Macsteel, a large metal service center company, implemented Oracle Configurator to integrate its order processing with Oracle Process Manufacturing. Keste helped with the integration. The configurator allows customers to specify product dimensions to dynamically create inventory items and recipes. It can be invoked from different forms and links the order entry to manufacturing. The project was completed within 6-8 weeks and has been in production for over 8 months, providing benefits like a unified user experience and improved integration between order entry, inventory, and manufacturing.

1. Configurator Integration with Oracle Process Manufacturing
Stuart Patsos, Vice President of IT, Macsteel Service Centers USA
Sri Ayyeppen, Vice President and CTO, Keste

2. About MacSteel
32 locations throughout North America,
One of the largest inventories of metals in the service center industry.
Processes and distributes
– carbon,
– stainless,
– aluminum and
– specialty metals
customers throughout North America and Puerto Rico.
Products include a full range of flat rolled, plate, tubing, pipe, bar and
structural
supplies a full range of steel building products, coated and pre-painted
metals.
http://www.macsteelusa.com/
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

3. Project Background
Macsteel was in a middle of an Oracle Implementation (EBS R12.1)
Primary model was to have Order Processing and Management integrated
to Oracle Process Manufacturing through complex extensions
Oracle Configurator based process was not considered as part of the
solution
Oracle proposed Oracle Configurator as an option that could offer well
defined process around
– Configuring Metal products based on customer specified dimensions
(Slitting coils, cutting beams etc.)
– Each metal product has a different dimension set (Coils are measured
by Length X Width X Thickness, Beams are measured in Length X
Height X Width etc)
– Other customer specific preferences
– Integration with Process Manufacturing
Keste was engaged as a Partner
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

4. Challenges
No out of box functionality to match existing configurations
that is required to be based on advanced product catalog
attributes
No seamless integration between Oracle Configurator and
Oracle Process Manufacturing Out of the Box
Inability to invoke Oracle Configurator during order intake
without an existing BOM being pre-created
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

5. Project Approach
Simple Prototype solution to prove the concept first
before going too deep
Site Visit to a Aluminum Manufacturing plant in TN
Mapping the Configuration process very flexible to
enable new product offering in the future as product
specifications change frequently
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

6. Business Requirements
Capture the customer specified product dimensions
Create inventory items dynamically based on the product dimensions if an
inventory item does not exist with the specified dimensions
If an inventory item exists with the specified dimensions, reuse the same
inventory item
Invoke this functionality to create or reuse inventory items from various
hosting forms (Sales Order Form, Purchase Order Form, Batch Form,
Planning Workbench Form, Quick Quote Form, Sales Order Agreement
Form)
If the invoking form is Sales Order, add the newly created/reused
inventory item to the next available Sales Order Line.
Create OPM (Oracle Process Manufacturing) formula and recipe for the
newly created inventory item
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

7. Order Entry Process Flow
Key Aspect of the
integration where the
formula is created
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

8. CZ Invocation from Form
Created a menu option with a JSP function call. The JSP contained the
necessary CZ initialization parameters.
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

9. Configuration Flow – Step 1
Step 1 – Search a Base Item to fetch the correct dimension set
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

10. Configuration Flow – Step 2
Step 2 – Select a Base Item
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

11. Configuration Flow – Step 3/4
Step 3 – Enter the dimensions
Step 4 – Create Item and OPM formula/recipe
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

12. Inventory Item Creation
OPM Item created in Oracle Inventory
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

13. Project Timeline
Oracle Configurator implemented in roughly 6-8
weeks
5-6 key product lines
Phase 1 live in 4 weeks after CRP2, UAT processes
Jan 2010 Live!
Keste Resources
– 1 Configurator Process Architect – Part Time as needed
– 1 Configurator Functional Consultant
– 1 Configurator Integration Technical
System in Production for more than 8 months!
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

14. Keste Value Add
Organic project phasing from initial prototype to final
implementation
Creative design to invoke Oracle Configurator from
multiple domains without an existing BOM
Effective project management
– Timely delivery against an aggressive schedule
– Proactive communication with Macsteel management and
business users
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

15. Business Benefits
Unified and agile User Experience
– Product agnostic
– Standard/Non standard Item Type agnostic
– Quick orders with accuracy
– Domain agnostic
Leveraged Configurator efficiently from multiple domains
– Better User experience
– Efficient Search Process
Demarcation of Order Entry/Manufacturing
– Provided flexibility within its own domain area
Ease in Inventory Management
– Dynamic creation of inventory item based on business rules
– Quick item /OPM formula creation within 140+ organizations
Efficient touch points between
– Order Entry <-> Inventory Management
– Manufacturing(OPM) <-> Inventory Management
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

16. Future Plans
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC

17. Stuart Patsos
Vice President of IT
Macsteel
Sri Ayyeppen
Vice President and CTO
Keste
Questions?
Confidential and Proprietary
© 2010 Keste, LLC