The manufacturing industry has changed drastically over the last few decades. Back in the day, a factory was a building filled with people performing manual labor, but today’s factories are full of automated systems and software.
This means that manufacturers have new opportunities to improve their workflow and save time and money — but it also means that they need more specialized types of software than ever before.
What does 2022 mean for manufacturers?
For manufacturers, the best way to succeed in 2022 is by using software that helps them work smarter.
A good ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system will help you make sure your business runs smoothly and efficiently. It’s important to have an ERP that can integrate with other systems, so it doesn’t become a bottleneck when you want to add new features or expand into new markets.
An MES (Manufacturing Execution System) will let you plan out production based on demand and sales forecasts—using real-time data from sales orders and supply chain activities—and then execute those plans accordingly.
A PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) solution makes sure all of your team members are working on projects in tandem; no more silos! Your design engineers can share CAD models with manufacturing engineers who can approve them for mass production if necessary; meanwhile, your operations team has access to data about inventory levels across multiple warehouses around the world so they can restock as quickly as possible after a large shipment gets delivered (or arrives late).
1. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software
ERP is a suite of applications that a manufacturer can use to manage all aspects of the business. It’s often used in conjunction with other software to automate processes like inventory management and purchasing orders.
For manufacturers, ERP systems provide several key benefits:
- They help you scale by providing visibility across multiple departments and allowing you to manage people who aren’t physically located in the same office space as one another.
- They make it easier for employees to access data from anywhere on any device, so no matter where they are or what tools they’re using, everyone has access to real-time information when making decisions about how best to do their jobs.
- They make sure data integrity is maintained throughout your organization.
The right ERP system can help with inventory management and supply chain planning while a modern MRP solution will help keep track of orders coming in or going out.
For example, manufacturing ERP software like Katana helps manufacturers track their inventory, monitor equipment health, track time spent on jobs, plan work orders etc.—basically everything involved in running a factory.
2. Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) software
As a manufacturer, you need to monitor and control your manufacturing processes. That’s where MES software comes in. Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) software is used to monitor and control manufacturing equipment, operations, and facilities.
Manufacturers use MES software to complete the following tasks:
- Monitor production processes by collecting data from sensors on machines and equipment
- Communicate with other departments within the company (e.g., sales) via mobile applications or desktop computers using a web-based application
- Create reports that show performance metrics for products
3. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software is a comprehensive solution for manufacturers. This type of software helps companies manage the design, development, and production of their products.
The PLM system offers several benefits, including:
- Better collaboration between people involved in product development and engineering
- Improved visibility into the design process
- Increased efficiency during production
With PLM, you can create product models with minimal effort and allow team members to see how they affect each other in real-time. You can also use it as a way to keep track of progress on projects like new machines or new components that will be used in existing machines.
At the end of the day, a manufacturing business needs to consider what types of software they need to be able to optimize and streamline their operations.
While the operations can be managed manually, it adds unwarranted redundant tasks in the supply chain that makes your operation management complicated.
While most companies don’t need all three types, top manufacturing businesses have at least one of them in place.
1 comment
Nice Article. Thanks for Sharing!