Metallic Power using solution to improve operations performance and maintain critical support for fuel cells
San Jose, CA August 27, 2003 Metallic Power is set to use an operations performance management solution from Datasweep in a bid to improve the performance of its operations across the production and quality assurance processes of the company's unique product line of zinc regenerative fuel cells.
Metallic Power, founded in 1995 and based in Carlsbad, Calif., near San Diego, develops zinc regenerative fuel cell-based products. The company said its fuel cells provide a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to battery and generator backup power sources, addressing backup power requirements for industrial use in utilities and telecommunications, while making clean power practical for a wide variety of consumer uses.
The company is counting on Datasweep's Advantage suite to provide a continuous quality management system that links manufacturing, maintenance and repair information on a 24x7 basis to support Metallic Power's zinc fuel cells' ability to sustain crucial backup power to commercial and private entities.
Metallic Power said it would use the Datasweep suite to aggregate and analyze detailed production information and data received from fuel cells in their destination sites. Datasweep said its solution would help Metallic Power gain visibility into fuel cell performance trends and issues that can assist in making product improvements.
Once placed in the field, the fuel cells can be linked online to the Datasweep system at Metallic Power, creating a continuous feedback loop to dynamically transmit real-time telemetric data on fuel cell performance for testing and evaluation. These metrics will help Metallic Power and its service partners to establish strategic field service responses designed to minimize cost and downtime.
Datasweep said its solution is designed to centralize part and testing information and generate performance analysis vital to maintaining 100 percent consistency of fuel cell operation. Metallic Power will have the ability to offer its customers assurance that fuel cells at their facilities are fully functional when emergencies arise and can assure quick and reliable backup services after use, according to Datasweep. The centralized system is designed to help Metallic Power reduce costs while improving service to its customers.
"Cost and reliability are definitive drivers in the telecom backup power market," said Dr. Jeffrey Colborn, president and CEO of Metallic Power. "With Datasweep in place, we will be able to keep our reliability high and costs low and retain the high quality product that our [original equipment manufacturer (OEM)] customers and end-users demand."
"Metallic Power's unique approach to 24x7 quality assurance for its fuel cells required a system that was designed to track, monitor and retain detail-level information on an ongoing basis," said Vladimir Preysman, president and CEO of Datasweep. "By providing real-time and historic visibility into testing, usage and parts data, the Datasweep solutions can help Metallic Power accurately analyze and predict material and product requirements, while helping to drive down variability and cost in the manufacture of their industry leading fuel cells."
