February 28th, 2012 | | Comments Off on The When, Why and How of ERP Support for Lean
In this paper we respectfully present our conclusion, namely that some LEAN initiatives can be hugely strengthened with a synergistic ERP implementation and vice versa, whereas in other cases the two efforts should really be viewed as separate initiatives and managed independently from each other. This is, however, not an open ended “it depends on what you want” answer; we conclude that specific LEAN initiatives will eventually fail without considerable attention to specific ERP aspects but that other specific LEAN initiatives and specific ERP functionality have little in common.
February 28th, 2012 | | Comments Off on Project-Oriented Manufacturing: “How to Resolve the Critical Business Issues That Impact Organizational Competitiveness”
The operating style of Project-Oriented Manufacturing is very different than that used by traditional discrete and repetitive manufacturers. Project-Oriented Manufacturing and Engineer-To-Order (ETO) are expressions often used interchangeably. For the majority of companies operating in an ETO environment, every machine sold is similar to, yet different from, anything else previously engineered and built.
February 28th, 2012 | | Comments Off on Top Die Casting Drives Quality, Consistency with ERP from IQMS
Top Die Casting Company understands the value of quality delivered at a competitive price, on time, every time. As a leading domestic, full-service provider of aluminum die castings and plastic-injected moldings, Top Die Casting serves an array of high-profile customers in both consumer and industrial markets.
February 28th, 2012 | | Comments Off on Traceability 2.0: Ensuring Food Safety and Achieving Competitive Differentiation through Multi-Dimensional Traceability
In response to the many highly publicized large scale food recalls that have occurred over the last few years and diminishing consumer confidence, both regulators and the industry are responding with stricter guidelines and policies to ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply. As a result of this increasing scrutiny, along with the growing complexity of the food supply chain, many food company executives are re-examining their ability to ensure the safety and quality of their products.
February 28th, 2012 | | Comments Off on Tying the Shop Floor to the ERP Systems
In the years leading to 2000, many manufacturers realized it was necessary to prepare for a potentially disruptive transition in the IT functions when the turn of the century arrived. With thoughts of internal systems not functioning properly – or even stopping the manufacturing processes altogether – action was required.
February 28th, 2012 | | Comments Off on Understanding Service-Oriented Architecture and Its Impact on Small Manufacturers
Service-oriented architecture (SOA) continues to emerge as the dominant technical platform for building next generation business applications. The potential of SOA to transform enterprise software applications has been well documented within leading industry trade publications. This white paper will attempt to cut through the hype surrounding the technology by (1) examining the manufacturing pains that are driving the conversion to service-oriented business applications, (2) breaking down the essence of SOA, (3) focusing on the relevance of SOA as a tool for continuous business process improvement, and (4) comparing and contrasting the Made2Manage SOA product development strategy with that of other ERP vendors.
February 27th, 2012 | | Comments Off on Less Is More: Increasing Manufacturer’s Efficiency through Inventory Reduction
ERP solutions are data-driven. This is arguably the most beneficial technology feature because it alerts users to the specific inventory needs right down to quantities and timing. The right ERP tool can analyze historic and current data such as customer orders, inventory balances, usage/shipment of each product, seasonal trends, etc. and apply these insights to future inventory predictions. Armed with this knowledge, manufacturers can make more intelligent decisions regarding how much inventory to keep in stock and how best to respond to customer demand, regardless of seemingly unpredictable fluctuations. This help ensure investments are being made in the right place and that operations remain efficient.
Like many manufacturers, you rely on your manufacturing software to boost efficiency, quality, and profitability. Read on for some great tips to help your organization maximize the value of its manufacturing software implementation.
Manufacturing ERP systems deliver a broad range of features and functionality to improve all facets of production. This article provides an overview of the key capabilities of today’s most popular manufacturing ERP solutions.
For many businesses, there comes a time when they realize they need to replace their existing manufacturing ERP application with a more robust and feature-rich system. What are the signs your company is ready for a bigger, better manufacturing ERP solution? Read on to find out.
