 |
|
Guide to Manufacturing Software
Make your operations more efficient with the right programs
By Tonya Vinas
|
|
Highly
Useful
7.0
out of 10
|
|
| |
|
| |
There are dozens of categories of manufacturing software. Some focus on process, some focus on integrating silos within a company, and some focus on better relations with customers and/or suppliers. To decide what type of software to investigate, define your goal:
- If the problem that needs to be solved is one contained within operations, then software that focuses on scheduling, materials planning and procurement, inventory or other operations-oriented functions is called for.
- If your company needs more enterprise-wide control, then enterprise resource planning (ERP) or product lifecycle management (PLM) might be more appropriate.
- If sharing information with suppliers is what is needed, then investigate supply-chain management offerings. To better serve customers, review customer-resource management systems.
- For any solution, request and expect a trial. Implementations can run from several thousand dollars to several hundred thousand depending upon size of your business and scope of the solution.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
 Plant-floor improvement
Production-scheduling software (a.k.a. finite capacity scheduling software or manufacturing planning software) lets users schedule orders for machinery, labor units, inventory space and other manufacturing assets based on the finite availability of the assets.
I recommend: Vendors include Waterloo Manufacturing Software, Preactor International and NETAPS.
ERP and beyond
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is one of the most commonly used software solutions in manufacturing. It manages companies from a financial-metrics point of view. Much consolidation has occurred in the big companies recently.
I recommend: Two of the biggest players are SAP and Oracle Corp. Others include HP and Epicor.
PLM options
One of the fastest-growing areas of manufacturing software is product-lifecycle-management (PLM), which focuses on managing documentation of a product's life from every perspective — suppliers, materials used, logistics, liabilities, etc.
I recommend: Two of the biggest vendors in this area are PTC and UGS.
Making connections
As the importance of supply-chain management has grown in global manufacturing, so have the offerings of software that assist with supply-chain management.
I recommend: Some of the companies that offer this include ClickCommerce, Manhattan Associates and i2 Technologies.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Solutions options vary: a hosted solution in which the actual program resides on an external server (usually the most affordable, but some consider it the least secure), off-the-shelf software (a moderate choice in terms of cost and function) or custom-built (most expensive, best customized functionality).
- Many other types of manufacturing software exist, including manufacturing resource planning (MRP), manufacturing execution systems (MES), warehouse management systems (WMS) and a cadre of product design systems such as CAD. Often, the best way to determine exactly what your company needs is to hire a chief technology officer or consult with an outside specialist.
The official source of Manufacturing Software is
the Manufacturing Software page at Business.com
Featured Vendors
IBS - Manufacturing SoftwareIBS delivers supply chain management/ERP solutions to wholesale distributors and manufacturers.
www.ibsus.com DBA Manufacturing SoftwareIntegrated Manufacturing - MRP - Accounting software for small business. DBA is the common sense alternative to over-complicated ERP.
www.dbamanufacturing.com ScanPlanet: Product Tracking for Parts ManufacturingProduct tracking and part traceability solutions. MES software to track parts in manufacturing, traceability with direct part marking, barcode, RFID.
www.scanplanet.com Sage MAS Manufacturing SoftwareQuick, accurate and inexpensive manufacturing solutions by Sage MAS. Avoid production bottlenecks & use time efficiently. Learn more today.
www.SageMAS.com
Subscribe to
Try our free weekly WhatWorks newsletter, with business how-to advice
& resources from Work.com.
|
 Recommended Solution Providers | Back to top |
|
Online manufacturing software such as bar coded inventory tracking and real-time traceability, mobile computing and internet-based communication systems.
Small business manufacturing software.
Manufacturing and accounting software designer.
Small and medium-sized business software including integrated ERP infrastructure, CRM, and supply chain applications.
Developer of manufacturing management software systems for mid-sized companies.
|
|
 Best Sites to Learn More | Back to top |
|
Guide to varying types of manufacturing software with brief product descriptions and evaluations.
Comprehensive library of manufacturing software providers.
White papers, product literature, webcasts and case studies pertaining to manufacturing software.
|
|
 Is any content on this page inappropriate? To let us know, please click here.
|
|
 |
|
Ads by Google
All New Bundles starting at $495 Try Free Demo & See for yourself.
Top 5 Websites For Manufacturing Software
Control your inventory with affordable, easy to use software
Visual Jobshop Software Shaping Manufactures Success
 |
|
Related Guides
|
|
 |
|
Ads by Google
Outsourced Software Development Offshore based Software Development
Choose Axium Solutions Software that Fits Your Firm
Dispatch-Track-Analyze-Real Time Contact us for a Demo!
Pick & Pack, Web Fulfillment Integrated Small Parcel, EDI
Affordable ERP Solution for the small to medium manufacturer
|
|
|
Related Topics
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Related Resources from Business.com
Comments
