ERP Provides Smooth Pathway to Data Security

Compliance with government standards is nothing new for many machine shops. Working in the defense, aerospace or medical fields requires strict adherence to numerous standards and documentation procedures, and many tools exist to facilitate this. However, forward-looking shops are already preparing for a shakeup from the DOD’s upcoming Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) standard.

While the process to develop the CMMC standards has been long, it is likely to roll out over the next few years, and shops that work in the defense industry absolutely must comply with these new standards if they want to keep that business. DOD suppliers will be forced to stop contracting with shops that do not meet the CMMC standards, making it vital for machine shops seeking defense work to beef up their data security ahead of the rollout. This is made more difficult by a core problem: No one is completely sure what those standards will be.

Preparing for standards without knowing for certain what the specifics will be is a daunting task. Fortunately, some shops have found a reliable way to ensure they meet the standards well ahead of the looming deadlines: let someone else do it.

Doing Things the New Fashioned Way

Midway Swiss Turn began in 1977 as General Tool Company, a tool and die shop in Smithville, Ohio. Over the years, the company moved from tool and die work to screw machines, to contract machining and finally to Swiss-type machining. “Once we started doing Swiss machining, we began to get defense work,” says CEO Jayme Rahz. “Generally we work as a tier-1 or tier-2 supplier.”

When Rahz joined the company, the administrative technology was not quite up to her standards. “The first time I got to my desk, they had a typewriter waiting for me,” she says. “That was not going to work for me.” Rahz quickly acquired a PC and Quickbooks, but she recognized the need for ERP software immediately. “I wanted to be able to collate the data we were accumulating and organize it in a useful way,” she says. “That’s why we turned to JobBOSS².”

JobBOSS² is an ERP system provided by ECI Solutions. The system’s initial draw was the ease with which Rahz could store and access data. It collects accounting data, machine availability, material stock and more into an easily accessible interface. This access to information enabled the company to grow significantly with Rahz as CEO. “When we started with ERP we had $100,000 a year with four people, and now we’re over $1,000,000 with 11,” she says.

However, the company’s biggest success with JobBOSS² comes from working with ECI’s forward-looking staff. “We moved to the cloud six months before COVID hit,” Rahz says. “This was purely thanks to ECI convincing me.” Using cloud-based servers to store data is a secure way to keep data offsite, eliminating the need for local servers and allowing the company to benefit from the data security provided by ECI’s team. Additionally, it made remote access to information much more accessible as the pandemic hit full swing. “When COVID hit, we almost had no interruption,” Rahz says. “They walked me through the importance of the cloud, and they were right.”

This forward-looking perspective is also invaluable to data security as the CMMC deadlines approach.

Data Security and Peace of Mind

Midway Swiss Turn opted to purchase the quality module a year after initially investing in ERP. “It’s an ISO-compliant module that handles the paperwork,” says Rahz. “It forces you to enter the necessary data to continue through documentation, then it compiles it all at the end and can print it out in the necessary paperwork that the DOD requires.” Additionally, the ERP system stores job information in an easily accessible database, making it easy to retrieve part information. “One of my DOD customers could ask me about a job from 10 years ago, and I’m a few key strokes away from having it.”

While we do not know the specific requirements that the CMMC standards will implement, enhanced cybersecurity standards will be part of the package. Fortunately, ECI has teams dedicated to handling data security for its customers. “With everything on the cloud, I don’t have a server onsite, so I don’t have any onsite data to protect,” Rahz says. “Any of that sensitive data that needs protected, ECI handles that for me.”

This means that a company dedicated to data management and cybersecurity can handle the lion’s share of her data security needs while Midway Swiss Turn focuses on producing parts. “If you look at ECI or my 11-person company,” she says, “who is better equipped to handle the cybersecurity steps needed to protect that data?”

And once again, the team at ECI is constantly looking ahead. “Every time I need something else: ITAR compliance, the Cloud… they’re already on it,” Rahz says. “I’m not at risk of losing work because the platform is looking ahead to meet those needs.”

After 17 years with JobBOSS², with that office typewriter long gone, Midway Swiss Turn feels ready to meet the cybersecurity needs of manufacturing.

Learn more about ECI JobBOSS² here.