EXMET Goes Live with Fast-Square's Coil Cut Optimizer
January 2025

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EXMET, a steel service center located near Tallinn, Estonia, specializes in sheet metal and profile processing services. The company has recently commissioned a new advanced Cut-to-Length (CTL) line from the Italian manufacturer Novastilmec to serve customers across the Nordic and Baltic regions. The high-performance CTL line is designed to cut steel sheets directly from coils, delivering precise, custom lengths tailored to each customer's requirements.

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Along with the installation of the new Novastilmec CTL line, EXMET selected Fast-Square's Coil Cut Optimizer (CCO) software suite to manage the entire production process.

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The decision to adopt CCO was strongly influenced by recommendations from several Novastilmec customers, including AARTEE and San Polo Lamiere, who have successfully used Fast-Square software for many years to manage both slitting and Cut-to-Length lines.

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EXMET's Requirements

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EXMET was looking for a comprehensive software solution capable of managing:

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• Work order creation

• Production scheduling

• Direct CTL machine integration through Industry 4.0

• Production monitoring (MES) and quality control on the shop floor

• Full material traceability and label printing

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The Coil Cut Optimizer Solution at EXMET

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Fast-Square implemented the complete CCO software suite, including:

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• CCO-OPTIMIZER

• CCO-SCHEDULER

• CCO-MES

• CCO-INDUSTRY4.0

• CCO-WEB

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The CCO software receives customer order and inventory data directly from the ERP system and communicates with the CTL line PLC through the CCO-INDUSTRY4.0 module. This direct integration eliminates manual machine setup, reducing the risk of discrepancies between production planning and actual execution.

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The two production planners use CCO-OPTIMIZER and CCO-SCHEDULER to create and schedule work orders for the CTL line. Through CCO-MES, shop-floor operators can view the complete production sequence directly at the machine, including all specifications and constraints required for each customer's order.

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As a result, paper work orders are no longer necessary. All production information is available in real time on the CCO-MES display at the machine. Operators simply select the next work order to be processed, while all required production parameters are automatically transmitted to the CTL PLC, eliminating manual data entry.

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The CCO-WEB module provides browser-based access to the status of every customer order, detailed production schedules, quality records, and complete traceability for each individual sheet, supporting rapid investigation in the event of customer claims.

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In addition, a dedicated coil picking module has been developed to generate picking lists for each production line and shift. The application can also be used directly on forklifts equipped with tablets, enabling operators to manage coil movements and record inventory transfers in real time from the shop floor.

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Gino Giannone, CEO of Fast-Square, commented:

"We were impressed by EXMET's strong commitment to innovation and openness to change. The implementation was completed within a very tight schedule, meeting all project deadlines thanks to the excellent cooperation between our teams. We look forward to supporting EXMET as they continue to optimize their production processes with the Coil Cut Optimizer solution."