You’re managing a manufacturing process. What software can help you keep it under control?

ERP has many benefits like 1. Better reporting tools with real-time information 2. Better access to customer information. 3. Too much inventory, and higher overhead costs 4. Too little inventory, and longer customer fulfillment times

# The Manufacturing can use SAP system with different modules like MM/ FICO/ PP/QM/PM/SD, # Project Management like Primavera / MS projects # Quality Modules for Digital SPC. But these all depends on the size of the industry and affordability. Many companies are running with just TALLY / other CRM.... High End software need process maturity. Finally operating these softwares are high.

ERP / MOVEX (Entrepreneur Resources Planning) SAP MS OFFICE (Ms Word / Ms Excel / Power Point) PRIMAVERA PEVOT TABLE Auto Cad software

ERP is very basic requirement for any industry right from Small to Large. This has helped to track right from Input and Output , manning etc. Essential to track Inventory.

To emphasize the monitoring of the process I suggest the usage ( if possible ) of a MES software to collect data over the manufacturing process and then analyze the collected data with an statistical tool or with a BI tool, is important to adapt our data collection and analysis to the business needs, budget and KPIs of the organization.

MES is very highly essential in Manufacturing Industry , but in my prospective there needs to be high emphasis on adoption and usage. Based on my experience two industry were MES was in place, still many features stays as grey area in terms of understanding , usage and also adoption .

As a Digital Transformation consultant at Neelsmartec, leveraging my experience as a PLM consultant, I've had the privilege of working on enhancing a module to the MES solutions. In my role as a solution manager while working with a EMS, I devised an automated system assigning process work instructions to each station on the assembly line. This innovation streamlines operations and eliminates the need for paper-based instructions, fostering efficiency and sustainability.

MES is a very hard to execute its program/system esp in the pharmaceutical mfg, it will depend its formulation or system to be set up over the ever fixed changing cgmp environment worlwide., mes will depend on the standard to be set up by the people of cgmp, workers directly involve in process ,quality control, matls availabilty, planning, validated equipment availability etc .

MES is important for several reasons: It provides real-time data and insights that can boost production efficiency and save costs. It improves quality control by detecting and stopping issues as soon as they occur, reducing waste and re-work. It increases uptime by optimizing resource scheduling, product flow, and equipment maintenance. It reduces inventory by updating inventory records with accurate information on material availability and usage. It ensures traceability and compliance by creating the “as-built” record of the manufacturing process, documenting the procedures and outcomes. MES is essential for driving optimal performance and competitiveness in today’s dynamic and complex manufacturing environment.

As a Digital Transformation consultant at Neelsmartec, my proficiency in Windchill PLM spans various industrial domains, where I successfully enhanced NPD/NPI processes. implementation of the "Engineering and Manufacturing Change Process" presented both challenges and rewards. The outcomes include streamlined workflows, reduced errors, and heightened collaboration, bringing tangible gains in efficiency. These are complemented by intangible benefits, fostering enhanced team morale and adaptability. It's this delicate balance that drives continuous improvement in manufacturing processes.

PLM software can create a single repository for all product data, including drawings, specifications, and simulations. This makes it easy for engineers and designers to access and share information, which can help to speed up the design process and reduce errors. and so, in the PLM software can track and manage change requests throughout the design process. This helps to ensure that all changes are documented and that everyone is aware of the latest version of the product design, and can automate many of the tasks involved in product design, such as generating drawings and specifications. This can free up engineers and designers to focus on more creative and strategic work.

SCM Software is essential for Manufacturing in terms of plan dispersion in industries were multi component and process are involved.

I would use SCM, which are business tools aimed at managing the supply chain, managing relationships with suppliers and controlling processes. It helps companies manage the entire supply chain, production and logistics of products, automating processes. In this way, it processes the physical and informative means of business, generating greater performance, greater cost efficiency and, therefore, greater chain efficiency.

A manufacturing business always has multiple dependencies for the final sale to happen for eg. Sale order confirmation, production planning, raw material procurement, supply chain and finally invoicing. Each process has multiple dependencies, for example no procurement until order is placed and order confirmation cannot be done until we have certainty of production. BI tool can help with information on available inventory, production capacity, shipment etc can make the sales person confident of negotiating the deal and material availability to the customer. With AI, it's a ame changer for the manufacturing companies when any data can be linked up to get the answer to questions that are difficult to answer considering diff departments..

Building dashboards with PowerBI or Tableau would provide you with strong visualization capabilities and identify any process deviations

In my experience, having worked for large corporations and startups, I recommend identifying a correct Quality Management System that work together with your manufacturing process systems, ERP. Not only would you improve efficiency but also, the quality of your processes.

What software can help you keep a manufacturing process under control? It is not easy to efficiently schedule and control production on shop floor in a majority of job shops. ERP, MES, PLM, SCM and BI software do not provide adequate help to perform this function on a regular basis. However, software tools which can schedule production at operations level are quite helpful to schedule and control production in complex job shops. They provide a prediction of work flow, job completion times and bottleneck formations and help with proactive capacity planning by supporting fast, extensive and reliable what-if analysis of the schedule. They also help improve throughput, on-time delivery, material procurement process, WIP and order lead times.

A bigger shopfloor , should consider a TMS system (Tool Management System). This can be conected with most common Erp, cad programs toolholders and machines. The benefit is a seamless connection, of all your systems with a click on the mouse. An example is that the toolholders can be equipped with a chip, that can hold length diameter, who was assembly it, how long is the remaining running time, the lifetime if it's a shrink holder, all underlying spearparts setup sheets and drawings. The system knows now what the expected toolcost for a work will be, if there are any tools free to produce the details. This can be how advanced that you want it to be.

To be able to control the production process normally any company need a combination of software that can help to well manage customer demands taking in account suppliers ,company strategy and a lot of international and local requirements.

As a Digital Transformation consultant at Neelsmartec, my role in PLM and IIOT involves orchestrating a seamless data flow. During my tenure with an EMS, I facilitated an end-to-end process, integrating CAD to PLM (Windchill for EBOM and Agile for MBOM) to ERP (BAAN), MES (internal), and further enhancing it with ThingWorx (IIoT). This comprehensive approach ensures streamlined manufacturing processes, exemplifying the prowess of digital integration at every stage.