advancedmanufacturingsoftware

Planning and Execution

Dave Turbide — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:12:31 +0000

Planning and execution are a part of every manufacturer’s operations strategy and are included in every ERP system, and but it’s easy to become confused as to where planning leaves off and execution begins – and easy to misunderstand the tools and techniques that contribute to success getting product out the door on time.

Let’s say your company has a large backlog of work in process, a healthy flow of orders coming into the plant, and reasonable lead time expectations with customers. Sounds ideal, right? Well, let’s further suppose that the company is having trouble shipping orders on time. Is this an execution problem or a planning problem? It could be either – or both.

The fact is that both planning and execution must be operating effectively to insure a smooth flow of goods through the plant and out to customers, efficient operations, adequate suppliers, and a high level of quality. When things are not going well, it’s not always obvious where the problem lies. Many times, what is perceived to be an execution issue turns out to be caused by planning difficulties or vice versa. And that’s why it’s important to understand how these activities work together.

Many companies faced with a problem like the one above – difficulty getting work completed on time – will just take a brute-force approach and add some overtime or some extra shifts. And that might provide some temporary relief, but is unlikely to cure the problem (and at considerable expense).

Some will blame the system – thinking that the planning system is malfunctioning or the production scheduling application is not working correctly. That might indeed be the case but if it is, it is not the software that is at fault. Either the system is operating with bad information or the users are not using the system correctly (don’t understand what it’s trying to tell them). Some consultation and probably user training is needed.

It’s relatively easy to get into a situation where everything seems to be in control – sufficient capacity, healthy order flow, adequate inventories, enough lead time – yet getting work completed on time is a constant struggle. In most cases, the fix is relatively simple, though not always easy to carry out because it may require a change in perspective or methods that goes against the grain. The good news is that the answer is in your ERP system. You (or your advisors) just have to listen to what the system is telling you and properly interpret how to respond.

A Global Perspective on Discrete Manufacturing

Jennifer Alspach — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:48:10 +0000

Discrete manufacturing, the production of distinct items, is continuously changing as the global market grows and develops. From electronics and toys to cars and airplanes, discrete manufacturing provides consumers with distinct objects, and remains one of the fastest changing manufacturing verticals in the world. One of the biggest challenges facing Discrete Manufacturing operations is the added stress being placed on their supply chain by differentiation. As the global economy shifts, an increasing number of tasks are being assigned to overseas production, challenging management tools, fiscal reporting, and the bottom line.

Costs and Profits

The cost of raw materials worldwide is increasing at an incredible rate. What this means for discrete manufacturers is that they must maintain their current price points while their overall expenditures grow to take into account the rising costs of raw materials, labor and energy. This will allow them to stay competitive in an expanding market, but also takes a piece out of their overall profits.

Industry Challenges

Some of the challenges discrete manufacturers face are a direct result of consumer demand for a shorter product development time and increased customization. Customers want a unique product in a timely manner, and they want to be able to upgrade frequently. Constant innovation is at the forefront of discrete manufacturing, allowing companies to stay ahead of the curve and continuously impress consumers. The buying cycle for manufacturers has also changed, with the time from order to cash getting dramatically shorter as automatic payment processing systems become the norm.

Effective Inventory Control

The good news is that there are certain steps to help manage inventory control, such as implementing new software or hardware solutions. A wide range of supply chain management software is available to support discrete manufacturers, along with distribution enterprise resource planning software to help integrate and effectively monitor both internal and external management information from all departments.

All in all, discrete manufacturers are operating in a tough market. Innovation and investment in technology and personnel are important in maintaining a competitive advantage in today’s global economy, and will help your organization succeed.

2012 Trends in Manufacturing Technology Webinar – Register Now

Jennifer Alspach — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:12:19 +0000

Join I.B.I.S., Inc. on Tuesday, March 13th at 2:00pm EST as webinar host, Dave Turbide, reveals the Trends in Optimizing Manufacturing Technology survey findings. For more information and registration, click here.

Microsoft Dynamics Partner Roundup: Project Management for AX 2012

Jennifer Alspach — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:29:46 +0000

In this article:

AXtension Launches New Version of AXtension Visual Project Planning
CRM Module for Dynamics AX Helps Talley Medical Enhance Customer Service
Leading Real Estate Developer Chooses Ameyo for Customer Interactions Management
2 Sisters Food Group Deploys LINKFresh Supply Chain Solution

Dynamics AX 2012 & ADM

Jennifer Alspach — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:28:01 +0000

AX 2012 & ADM (Advanced Discrete Manufacturing) contain functionality to optimize, engineer-to-order (ETO), make-to-order (MTO), configure-to-order (CTO) and assemble-to-order (ATO) business processes. ADM utilizes standard functionality but adds critical components where concurrent engineering is required as well as project specific planning and analysis is required…

5 Steps to Reducing Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Costs in 2012

Jennifer Alspach — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 23:35:37 +0000

One of the main goals of every manufacturing equipment management department is to lower costs. Building richer functionality out-of-the-box while reducing unnecessary costs is on all of our minds. As we move into the year 2012, we have an opportunity to consider how we improve upon existing methods.

So how do we go about reducing the costs of high-tech machinery manufacturing, but still generate opportunities for further efficiency in our operations?…

Connecting Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 with Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Jennifer Alspach — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 23:34:13 +0000

With the general availability for MS Dynamics AX2012 in August, we’ve also released an update of the Connector for MS Dynamics AX2012 and MS Dynamics CRM. Connector for Microsoft Dynamics helps customers who are using Dynamics CRM (either online or on-premise) integrate it with their Dynamics ERP solution. Out of the box, we provide you with baseline integrations that will help you move customer information, inventory and pricing information and sales order between the two systems. Using a web service to web service integration on a scheduled basis, the data moves seamlessly between the two solutions, helping you keep the two systems in sync. Plus, it’s easy to modify the baseline integrations to better match how you do business. You can easily synchronize additional fields, adjust the length of time between schedules, or do deeper modifications using the Connector SDK…

Inside Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012: Automate, Standardize, and Thrive

Jennifer Alspach — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:32:55 +0000

We are at week 11 of our 12-week series titled “Inside Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.” In this week’s edition we turn our attention to the topic of ‘Processes and Workflow’ and the ‘Agile’ messaging pillar for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. Previously when focusing on the Agile pillar we have looked at the topics of Development Tools, Integration & Web Services and Programming so let’s now have a look at business processes – in many ways the foundation on which work gets done within organizations…

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature of the Month: Built-in Manufacturing Capabilities

Jennifer Alspach — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 23:23:45 +0000

As you have probably already heard, Microsoft will be releasing the next version of Microsoft Dynamics AX later in 2011 and that version is Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. Over the course of the next several months we would like to highlight exciting new functionality the new version offers. To start us off, we’d like to highlight the built-in industry capabilities it has – particularly those manufacturing capabilities.

Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is purpose-built for organizations in manufacturing, Public Sector, services, and distribution (with retail coming soon), delivering industry-specific capabilities out-of-the-box. New in this release is support for public sector organizations. Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 uniquely combines industry-specific capabilities in one solution and makes them available to all customers, benefiting organizations that require capabilities for more than one industry…