Rapid growth thanks to Fusion and Cadac
In 2017, Stan Maas, then just 20 years old, started his own company: Hostma Machinebouw in Bergeijk, Brabant. After purchasing a welding company in Westerhoven two years later, he is now the proud owner of a company with nine employees, three CNC machining centres, a sheet metal workshop and his own engineering department.
The young entrepreneur attributes the rapid growth to the use of the Autodesk Fusion CAD/CAM platform, supervised by Cadac's specialists.
Hostma Machinebouw stronger with Fusion
Managing is not his biggest hobby and meetings certainly not. With some reluctance, Stan Maas sits down behind the laptop for an interview about his company and Fusion. 'I prefer', he says, 'to be in the workshop to work on projects with the boys. A bit of welding, controlling the milling machines, building and assembling machines. I like to work with them and we are busy.
In the corona year 2020, turnover grew by more than twenty percent and things are looking good this year as well. We supply a growing number of customers here in the region. We machin, make sheet metal, produce small series of parts for machines, we assemble and design and build complete machines. In other words, the complete package, always on commission.'
It used to take fifteen minutes to program a milling machine with a simple command, but now it's barely a minute. I'm sure we'll save time with Fusion and also have fewer failure costs.
Stan Maas
Managing Director Hostma Machinebouw
Practice over theory
A practical man, trained sheet metal worker with just under a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Starting your own metal company doesn't seem so obvious. Stan Maas laughs. "Maybe not, but I didn't feel like working for a boss every day. When I was 17years old , I registered with the Chamber of Commerce under the name Handelsonderneming Stan Maas, abbreviated to Hostma. From theage of 20 it became serious. I built the business up slowly. With the acquisition of the welding company in Westerhoven, we were able to work more broadly and we had the space to expand and grow.'
Convinced by following a course
Not long after moving to Westerhoven, Stan Maas bumps into fellow villager Marco Takx, CAD/CAM specialist at Cadac. "He saw that we were working with rather traditional CAD/CAM software and came up with an enthusiastic story about Fusion. I had never heard of it before. Must be pricey and complicated, I thought, but after a short demonstration I wanted to give it a try. Especially when Marco mentioned the price: 415 euros for a one-year license. Together with our engineer, we took a basic course and we were immediately convinced.'
Platform
Since then, the employees of Hostma Machinebouw have been working exclusively with Autodesk Fusion. 'It's a fantastic programme', says Marco Takx, one of the Cadac experts in the field of Autodesk. 'Especially for smaller companies. It is a platform on which the entire process from design and engineering to production takes place digitally. Suitable for the design of small parts and components up to complete machines.
Of course, a program that runs in the cloud so that everyone involved in the process always sees the current and the same version. Fusion has a large number of tools and can be widely used in the production process. With the complete design process with many options, with simulations such as the integration of electronics and the construction of enclosures and, of course, prototyping.'
A smooth workflow
Fusion ensures a smoother workflow, adds Frank Smets, account manager at Cadac. 'Figures show that lead times can be reduced by half, because designing takes much less time and communication is faster. Internally, but also with the customer and possibly suppliers.
In principle, anyone with the right rights can watch the process. Adjustments can be made anywhere. Bottom line, this shortens production time and time-to-market.'
In gear
Stan Maas nods. He also sees a clear acceleration in the design and production phase. 'What I find very easy is that you can enter any CAD file into Fusion. Also PDFs and other files. It doesn't matter what document a customer comes up with, we process it in Fusion and start designing right away.
Customers can come to us with an idea, a draft or complete design. The processes are much faster than before. It used to take fifteen minutes to program a milling machine with a simple command, but now it's barely a minute. I'm sure we'll save time with Fusion and also have fewer failure costs .'
Developing new tools
Hostma now has five licenses for the use of Fusion. 'Because you need one licence per computer', Marco Takx explains. 'Even then, Hostma doesn't spend more than 2200 euros a year. A pittance compared to other programs that cost as much as tenfold. And is this program less? On the contrary. A development team is constantly working on new tools and improvements. There is an update every five weeks.
And even better: users can submit their own ideas and suggestions that are evaluated. I myself am involved in the development platform on behalf of Cadac. It's getting better and more comprehensive. I think Fusion is suitable for 80 to 90 percent of the manufacturing industry."
Price
Autodesk deliberately puts this top product on the market at this low price.
However, the market does not seem entirely convinced. 'That's right', Frank Smets acknowledges. "There is one problem and that is the low price. 415 euros for a license, that can't be anything, is the prejudice. Nonsense. Autodesk deliberately puts this top product on the market at this low price. To increase market share. Slowly but surely, we are seeing the number of applications to Cadac grow. This is going to be a hit, especially in the SME sector.'
Autodesk Fusion is user-friendly, but a bit of training is needed. 'We offer basic training and then in-depth training,' says Marco Takx, who is responsible for the training online or on location. 'You can start working on it yourself within a day.'
The integration of Fusion
Most of the people at Hostma have now taken one or more courses. Stan Maas: 'Fusion is completely established here. We don't use all the options yet, but we will. For us, the program is a prerequisite for further growth. I don't rule out hiring one or two more people this year.'
The convenience of Cadac Experts
The digital world needs experts. To specialists who go in-depth with their clients and know everything about software programs and all possible applications. Cadac has therefore set up an Expert platform with 125 of the top performers in BIM, Revit, Inventor, and other Autodesk software packages.
Marco Takx is an expert in Fusion and teaches users how to master the options: 'Sure, you can also train yourself with videos on YouTube, but in practice it's disappointing. You get stuck with questions and unfortunately, YouTube doesn't talk back. As an expert, I provide tailor-made training courses, focused on specific applications and at the desired pace. The aim is to make maximum use of the software.'
A comprehensive platform
Easy and transparent, without administrative extras
Customers can use Cadac Experts to find the specialist they are looking for and schedule an appointment directly on the digital agenda with the topics to be discussed. Easy and transparent, without administrative extras. 'I've had good experiences with it and I get positive reactions from customers. Just like Stan, who has already used this option a number of times," says Marco, "Customers indicate that they are more productive and more able to make complex products after the training. And they like to be able to fall back on a trusted party if something doesn't work out.'
Do you also need specific training from Marco Takx in the field of Fusion? Book it directly via Cadac Experts.
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