When airport self-service check-in kiosk developer Phase 5 Technology was looking for a manufacturing partner KMF (Precision Sheet Metal) pushed all the right buttons.

Having developed innovative software and systems that will allow travellers to check-in for their flights in an impressive 21 seconds, compared to the one minute 30 seconds that current systems take, Phase 5 Technology was in need of a manufacturing partner that could not only manufacture the hardware, but also integrate the software and electronics and deliver a fully assembled check-in kiosk to its end-customer.

“As a software and systems developer we do not want or need to be involved in the manufacturing process,” says Phase 5 Technology’s CTO Chris Hurley. “In the early days of the project we spent a lot of time and money dealing with various suppliers to create the first prototype kiosks, which was frustrating and expensive. We quickly recognised that this process had to be developed and a company with more diverse manufacturing skills was required. Having read about the work that KMF was doing with Coffee Nation to design, build and integrate its self service coffee bars, we got in touch. From the outset KMF has been very professional, and far easier to work with than our previous suppliers.”

Through its in-house design team, one of the key elements in the success of this partnership was the speed at which KMF reacted to design changes, rising to the challenges whenever they appeared.

“KMF now controls all aspects of manufacture for Phase 5 Technology, from design, through prototyping and final production,” Mr Hurley continues. “With an emphasis on design for manufacture to keep unit costs down, they take care of the sourcing for all of the components and the logistics of delivering to our customers.”

With the first of these self-service check-in kiosks installed at East Midlands Airport, Phase 5 Technology is confident that it can significantly enhance the passenger experience. The check-in process using the new kiosk is greatly simplified from the passengers viewpoint, and from the airline/airports perspective the system has the benefit of being standardised across all carriers and airports creating a common use approach and reducing cost at the same time.

“Low-cost airlines and the airports dominated by these carriers are constantly looking for ways to simplify their systems and processes in order to increase passenger flow and profitability,” Mr Hurley reveals. “What we have developed at Phase 5 Technology is a system that generates greater uptake by passengers as it is simple with just yes/no answers to questions, is easy to integrate into airline/airport infrastructure and, with the partnership with KMF, provides a highly cost-effective and functional system that is allowing airports to recoup some of the investment made to attract low-cost carriers.”

KMF
www.kmf.co.uk