Expert knowledge for digital decisions
What software does a manufacturing company need?
Short answer
The typical gap
ERP: knows orders, bill of materials, deadlines. Machine: knows run times, quantities, malfunctions. In between: often a clip board.
The consequence: The order status in ERP is only as current as the last manual feedback.
Where custom solutions start
Feedback from production. Terminal at the machine or tablet: Start order, report quantity, record malfunction. Must be operable within seconds, even with gloves.
Order tracking. Where is which order, which stage has been reached, where is there a bottleneck.
Quality documentation. Assign inspection results to the batch, traceable. Mandatory in regulated areas.
Machine data. Run times, downtime, setup times – the basis for any reliable statement about utilization.
The principle
Do not replace the ERP. Close the gap and connect both sides. An ERP replacement is one of the most expensive projects ever and rarely necessary to solve the actual problem.
What needs clarification before starting
Which machines actually provide data, and via which interface? Older machines often provide nothing – then manual feedback remains, and this must be particularly fast.
Key facts
- Typical gap
- Between ERP and machine
- Principle
- Close the gap instead of replacing ERP
- Clarify beforehand
- Which machines provide data?
Sources
All external claims are backed by traceable sources.- 01
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