CBS Boring & Machine Corporation-with three production plants in Michigan with plans to open two more in Ohio and New York.  CBS has been manufacturing engine components for the agricultural, military and transportation industries since 1967. Its dedication to quality has resulted in moderate but steady growth over the last 30 years.

The Fraser, MI, plant manufactures engine components for the transportation industry, specifically heavy equipment and automotive. It is a manufacturing-only facility and produces products based on blueprint specifications provided by their customers. CBS is a Tier One supplier to major companies such as Detroit Diesel, Caterpillar, John Deere and  It also enjoys a relationship as a Tier Two supplier to the automotive industry including Ford, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors.

According to project director Bill Donaghy, CBS is actively working toward QS-9000 certification. With 30 years of experience under their belt, it has successfully refined their processes and procedures to incorporate a high level of quality and is now in the process of adapting that to QS-9000 standards. In the past eight months, CBS has put their policies in place and have completed the manual and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

With document consistency being critical to QS-9000, Donaghy works very closely with the quality department at CBS to set up and manage various projects.

When Donaghy came to CBS in 1998, the company was maintaining their project data using OVLs (Operator Verification Logs), which are handwritten documents. Although this system was working well, CBS felt that it could become more efficient if they were able to automate the process to avoid duplicating information at various stages of a project.

Before joining CBS, Donaghy had used a software package called MPACT (Manufacturing Planning And Control Tool) in other manufacturing environments and had seen a real improvement in production efficiency. Just as Donaghy came on board, CBS had been awarded a contract to build a new fuel injected engine for Caterpillar. The job seemed to be a perfect opportunity to introduce MPACT into the manufacturing process at CBS.

MPACT, developed by Integral Solutions, Inc. (ISI), Royal Oak, MI, uses an integrated database and information only needs to be entered once to be carried across to all appropriate documents. This significantly reduces paperwork and time and increases process efficiency. Donaghy was able to get the software implemented and the staff trained and ready to go in three months.

According to Donaghy, "MPACT has made a significant difference in the overall manufacturing operation of the company. Using MPACT has made it very simple to document processes in an organized and structured manner."

Although it wasn't implemented specifically for the QS-9000 registration, it has been a useful tool while CBS has been working toward compliance.

CBS is always looking for opportunities to improve processes. Donaghy says that using MPACT has significantly reduced the amount of time required to do the paperwork and, because information only needs to be input once and it transfers to all appropriate documentation, reducing opportunity for costly errors.

Integral Solutions Inc., Royal Oak, MI. Phone: (248) 543-6040. http://www.integsolutions.com/