KENT FLUSH DOORS & 3D LASER SCANNING: OPENING THE DOOR TO OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY!

Specialist Door Company Uses 3D Laser Scanning To Make Its Operations More Efficient.

A specialist door company dedicated to providing a bespoke service to architects, interior designers and construction firms is using 3D laser scanning technology from SpectisGB to make the most of its workshop space.

Kent Flush Doors is 26 years old and its USP is the ability to match the precise requirements of its clients - even in small runs or one-offs, which are difficult for its competitors. 

That means that its business model relies on the skills and craftsmanship of its employees – but it has a thoroughly modern approach to the use of technology, and sees no conflict in that.

The firm moved to its current 8,300 square foot premises two years ago and was one of the Beta clients for SpectisGB. 

It commissioned scans of the new workshop space and of the 20-plus machines and items of equipment that its 17 employees use in the course of their work. Joinery, precision cutting, veneering, glazing, painting and finishing all take place on the premises.

Director Rob Foster said: “Real estate is always one of the biggest business expenses and we wanted to maximise the efficiency of the workshop.  Machines often require a precise amount of space around them, so that wood profiles of various lengths can be fed into them, and so that the operator has a safe area in which to work. 

We don't want to waste square footage!

"We need a fair amount of storage space, quite often close to the machines, but we also need to keep passages and emergency exits clear … and we don’t want wasted square footage.”

The scans enabled the company to plan the location of the machines with absolute precision and to plot the progress of products through the workshop efficiently, without compromising other requirements.

We can do small or large volumes!

“The thing we talk about most to clients is flexibility,” said Rob Foster. “We can do volume runs, and we have a standard range of products, but we can also satisfy requirements for very small volumes. And if you offer flexibility to clients, you have to be flexible yourself, and willing to make changes to accommodate the work your clients need. 

"So, two years after we had the scans done, we’re still using them to shuffle things around as the business evolves and as we respond to demand. If we want to make changes we don’t have to re-measure things or use judgement, or trial-and-error – we can get it right, from the outset.”

The company name – ‘Kent Flush Doors’ – speaks to the precision which lies at the heart of its operations. 

“Our business is more labour-intensive than most of our competitors, because we offer a greater level of flexibility and we’re not always necessarily churning out endless volumes of pretty much the same thing,” said Mr Foster. 

“But managers who regard technology as a threat to a people-based business are wrong – you need both skills, and technology. When tech can help us do a better job for a client, we’re right there.”

Because the firm is used to handling technical drawings, and even laser scans, it foresaw many of the challenges that high-quality scans can pose.  

“If you want the quality, you have to be able to cope with a massive data-dump, of the type that would crash most corporate IT systems,” said Mr Foster.  

Game-changing solution: no compressed files, no loss of detail ... and no need for an uprated IT system!

“We knew that, and we knew that the solution that many scanning companies adopt is to compress the files, so that you lose a lot of the functionality and detail, or to tell the client to invest in an IT system with the ability to handle ludicrous amounts of data.  

“The solution SpectisGB offered was revelatory to us. It’s a game-changer. They use a cloud-based system, which is exclusive to them, to give us unfettered access to the ‘full-fat’ scans, but it’s their technology that handles all the data – yours only needs to be able to process a tiny fraction of the data at any one time. 

“That meant we could have fully detailed scans at our desktops, using our own IT system.  You don’t need to understand the huge amount of back-office work they’ve put in to make this black magic happen – you just need to know how to work it, on your desktop, and that’s both simple and intuitive.

“They also provided a lot of advice on how to utilise the scans, including things that weren’t part of our original thinking yet certainly provided added value. 

"It’s the difference between, on the one hand, just handing over a big chunk of data and saying ‘right, there you are, you’re on your own’; and on the other hand, working to ensure that the client gets real benefit from the project.  But it’s their ability to give you easy access to full scans, without crashing your IT system, that is the real winner.”

Kent Flush Doors can provide fully accredited door sets up to FD120, decibel-rated door stets up to 44db, and certified glazed fire screens with both integrity and insulation. Its products and operations are fully certified (BM Trada Q-Mark / Certifire / ISO 9001). You can find out more about the company here, call them on 01634 712 451 or email them at [email protected].

I blog regularly on business-related matters, in particular those relating to BIM, facilities management, construction, health and safety, the sign industry and other areas relevant to our business. You can check out my other articles here. 

Xmo Strata's web site (sign installation and maintenance) is here. The SpectisGB web site (scanning and digital reconstruction) is here. 

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