high field reliability, competitive costs and product quality. “We strictly adhere to ISO 9001:2008, and we strive for continuous improvement through DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control), on-the-floor team improvement and metric boards, and
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Manufacturing Today - Summer 2010
Manufacturing Today - Summer 2010
Contents
Washington
Global Strategies
Continuous Improvement
Smart Pricing
Supply Chain
Business Value
Moving Forward
Westmark Products
Byrne Dairy
Ultrafryer Systems Inc.
Wil-Rich LLC & Wishek MFG LLC
American Precision Fabricators
Aqua Products Inc.
Bennington
Black Diamond Equipment
Columbian Home Products
Control Devices LLC
Endustra Filter Manufacturers Inc
Heil Trailer International
Assembled Products
Order-Matic Corp.
Professional Building Systems Inc.
Smart Start Inc
Bosal International
Ausco Products Inc.
Brodart Company
Cambrex Corp.
Chapin International Inc.
Cleveland Gear Co.
Consolidated Precision Products
Control Flow Inc.
Douglas Autotech Corp.
Fetzer Architectural Products
The FNA Group
Fourslide Spring and Stamping Inc.
G.A. West & Company
Great Lakes Power Group
Grimm Brothers Plastics
Legends Furniture Inc.
National Tube Supply Co.
Optex Systems Inc.
Sunburst Electronics
V.E. Enterprises Inc
W. Soule & Company
Manufacturing Tomorrow
Manufacturing Today - Summer 2010
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