Anyone read this article? I feel for the suppliers. I'm not so sure about the OEMs. I don't think that the economy is what pushed them to the brink of destruction. Anyone have any thoughts?
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g_4JBWanc-GkzcES3yre0xCk0N9A
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Monitoring and improving OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) with browser-based software applications
OEE, or overall equipment effectiveness, drives improvements in manufacturing effectiveness and efficiency. By monitoring and addressing it, lost production time can be turned into found profits. Many companies who recognize the importance of OEE have yet to realize bottom line improvements by addressing it.
With the advent of browser-based manufacturing software applications, it is now easier than ever before. Equipment downtime can be easily monitored, recorded and reported to allow management to effectively address the areas which need improvement. An accurate picture of OEE can also help companies make appropriate equipment purchasing decisions.
Downtime losses typically come from equipment availability, performance rate and quality rate.
Typical losses include:
Availability
• Planned downtime
• Set up time
• Unplanned recorded downtime or breakdowns
Performance Rate
• Reduced speed
• Minor unrecorded stoppages
Quality Rate
• Rejects
• Rework
• Yield and start up losses
There is a formula for calculating the OEE of a piece of equipment. But you do have to know the machine's availiability, performance rate and quality rate to use it.
Example: 50% Availability (0.5) X 70% Performance Rate (0.7) X 20% Quality Reject Rate (results in 80%(0.8) acceptable) = 30%OEE
More attention paid to improving equipment productivity will help American manufacturers become leaner and improve bottom line profits to allow for competition with overseas manufacturing. A good place to start monitoring productivity is at a bottleneck. Using OEM production rates, accounting for change-overs, planned downtime and uncheduled downtime, manufacturers can benchmark the productivity of their machines. The idea is to then leverage this information to make improvements in the processes or the equipment.
How to leverage information to improve production
There are some software vendors who specialize in software for manufacturing which helps manufacturers utilize productivity data to improve their processes and ultimately their bottom line. Configurable browser-based applications are the ultimate solution for collecting and reporting production data, due to a number of advantages:
Scalability. Can be used at any size plant and multiple plants with anywhere access.
Real time availability. gathers, summarizes and presents plant floor data in real time
Integration. Can be integrated with almost any data source
Export data to other systems. These downtime software systems can export data for use in other enterprise-wide systems such as supply chain management or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
Flexibility. Customizable reporting structure allows for viewing the data a manufacturer wants to see.
Easy to use interfaces. Employees log downtime occurances with an easy to use interface or they can use automation to gather data.
Quick implemenation. Since these applications are browser-based, there is no installation process at individual computer work stations. This allows for easy upgrades, and modifications as well as decreases IT and computer equipment costs. The software can be located on internal or external servers.
Rapid configurability. Entry screens and reports are built on an object oriented structure which allows changes to be implemented in a fraction of the time required by conventional systems
Data Push. This is the ability to warn plant management in real time that production problems are occurring on the floor. The software can send auto email or text messages to the appropriate management personnel. This enables staff to become proactive instead of reactive.
These browser-based applications allow for so much more flexibility, lower cost of owership and such a shorter time to implementation that it's hard to believe that they are usually much less expensive than their old legacy system counterparts.
With the advent of browser-based manufacturing software applications, it is now easier than ever before. Equipment downtime can be easily monitored, recorded and reported to allow management to effectively address the areas which need improvement. An accurate picture of OEE can also help companies make appropriate equipment purchasing decisions.
Downtime losses typically come from equipment availability, performance rate and quality rate.
Typical losses include:
Availability
• Planned downtime
• Set up time
• Unplanned recorded downtime or breakdowns
Performance Rate
• Reduced speed
• Minor unrecorded stoppages
Quality Rate
• Rejects
• Rework
• Yield and start up losses
There is a formula for calculating the OEE of a piece of equipment. But you do have to know the machine's availiability, performance rate and quality rate to use it.
Example: 50% Availability (0.5) X 70% Performance Rate (0.7) X 20% Quality Reject Rate (results in 80%(0.8) acceptable) = 30%OEE
More attention paid to improving equipment productivity will help American manufacturers become leaner and improve bottom line profits to allow for competition with overseas manufacturing. A good place to start monitoring productivity is at a bottleneck. Using OEM production rates, accounting for change-overs, planned downtime and uncheduled downtime, manufacturers can benchmark the productivity of their machines. The idea is to then leverage this information to make improvements in the processes or the equipment.
How to leverage information to improve production
There are some software vendors who specialize in software for manufacturing which helps manufacturers utilize productivity data to improve their processes and ultimately their bottom line. Configurable browser-based applications are the ultimate solution for collecting and reporting production data, due to a number of advantages:
Scalability. Can be used at any size plant and multiple plants with anywhere access.
Real time availability. gathers, summarizes and presents plant floor data in real time
Integration. Can be integrated with almost any data source
Export data to other systems. These downtime software systems can export data for use in other enterprise-wide systems such as supply chain management or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
Flexibility. Customizable reporting structure allows for viewing the data a manufacturer wants to see.
Easy to use interfaces. Employees log downtime occurances with an easy to use interface or they can use automation to gather data.
Quick implemenation. Since these applications are browser-based, there is no installation process at individual computer work stations. This allows for easy upgrades, and modifications as well as decreases IT and computer equipment costs. The software can be located on internal or external servers.
Rapid configurability. Entry screens and reports are built on an object oriented structure which allows changes to be implemented in a fraction of the time required by conventional systems
Data Push. This is the ability to warn plant management in real time that production problems are occurring on the floor. The software can send auto email or text messages to the appropriate management personnel. This enables staff to become proactive instead of reactive.
These browser-based applications allow for so much more flexibility, lower cost of owership and such a shorter time to implementation that it's hard to believe that they are usually much less expensive than their old legacy system counterparts.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Why it may be a smart move to choose a web-based software solution
Web-based software systems are so beneficial because they can be easily accessed from multiple locations as well as save you enormous amounts of time and money. More productivity and profitability can be achieved by having web-based software that is specifically tailored to your own unique business needs. These web-based applications allow for a reduction in hardware, servers and software training, resulting in huge savings for you and your company.
By implementing web-based systems you can expect to lower the cost of ownership and maintenance along with also reducing the cost per user. This main terminal software system can be easily upgraded if needed, without disrupting business and altogether eliminating timely individual desktop upgrades.
Web-based solutions use a web browser to create easy to use, quick to set-up, cost effective solutions that will help your business compete. This type of software is installed on the server and the user accesses it by using just a browser. The whole process of centralizing your software on the server will short-term, as well as long-term, save you both time and money.
Benefits of Web-Based Systems
Reduced IT Administration
Reduced Installation Costs
Little or No Downtime for Updates and Maintenance
Instant Deployment of Information to Users
Support Simplified and Managed from a Single Source
Intranet or Internet Connectivity for Multiple Locations and Remote Workers
When searching for a web-based software vendor remember to look for a company with a good solid track record when it comes to giving their customers the exact system that they are looking for.
By implementing web-based systems you can expect to lower the cost of ownership and maintenance along with also reducing the cost per user. This main terminal software system can be easily upgraded if needed, without disrupting business and altogether eliminating timely individual desktop upgrades.
Web-based solutions use a web browser to create easy to use, quick to set-up, cost effective solutions that will help your business compete. This type of software is installed on the server and the user accesses it by using just a browser. The whole process of centralizing your software on the server will short-term, as well as long-term, save you both time and money.
Benefits of Web-Based Systems
Reduced IT Administration
Reduced Installation Costs
Little or No Downtime for Updates and Maintenance
Instant Deployment of Information to Users
Support Simplified and Managed from a Single Source
Intranet or Internet Connectivity for Multiple Locations and Remote Workers
When searching for a web-based software vendor remember to look for a company with a good solid track record when it comes to giving their customers the exact system that they are looking for.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Browser-Based Total Quality Management Software
Total Quality Management for Manufacturers
Total quality management, or TQM, is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers and distributors in today’s world. Tier one and two suppliers are being encouraged, and in some cases, forced by the large companies they service to get on board with TQM systems.
TQM should address all of the important aspects of a quality management suystem and bring them together into one integrated system.
Software for TQM needs to be versatile and configurable to align all of the aspects of quality management. Innovative, browser-based software can help manufacturers more easily configure a total quality solution that addresses all of their specific needs, and is within their budetary constraints.
What is total quality management? Well, TQM encompasses quality control on the factory floor, and well beyond. It consists of:
1 Statistical control applications
2 Defect tracking systems
3 PPM (parts per million) reporting
4 Quality document management
5 Customer portals for access to quality documents
6 Vendor portals
7 Quality assurance
8 Data management
9 Corrective action measures (CAPA) reporting
10 Change management
11 Corporate dashboards to access all of the quality data
These software applications should easily extend throughout the corporation, and be accessible to the appropriate personnel from any location. Customer portals providing access to various quality data help build customer confidence as well as assure that products meet quality requirements. These interfaces when combined with a barcoding system, can allow users access to the quality settings and production data relevent to any individual part or item. Trending, or looking at the quality issues regarding a large number of parts, is also becoming more popular.
This flexible, accessible software for total quality management is becoming more popular due to the growing acceptance and use of browser-based software systems. Browser-native TQM software provides the perfect vehicle to deliver all of the various aspects of quality management, which corporations are looking for in an easy to use format, in a short amount of time and at reasonable cost with quick ROI (return on investment).
Browse-based systems allow for extensive customization, so that the applications can be configured to fit any customer’s needs. They can also be modified easily after they are in use as the need arises. Browser-based total quality management solutions have more to offer buyers in terms of functionality, accessibility, customizability and price than some other legacy quality management software applications.
Total quality management, or TQM, is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers and distributors in today’s world. Tier one and two suppliers are being encouraged, and in some cases, forced by the large companies they service to get on board with TQM systems.
TQM should address all of the important aspects of a quality management suystem and bring them together into one integrated system.
Software for TQM needs to be versatile and configurable to align all of the aspects of quality management. Innovative, browser-based software can help manufacturers more easily configure a total quality solution that addresses all of their specific needs, and is within their budetary constraints.
What is total quality management? Well, TQM encompasses quality control on the factory floor, and well beyond. It consists of:
1 Statistical control applications
2 Defect tracking systems
3 PPM (parts per million) reporting
4 Quality document management
5 Customer portals for access to quality documents
6 Vendor portals
7 Quality assurance
8 Data management
9 Corrective action measures (CAPA) reporting
10 Change management
11 Corporate dashboards to access all of the quality data
These software applications should easily extend throughout the corporation, and be accessible to the appropriate personnel from any location. Customer portals providing access to various quality data help build customer confidence as well as assure that products meet quality requirements. These interfaces when combined with a barcoding system, can allow users access to the quality settings and production data relevent to any individual part or item. Trending, or looking at the quality issues regarding a large number of parts, is also becoming more popular.
This flexible, accessible software for total quality management is becoming more popular due to the growing acceptance and use of browser-based software systems. Browser-native TQM software provides the perfect vehicle to deliver all of the various aspects of quality management, which corporations are looking for in an easy to use format, in a short amount of time and at reasonable cost with quick ROI (return on investment).
Browse-based systems allow for extensive customization, so that the applications can be configured to fit any customer’s needs. They can also be modified easily after they are in use as the need arises. Browser-based total quality management solutions have more to offer buyers in terms of functionality, accessibility, customizability and price than some other legacy quality management software applications.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Manufacturing KPI Software
Manufacturers, both discreet and process, now have a unique advantage they can employ. KPI software specifically designed for them, which takes into account both business metrics as well as production data and can be delivered on-demand.
Performance measurement software provides users with the ability to visualize and analyze KPIs (key performance indicators). It delivers the power of visualization based on actual metrics directly into the hands of decision makers.
By combining business, operational and production performance KPIs, even when the data is from disparate systems, users are provided with near real-time, actionable metrics and KPIs for optimal decision making in the manufacturing environment. Users can even be sent alerts via e-mail when KPIs which have been designated as their responsibility reach pre-defined alarm levels.
Most manufacturing organizations are already measuring KPIs, to some extent or another, and realize the importance of doing so. The question then becomes how can they leverage this new technology to further enable the organization to make timelier and better informed decisions? Defining the company strategy, identifying KPIs and assigning ownership of KPIs now become the most difficult parts of this endeavor.
Some of the basic production performance KPIs are listed below:
1. Overall equipment effectiveness
2. Scheduled production
3. Open orders
3. Quality tracking-six sigma
4. WIP
5. Cycle time
6. Material costing, usage
7. Labor usage, costs-direct and indirect
8. Forecasts
9. On-time orders
10. On-time shipping
11. Job, product costing
12. Inventory
These production and operational level metrics provide the basis for higher level KPIs, which provide corporate wide performance measurement. These higher level KPIs can be drilled down to the lower level KPIs which comprise it, to zero in on problem areas.
Higher level KPIs:
1. Overall production efficiency of a department, plant or division
2. Comparative analytics for products, plants, divisions, companies
3. Spend analytics
4. Demand forecasting
5. Supplier trending
One of the biggest advantages of a KPI software system is the ability it gives corporate entities to compare the performance of various products, plants, divisions and even companies within the corporation. The software makes it possible for team members to see where the money makers are as well as the marginal or no profit items. Disparate products or facilities can be standardized within the software to allow for comparison.
KPIs can also be aggregated, and weighted, so that they are accounted for and prioritized within the software system. Data from multiple sources already in place within the corporation, such as ERP, CRM, MES and other databases and spread sheets can be incorporated into the system.
Due to on-demand software’s ability to access this information in near real-time, it can be used to support decisions which improve production performance as well as corporate level strategy planning. There are several impressive advantages to the on demand model of delivery for production performance interfaces. One is that it can be configured, deployed and implemented without a lengthy development and deployment cycle. Cost savings on several levels can also be realized. There is no need for “additional IT infrastructure” with an on demand model for KPI software.
Manufacturing organizations who take advantage of KPI software’s ability to help them fine tune production as well as provide corporate wide performance measurement will be the players who come out ahead.
Performance measurement software provides users with the ability to visualize and analyze KPIs (key performance indicators). It delivers the power of visualization based on actual metrics directly into the hands of decision makers.
By combining business, operational and production performance KPIs, even when the data is from disparate systems, users are provided with near real-time, actionable metrics and KPIs for optimal decision making in the manufacturing environment. Users can even be sent alerts via e-mail when KPIs which have been designated as their responsibility reach pre-defined alarm levels.
Most manufacturing organizations are already measuring KPIs, to some extent or another, and realize the importance of doing so. The question then becomes how can they leverage this new technology to further enable the organization to make timelier and better informed decisions? Defining the company strategy, identifying KPIs and assigning ownership of KPIs now become the most difficult parts of this endeavor.
Some of the basic production performance KPIs are listed below:
1. Overall equipment effectiveness
2. Scheduled production
3. Open orders
3. Quality tracking-six sigma
4. WIP
5. Cycle time
6. Material costing, usage
7. Labor usage, costs-direct and indirect
8. Forecasts
9. On-time orders
10. On-time shipping
11. Job, product costing
12. Inventory
These production and operational level metrics provide the basis for higher level KPIs, which provide corporate wide performance measurement. These higher level KPIs can be drilled down to the lower level KPIs which comprise it, to zero in on problem areas.
Higher level KPIs:
1. Overall production efficiency of a department, plant or division
2. Comparative analytics for products, plants, divisions, companies
3. Spend analytics
4. Demand forecasting
5. Supplier trending
One of the biggest advantages of a KPI software system is the ability it gives corporate entities to compare the performance of various products, plants, divisions and even companies within the corporation. The software makes it possible for team members to see where the money makers are as well as the marginal or no profit items. Disparate products or facilities can be standardized within the software to allow for comparison.
KPIs can also be aggregated, and weighted, so that they are accounted for and prioritized within the software system. Data from multiple sources already in place within the corporation, such as ERP, CRM, MES and other databases and spread sheets can be incorporated into the system.
Due to on-demand software’s ability to access this information in near real-time, it can be used to support decisions which improve production performance as well as corporate level strategy planning. There are several impressive advantages to the on demand model of delivery for production performance interfaces. One is that it can be configured, deployed and implemented without a lengthy development and deployment cycle. Cost savings on several levels can also be realized. There is no need for “additional IT infrastructure” with an on demand model for KPI software.
Manufacturing organizations who take advantage of KPI software’s ability to help them fine tune production as well as provide corporate wide performance measurement will be the players who come out ahead.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Production Scheduling
Production scheduling software, or constraint based scheduling, which can help manufacturers generate realistic and executable production schedules uses genetic algorithms to programmatically arrange production schedules for the best possible outcome based on a number of constraints, which are pre-defined by the user. These rule-based programs cycle through thousands of possibilities, until the most optimal schedule is arrived at which best meets all criteria. Constraint-based scheduling needs accurate data in order to arrive at a feasible scheduling scenario.
An effective constraint-based scheduling system requires correct routings that reflect steps in the proper order, and information on whether steps can be parallel or whether they need to be sequential. The amount of thoughtful planning that is required for a successful system to be implemented is one of the largest stopping points to utilizing these systems.
Management needs to define accurate routings in terms of operation sequence and operation overlap. Resource constraints also need to be accurately documented, along with accurate run and set-up times. Tools like constraint based production scheduling systems should not be thought of as a magical solution, but rather as a tool that needs accurate inputs in order to produce a executable schedules which are understood by it's users.
When using constraint based scheduling within an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system, an ERP system which is well integrated with other aspects of the business will generally also be a powerful tool in terms of production scheduling. A number of variables which reside in non-manufacturing software system functionality affect capacity. A well integrated system will be able to update the other business systems of scheduling operations.
Apart from the immediately apparent capacity management benefits of constraint based scheduling, there are a number of less obvious analytical capabilities. Scheduling functionality typically allows you to conduct predictive analyses (what-if) of what would happen if certain changes are made to an optimized schedule. This type of functionality can also provide predictive analyses on the effect of added capacity in the plant. This enables manufacturers to see if equipment purchases will truly deliver an increase in capacity, or if it will simply result in another bottleneck further downstream in the manufacturing process.
Tuppas Production Scheduling
We provide production scheduling, manufacturing and ERP modules which were developed as browser-based, thin client applications. Their easily configurable modules gives manufacturers the ability to make changes to or even add functionality to the software. Tuppas software is web-based, object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and available as a service (SaaS). Applications offered include: Production Scheduling, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Production Reporting, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, SPC, SQC, SCM, CRM, Accounting, Procurement, Job Tracking, Capacity Planning, Quality Assurance, Materials Requirements Planning, Process Control, Training Solutions, CMMS (Preventive Maintenance), Business Intelligence and Performance Dashboards.
An effective constraint-based scheduling system requires correct routings that reflect steps in the proper order, and information on whether steps can be parallel or whether they need to be sequential. The amount of thoughtful planning that is required for a successful system to be implemented is one of the largest stopping points to utilizing these systems.
Management needs to define accurate routings in terms of operation sequence and operation overlap. Resource constraints also need to be accurately documented, along with accurate run and set-up times. Tools like constraint based production scheduling systems should not be thought of as a magical solution, but rather as a tool that needs accurate inputs in order to produce a executable schedules which are understood by it's users.
When using constraint based scheduling within an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system, an ERP system which is well integrated with other aspects of the business will generally also be a powerful tool in terms of production scheduling. A number of variables which reside in non-manufacturing software system functionality affect capacity. A well integrated system will be able to update the other business systems of scheduling operations.
Apart from the immediately apparent capacity management benefits of constraint based scheduling, there are a number of less obvious analytical capabilities. Scheduling functionality typically allows you to conduct predictive analyses (what-if) of what would happen if certain changes are made to an optimized schedule. This type of functionality can also provide predictive analyses on the effect of added capacity in the plant. This enables manufacturers to see if equipment purchases will truly deliver an increase in capacity, or if it will simply result in another bottleneck further downstream in the manufacturing process.
Tuppas Production Scheduling
We provide production scheduling, manufacturing and ERP modules which were developed as browser-based, thin client applications. Their easily configurable modules gives manufacturers the ability to make changes to or even add functionality to the software. Tuppas software is web-based, object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and available as a service (SaaS). Applications offered include: Production Scheduling, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Production Reporting, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, SPC, SQC, SCM, CRM, Accounting, Procurement, Job Tracking, Capacity Planning, Quality Assurance, Materials Requirements Planning, Process Control, Training Solutions, CMMS (Preventive Maintenance), Business Intelligence and Performance Dashboards.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
How often do software development outsourcing deals fail?
The numbers vary depending on which study is cited and what definition of failure is used. But executives initiating or in the midst an IT outsourcing relationship must be constantly sobered by the fact that, from a purely statistical viewpoint, their deal stands about as much chance of failing as of succeeding.
Managing IT outsourcing is hard. It doesn't pay to pretend otherwise. Deloitte Consulting LLP's study "Calling a Change in the Outsourcing Market" found that 70 percent of participants have had significant negative experiences with outsourcing projects.
Let's define failure for offshore software projects and explore some of the reasons for the high failure rate of outsourced software development projects.
I think that not getting software which meets the goals of the buyer is the first element needed to define a failure. The next would be cost, either exceeding the expected costs or exceeding the cost that onshore development would have been. Not meeting schedule is another problem with these projects. Another element would be a lack of relationship with the developer which enables changes to be made easily and functionality added as the project proceeds.
Language and cultural challenges, the time zone shift, and the distance between you and the faces of the development team are all stopping points to the development of your offshore project. Since offshore outsourcing often results in failure of one kind or another (quality, schedule, cost), companies are rethinking this strategy.
The fact of the matter is, offshore software development requires that the buyer carefully develop a plan for the development and then manage the project as it unfolds. Check on code quality and conformance to standards and validate progress when you take a look at the code. If you specify incremental deliveries, be sure that they have organized their development so this can occur. When an operational portion of the code can be tested early, you will be able to see how well they are doing unit testing and whether they are building what you asked. When they deliver an increment, test it yourself right away. This means you need an in-house test team. Make sure this is included in your costs.
This kind of project management may be more than most companies want to deal with. Unfortunately, you can't just turn over the management of the project to an offshore company.
Buyers and software providers need to analyze the risks and consider the costs associated with mitigating them. Management usually assumes that by giving away software development to another company they also give away the risk, not realizing that they keep the primary management responsibility and most of the risk. The project manager will face all of the challenges of an in-house development plus many additional ones. The outsourced employees are part of another company with its own goals that are not the same as your company’s goals. They’re not right there with you to ask or answer questions. They have their own managers they must listen to.
You may want to seriously consider onshore development for your project unless you have the following:
Solid specifications
A sound project manager on site
An experienced team in India or China with senior developers
A good QA team
U.S. software companies can find reasons not to outsource software development and coding to offshore sites, such as these:
they can do background checks on U.S. Citizens
Eliminate the language, culture and time zone barriers
They prefer to help the U.S. economy
The draw of outsourcing is cost savings, but most companies find that outsourcing has many unexpected costs that, when weighed against the savings, negate the benefits.
Tuppas Software utilizes only U.S. programmers to create and deploy it's software projects. We provide manufacturing and ERP modules which were developed as browser-based, thin client applications. Their easily configurable modules gives manufacturers the ability to make changes to or even add functionality to the software. Tuppas software is web-based, object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and available as a service (SaaS). Applications offered include: Production Scheduling, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Production Reporting, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, SPC, SQC, SCM, CRM, Accounting, Procurement, Job Tracking, Capacity Planning, Quality Assurance, Materials Requirements Planning, Process Control, Training Solutions, CMMS (Preventive Maintenance), Business Intelligence and Performance Dashboards.
Managing IT outsourcing is hard. It doesn't pay to pretend otherwise. Deloitte Consulting LLP's study "Calling a Change in the Outsourcing Market" found that 70 percent of participants have had significant negative experiences with outsourcing projects.
Let's define failure for offshore software projects and explore some of the reasons for the high failure rate of outsourced software development projects.
I think that not getting software which meets the goals of the buyer is the first element needed to define a failure. The next would be cost, either exceeding the expected costs or exceeding the cost that onshore development would have been. Not meeting schedule is another problem with these projects. Another element would be a lack of relationship with the developer which enables changes to be made easily and functionality added as the project proceeds.
Language and cultural challenges, the time zone shift, and the distance between you and the faces of the development team are all stopping points to the development of your offshore project. Since offshore outsourcing often results in failure of one kind or another (quality, schedule, cost), companies are rethinking this strategy.
The fact of the matter is, offshore software development requires that the buyer carefully develop a plan for the development and then manage the project as it unfolds. Check on code quality and conformance to standards and validate progress when you take a look at the code. If you specify incremental deliveries, be sure that they have organized their development so this can occur. When an operational portion of the code can be tested early, you will be able to see how well they are doing unit testing and whether they are building what you asked. When they deliver an increment, test it yourself right away. This means you need an in-house test team. Make sure this is included in your costs.
This kind of project management may be more than most companies want to deal with. Unfortunately, you can't just turn over the management of the project to an offshore company.
Buyers and software providers need to analyze the risks and consider the costs associated with mitigating them. Management usually assumes that by giving away software development to another company they also give away the risk, not realizing that they keep the primary management responsibility and most of the risk. The project manager will face all of the challenges of an in-house development plus many additional ones. The outsourced employees are part of another company with its own goals that are not the same as your company’s goals. They’re not right there with you to ask or answer questions. They have their own managers they must listen to.
You may want to seriously consider onshore development for your project unless you have the following:
Solid specifications
A sound project manager on site
An experienced team in India or China with senior developers
A good QA team
U.S. software companies can find reasons not to outsource software development and coding to offshore sites, such as these:
they can do background checks on U.S. Citizens
Eliminate the language, culture and time zone barriers
They prefer to help the U.S. economy
The draw of outsourcing is cost savings, but most companies find that outsourcing has many unexpected costs that, when weighed against the savings, negate the benefits.
Tuppas Software utilizes only U.S. programmers to create and deploy it's software projects. We provide manufacturing and ERP modules which were developed as browser-based, thin client applications. Their easily configurable modules gives manufacturers the ability to make changes to or even add functionality to the software. Tuppas software is web-based, object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and available as a service (SaaS). Applications offered include: Production Scheduling, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Production Reporting, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, SPC, SQC, SCM, CRM, Accounting, Procurement, Job Tracking, Capacity Planning, Quality Assurance, Materials Requirements Planning, Process Control, Training Solutions, CMMS (Preventive Maintenance), Business Intelligence and Performance Dashboards.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Total quality management for manufacturers
By Dawn Tupciauskas, Tuppas Software Corp.
Total quality management, or TQM, is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers and distributors in today’s world. Tier one and two suppliers are being encouraged, and in some cases, forced by the large companies they service to get on board with TQM systems.
TQM addresses all of the important aspects of quality management and brings them together into one integrated system.
Software for TQM needs to be versatile and configurable to align all of the aspects of quality management. Innovative, browser-based software can help manufacturers configure a total quality solution that addresses all of their specific needs.
What is total quality management? TQM encompasses quality control on the factory floor, and beyond. It consists of:
1 Statistical control applications
2 Defect tracking systems
3 PPM (parts per million) reporting
4 Quality document management
5 Customer portals for access to quality documents
6 Quality assurance
7 ISO 9000 data management
8 Corrective action measures reporting
9 Corporate dashboards to access all of the quality data
These software applications should easily extend throughout the corporation, and be accessible to the appropriate personnel from any location. Customer portals providing access to various quality data help build customer confidence as well as assure that products meet quality requirements. These interfaces when combined with a barcoding system, can allow users access to the quality settings and production data relevent to any individual part or item. Trending, or looking at the quality issues regarding a large number of parts, is also becoming more popular.
This flexible, accessible software for total quality management is coming of age due to the growing acceptance and use of browser-based software systems. Browser-native TQM software provides the perfect vehicle to deliver all of the various aspects of quality management, which corporations are looking for in an easy to use format, in a short amount of time and at reasonable cost with quick ROI (return on investment).
Browse-based systems allow for extensive customization, so that the applications can be tailored to fit a customer’s needs. They can also be modified easily after they are in use as the need arises. Browser-based total quality management solutions have more to offer buyers in terms of functionality, accessibility, customizability and price than traditional quality management software applications.
Tuppas offers manufacturing and ERP modules which were developed as browser-based, thin client applications. Their easily configurable modules gives manufacturers the ability to make changes to or even add functionality to the software. Tuppas software is web-based, object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and available as a service (SaaS). Applications offered include: Production Scheduling, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Production Reporting, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, SPC, SQC, Total Quality Management, SCM, CRM, Accounting, Procurement, Job Tracking, Capacity Planning, Quality Assurance, Materials Requirements Planning, Process Control, Training Solutions, CMMS (Preventive Maintenance), Business Intelligence and Performance Dashboards.
Artificial intelligence in manufacturing – improving the bottom line
By Dawn Tupciauskas, Tuppas Software Corporation
Artificial Intelligence – It’s Practical Application in the Manufacturing Environment
As the manufacturing industry becomes increasingly competitive, manufacturers need to implement sophisticated technology to improve productivity. Artificial intelligence, or AI, can be applied to a variety of systems in manufacturing. It can recognize patterns, plus perform time consuming and mentally challenging or humanly impossible tasks. In manufacturing, it is often applied in the area of constraint based production scheduling and closed loop processing.
AI software uses genetic algorithms to programmatically arrange production schedules for the best possible outcome based on a number of constraints, which are pre-defined by the user. These rule-based programs cycle through thousands of possibilities, until the most optimal schedule is arrived at which best meets all criteria.
Another emerging application for AI in a manufacturing environment is process control, or closed loop processing. In this setting, the software uses algorithms which analyze which past production runs came closest to meeting a manufacturer's goals for the current pending production run. The software then calculates the best process settings for the current job, and either automatically adjusts production settings or presents a machine setting recipe to staff which they can use to create the best possible run.
This allows for the execution of progressively more efficient runs by leveraging information collected from past production runs. These recent advances in constraint modeling, scheduling logic, and usability have allowed manufacturers to reap cost savings, reduce inventory and increase bottom line profits.
AI-A brief history
The concept of artificial intelligence has been around since the 1970s. Originally, the primary goal was for computers to make decisions without any input from humans. But it never caught on, partly because system administrators couldn't figure out how to make use of all the data. Even if some could comprehend the value in the data, it was very hard to use, even for engineers.On top of that, the challenge of extracting data from the rudimentary databases of three decades ago was significant. Early AI implementations would spit out reams of data, most of which wasn't sharable or adaptive to different business needs.
The resurgence
AI is having resurgence, courtesy of a ten-year approach called neural networks. Neural networks are modeled on the logical associations made by the human brain. In computer-speak, they're based on mathematical models that accumulate data based on parameters set by administrators.
Once the network is trained to recognize these parameters, it can make an evaluation, reach a conclusion and take action. A neural network can recognize relationships and spot trends in huge amounts of data that wouldn't be apparent to humans. This technology is now being used in expert systems for manufacturing technology.
Practical application in the real world
Some automotive companies are using these expert systems for work process management such as work order routing and production sequencing. Nissan and Toyota, for example, are modeling material flow throughout the production floor that a manufacturing execution system applies rules to in sequencing and coordinating manufacturing operations. Many automotive plants use rules-based technologies to optimize the flow of parts through a paint cell based on colors and sequencing, thus minimizing spray-paint changeovers. These rules-based systems are able to generate realistic production schedules which account for the vagaries in manufacturing, customer orders, raw materials, logistics and business strategies.
Vendors typically don’t like to refer to their AI based scheduling applications as AI due to the fact that the phrase has some stigma associated with it. Buyers are perhaps reluctant to spend money on something as ethereal sounding as AI but are more comfortable with the term "constraint based scheduling".
Constraint-based scheduling needs accurate data
A good constraint-based scheduling system requires correct routings that reflect steps in the right order, and good data on whether steps can be parallel or whether they need to be sequential. The amount of thorough planning that is required for a successful system to be launched is one of the largest drawbacks.
If a management team has not defined and locked in accurate routings in terms of operation sequence and operation overlap, and if it has not correctly identified resource constraints with accurate run and set-up times with a correct set-up matrix, what it winds up with is just a very bad finite schedule that the shop cannot produce. Tools like AI should not be thought of as a black box solution, but rather as a tool that needs accurate inputs in order to produce a feasible schedule that can be understood by the users.
Constraint-based scheduling within an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system
In selecting a solution, there are a number of system prerequisites that you need to look for. The better an enterprise application integrates various business disciplines, the more powerful it will be in terms of delivering constraint based scheduling. This means that if an application suite offers functionality cobbled together from different products the manufacturer has purchased, it may be harder to use that suite to deliver good scheduling functionality. This is because a number of business variables that reside in non-manufacturing functionality can affect capacity.When an ERP package has been configured for constraint based or finite scheduling, it is generally routed to a scheduling server which calculates start and finish times for the operations with consideration to existing orders and capacity. When the shop order is executed, the scheduling system updates the information regarding operations and sends the results back to the enterprise server.
Scheduling functionality within an ERP solution ought to work in a multiple-site environment. Let's say you need to calculate a delivery date based on a multi-site, multilevel analysis of material as well as capacity throughout your whole supply chain. The system should allow you to plan given all the sites in your supply chain and the actual work scheduled for each of those work centers. Manually or automatically, you should be able to schedule work and immediately give your customer a realistic idea of when the order will be completed.
More benefits of AI, constraint based applications
Apart from the immediately apparent capacity management benefits of constraint based scheduling, there are a number of less obvious analytical capabilities. Scheduling functionality typically allows you to conduct predictive analyses of what would happen if certain changes are made to an optimized schedule. So if a plant manager is pressured by a particular account executive to prioritize an order on behalf of a customer, that plant manager can produce excellent data on how many other orders would be late as a result. Furthermore, this functionality can provide predictive analyses on the effect of added capacity in the plant. This enables manufacturers to see if equipment purchases will truly deliver an increase in capacity, or if it will simply result in a bottleneck further downstream in the manufacturing process.
Tuppas offers manufacturing and ERP modules which were developed as browser-based, thin client applications. Their easily configurable modules gives manufacturers the ability to make changes to or even add functionality to the software. Tuppas software is web-based, object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and available as a service (SaaS). Applications offered include: Production Scheduling, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Production Reporting, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, SPC, SQC, SCM, CRM, Accounting, Procurement, Job Tracking, Capacity Planning, Quality Assurance, Total Quality Management, Materials Requirements Planning, Process Control, Training Solutions, CMMS (Preventive Maintenance), Business Intelligence and Performance Dashboards.
Artificial Intelligence – It’s Practical Application in the Manufacturing Environment
As the manufacturing industry becomes increasingly competitive, manufacturers need to implement sophisticated technology to improve productivity. Artificial intelligence, or AI, can be applied to a variety of systems in manufacturing. It can recognize patterns, plus perform time consuming and mentally challenging or humanly impossible tasks. In manufacturing, it is often applied in the area of constraint based production scheduling and closed loop processing.
AI software uses genetic algorithms to programmatically arrange production schedules for the best possible outcome based on a number of constraints, which are pre-defined by the user. These rule-based programs cycle through thousands of possibilities, until the most optimal schedule is arrived at which best meets all criteria.
Another emerging application for AI in a manufacturing environment is process control, or closed loop processing. In this setting, the software uses algorithms which analyze which past production runs came closest to meeting a manufacturer's goals for the current pending production run. The software then calculates the best process settings for the current job, and either automatically adjusts production settings or presents a machine setting recipe to staff which they can use to create the best possible run.
This allows for the execution of progressively more efficient runs by leveraging information collected from past production runs. These recent advances in constraint modeling, scheduling logic, and usability have allowed manufacturers to reap cost savings, reduce inventory and increase bottom line profits.
AI-A brief history
The concept of artificial intelligence has been around since the 1970s. Originally, the primary goal was for computers to make decisions without any input from humans. But it never caught on, partly because system administrators couldn't figure out how to make use of all the data. Even if some could comprehend the value in the data, it was very hard to use, even for engineers.On top of that, the challenge of extracting data from the rudimentary databases of three decades ago was significant. Early AI implementations would spit out reams of data, most of which wasn't sharable or adaptive to different business needs.
The resurgence
AI is having resurgence, courtesy of a ten-year approach called neural networks. Neural networks are modeled on the logical associations made by the human brain. In computer-speak, they're based on mathematical models that accumulate data based on parameters set by administrators.
Once the network is trained to recognize these parameters, it can make an evaluation, reach a conclusion and take action. A neural network can recognize relationships and spot trends in huge amounts of data that wouldn't be apparent to humans. This technology is now being used in expert systems for manufacturing technology.
Practical application in the real world
Some automotive companies are using these expert systems for work process management such as work order routing and production sequencing. Nissan and Toyota, for example, are modeling material flow throughout the production floor that a manufacturing execution system applies rules to in sequencing and coordinating manufacturing operations. Many automotive plants use rules-based technologies to optimize the flow of parts through a paint cell based on colors and sequencing, thus minimizing spray-paint changeovers. These rules-based systems are able to generate realistic production schedules which account for the vagaries in manufacturing, customer orders, raw materials, logistics and business strategies.
Vendors typically don’t like to refer to their AI based scheduling applications as AI due to the fact that the phrase has some stigma associated with it. Buyers are perhaps reluctant to spend money on something as ethereal sounding as AI but are more comfortable with the term "constraint based scheduling".
Constraint-based scheduling needs accurate data
A good constraint-based scheduling system requires correct routings that reflect steps in the right order, and good data on whether steps can be parallel or whether they need to be sequential. The amount of thorough planning that is required for a successful system to be launched is one of the largest drawbacks.
If a management team has not defined and locked in accurate routings in terms of operation sequence and operation overlap, and if it has not correctly identified resource constraints with accurate run and set-up times with a correct set-up matrix, what it winds up with is just a very bad finite schedule that the shop cannot produce. Tools like AI should not be thought of as a black box solution, but rather as a tool that needs accurate inputs in order to produce a feasible schedule that can be understood by the users.
Constraint-based scheduling within an ERP (enterprise resource planning) system
In selecting a solution, there are a number of system prerequisites that you need to look for. The better an enterprise application integrates various business disciplines, the more powerful it will be in terms of delivering constraint based scheduling. This means that if an application suite offers functionality cobbled together from different products the manufacturer has purchased, it may be harder to use that suite to deliver good scheduling functionality. This is because a number of business variables that reside in non-manufacturing functionality can affect capacity.When an ERP package has been configured for constraint based or finite scheduling, it is generally routed to a scheduling server which calculates start and finish times for the operations with consideration to existing orders and capacity. When the shop order is executed, the scheduling system updates the information regarding operations and sends the results back to the enterprise server.
Scheduling functionality within an ERP solution ought to work in a multiple-site environment. Let's say you need to calculate a delivery date based on a multi-site, multilevel analysis of material as well as capacity throughout your whole supply chain. The system should allow you to plan given all the sites in your supply chain and the actual work scheduled for each of those work centers. Manually or automatically, you should be able to schedule work and immediately give your customer a realistic idea of when the order will be completed.
More benefits of AI, constraint based applications
Apart from the immediately apparent capacity management benefits of constraint based scheduling, there are a number of less obvious analytical capabilities. Scheduling functionality typically allows you to conduct predictive analyses of what would happen if certain changes are made to an optimized schedule. So if a plant manager is pressured by a particular account executive to prioritize an order on behalf of a customer, that plant manager can produce excellent data on how many other orders would be late as a result. Furthermore, this functionality can provide predictive analyses on the effect of added capacity in the plant. This enables manufacturers to see if equipment purchases will truly deliver an increase in capacity, or if it will simply result in a bottleneck further downstream in the manufacturing process.
Tuppas offers manufacturing and ERP modules which were developed as browser-based, thin client applications. Their easily configurable modules gives manufacturers the ability to make changes to or even add functionality to the software. Tuppas software is web-based, object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and available as a service (SaaS). Applications offered include: Production Scheduling, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Production Reporting, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, SPC, SQC, SCM, CRM, Accounting, Procurement, Job Tracking, Capacity Planning, Quality Assurance, Total Quality Management, Materials Requirements Planning, Process Control, Training Solutions, CMMS (Preventive Maintenance), Business Intelligence and Performance Dashboards.
Agile software revolution - - information technology in U.S. manufacturing today
By Dawn Tupciauskas Tuppas Software Corporation
A global market economy - what is means for U.S. manufacturers and IT providers
Global competition is making it more difficult for American manufacturing companies to make a profit. Manufacturers need to become more agile to compete globally with economies where the cost of labor is an almost insignificant part of the cost of goods and they have access to the same high tech manufacturing equipment. It is time for forward thinking, competitively focused comanies to move to the next generation of IT tools, and strengthen their manufacturing and management information systems. Technology providers need to provide manufacturers with cost effective, highly mobile, highly adaptable, thin-client competitive capabilities. These capabilities will come in the form of software which is web-based (or web-native), object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and offered as a service (SaaS).
Old ERP technology - the first generation
The truth is that first generation ERP applications lack the flexibility to add or change functionality and they just aren't capable of full web funtionality. Because of their age and code foundations, most existing ERP vendors just can't provide the full range of functionality made possible by the internet-native technologies. The ability of the native browser-based applications to interact with any device that can run a browser i.e. PDAs, cell phones and various data capture devices makes them intrinsically more valuable than the old ERP systems. These old legacy systems are difficult to expand and modify to make use of these wireless devices, or to change and add any new functionality to the system. It is also costly and laborious. Some vendors try to present the old systems in a browser and call the applications "web-enabled", using a technique known as "screen-scraping". But don't be fooled. Web-enabled does not mean web-browser native. These applications lack all of the abilities and advantages of a truly browser-native application. These first generation ERP vendors are racing to convert their aging, first generation offerings to the new, object-oriented, browser- based model of software. This is a difficult task, since the internal source code for these older packages is fundamentally unsuited for the web and cannot make use of the native functionality of the web browser. The total cost of owernship (TCO) for first generation systems is high, due to the legacy code burden, thick-client server setup and heavy support infrastructure. Much more IT workforce is needed to support a first generation ERP application.
A new vision for information technology - next generation software
The ultimate goal for any manufacturing organization is graphic, actionable, timely information when ever and where ever it's needed to support performance. Next generation software makes that goal attainable. Every manufacturer wants supply side and finished goods inventory reductions, energy use reductions, operational efficiency improvements and increased overall efficiency. Browser-based software applications which are easily configured are allowing manufacturers to become lean. A lean organization is one which can quickly and effectively adapt and make changes which lead to better productivity. The success of any software implementation needs to be measured by the achievement of benefits such as a reduction in manufacturing operational costs, a reduction of administrative costs, improved complete and on-time shipments, improved customer satisfaction and improved manufacturing schedule compliance. Next generation software, which is fundamentally different in design, function and form from legacy applications, is the beginning of the software revolution. Although the first generation systems have had their place and time, business practices of the new millennia, wireless technology, and the need for flexible systems is more than these aging systems were designed to deliver. The time has come to move on to a new generation of browser-based, object-oriented, model-driven toolsets which have the flexibility and functionality needed to carry us to the next level. The ultimate goal, real-time availability of information, is now attainable.
How does next generaton software technology make an organization better able to adapt?
Adding funtionality to software systems is a historical problem for first generation ERP vendors. This is because of the legacy code it is built upon. A next generation ERP provider does not have that problem, due to the use of an object-oriented software architecture. Making changes to or even adding functionality to an existing software system already in use is more easily and quickly done. Tuppas has also developed a set of rapid application developement tools to which make modifications even faster. An application which might take a man year to develeop using traditional methods such as asp.net, would take a matter of weeks with our development tools. Due to the relative ease with which they can be configured and changed, object-oriented software tools have brought drastic price reductions to normally high priced integrated management support software. Now not only can the largest organizations afford these software applications, small and medium sized businesses can too. The ease with which these applications can be reconfigured allows a vendor to collaborate with clients to quickly build customized software. This is extremely beneficial to corporations with a number of diverse plants. Tuppas can even help the customer learn to use their development tools so that they can modify the software themselves at their discretion. New business practices can be readily incorporated into an existing system. Our toolset gives us the kind of flexibility which allows us to create highly configured solutions for the corporate level and the plant level. Having the ability to modify the software that helps run the company as their needs change is a huge advantage in a highly competitive market. The system becomes more that just a software purchase. It is an adaptable tool to help them grow and innovate now and in the future.
Wireless adaptability accelerates decision making with real-time or just-in-time information
The faster that mission critical information can be recognized and made available, the faster the reaction time can be. The wireless capabilities of next generation software are providing unprecedented opportunities to accelerate the decision making process due to the decrease in time to acquire critical information. Wireless technology can be used to connect corporate entities, mobilize a sales force, track warehouse inventory, trace products and jobs, empower field personnel and more. The applications are really limitless. Having the ability to collect and organize timely information in a global environment, whether it be a field service technician, a sales person or a CXO, extends the power of any organization.
SaaS-Software-as-a-Service
The idea of software delivered over the web and hosted by a vendor has been around for a while, but it is just now beginning to come into it's own as a viable option for software buyers. The benefits are numerous. Making monthly or quarterly payments for a system allows many more buyers into the market for high end software applications than traditional licensing purchases. Other benefits include lwer cost of entry, quicker start up, faster return on investment, decreased internal support costs, reduced risk (initial investment is small), and better service and support since customers must be happy to be retained. Typically, the vendor or a third party host provide the maintenance, upgrades and security for the system relieving the customer of these burdens too. The absence of on-site servers, software, security and IT professionals means significantly lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for buyers.
The advantages of the thin-client system
A thin client strategy allows for the use of inexpensive work stations along with various other devices, such as palm computers, cell phones and more. It means anywhere, anytime access to information within the system from any browser capable device. It has made complete connectivity very cost effective. Thin-client software is browser-based software which resides on a dedicated server. The server may belong to the client, the vendor or a host. Users have full access the system via "thin client terminals", which really only require access through a browser to the dedicated server. This differs from traditional software installations, which require that a copy of the application be installed locally on each computer where it is to be used. This makes software upgrades infinitely easier, since only the program on the dedicated server needs to be upgraded, and not numerous client computers. This also saves time and disruption of work flow. Another advantage is the reduction in hardware needed at individual work stations to operate the software.
Model-driven design makes integration and upgrades easier
Model-driven software applications allow users to focus on functionality and core business processes without having to worry about technology platforms, technology upgrades and integration issues. Model-driven applications seperate the business, or application logic from the underlying platform. It means that the software is created with two layers, so that one can change and upgrade the user side independently of the technical under-layer, and vice-versa. Software based on model-driven development eases platform integration issues and is a wise IT investment in the uncertain world of changing platform technology. It means reduced cost of ownership, reduced development time for new applications, rapid inclusion of emerging technology into systems and an increased return on technology investments. Model-driven design provides the framework which frees users to evolve their software and practices independently of the underlying technology or platform. It enables better, faster and less expensive system integration.
In conclusion
When you combine all of the features of the next generation software applications, what you end up with is a new class of software. Together, model driven development tools, object-oriented design, browser-based development, rapid development tools and wireless possibilities have created a revolution in software design and development. These applications mean greater flexibility at a significantly lower cost than first generation systems offered. U.S. manufacturers need to become more able to quickly react, move and respond to changing markets, regulations, finances and the competition in order to survive. This adaptability will soon become a necessary trait for any manufacturer who wants to survive in our new global marketplace.
Tuppas offers manufacturing and ERP modules which were developed as browser-based, thin client applications. Their easily configurable modules gives manufacturers the ability to make changes to or even add functionality to the software. Tuppas software is web-based, object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and available as a service (SaaS). Applications offered include: Production Scheduling, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Production Reporting, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, SPC, SQC, SCM, CRM, Accounting, Procurement, Job Tracking, Capacity Planning, Quality Assurance, Materials Requirements Planning, Process Control, Training Solutions, CMMS (Preventive Maintenance), Business Intelligence and Performance Dashboards.
A global market economy - what is means for U.S. manufacturers and IT providers
Global competition is making it more difficult for American manufacturing companies to make a profit. Manufacturers need to become more agile to compete globally with economies where the cost of labor is an almost insignificant part of the cost of goods and they have access to the same high tech manufacturing equipment. It is time for forward thinking, competitively focused comanies to move to the next generation of IT tools, and strengthen their manufacturing and management information systems. Technology providers need to provide manufacturers with cost effective, highly mobile, highly adaptable, thin-client competitive capabilities. These capabilities will come in the form of software which is web-based (or web-native), object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and offered as a service (SaaS).
Old ERP technology - the first generation
The truth is that first generation ERP applications lack the flexibility to add or change functionality and they just aren't capable of full web funtionality. Because of their age and code foundations, most existing ERP vendors just can't provide the full range of functionality made possible by the internet-native technologies. The ability of the native browser-based applications to interact with any device that can run a browser i.e. PDAs, cell phones and various data capture devices makes them intrinsically more valuable than the old ERP systems. These old legacy systems are difficult to expand and modify to make use of these wireless devices, or to change and add any new functionality to the system. It is also costly and laborious. Some vendors try to present the old systems in a browser and call the applications "web-enabled", using a technique known as "screen-scraping". But don't be fooled. Web-enabled does not mean web-browser native. These applications lack all of the abilities and advantages of a truly browser-native application. These first generation ERP vendors are racing to convert their aging, first generation offerings to the new, object-oriented, browser- based model of software. This is a difficult task, since the internal source code for these older packages is fundamentally unsuited for the web and cannot make use of the native functionality of the web browser. The total cost of owernship (TCO) for first generation systems is high, due to the legacy code burden, thick-client server setup and heavy support infrastructure. Much more IT workforce is needed to support a first generation ERP application.
A new vision for information technology - next generation software
The ultimate goal for any manufacturing organization is graphic, actionable, timely information when ever and where ever it's needed to support performance. Next generation software makes that goal attainable. Every manufacturer wants supply side and finished goods inventory reductions, energy use reductions, operational efficiency improvements and increased overall efficiency. Browser-based software applications which are easily configured are allowing manufacturers to become lean. A lean organization is one which can quickly and effectively adapt and make changes which lead to better productivity. The success of any software implementation needs to be measured by the achievement of benefits such as a reduction in manufacturing operational costs, a reduction of administrative costs, improved complete and on-time shipments, improved customer satisfaction and improved manufacturing schedule compliance. Next generation software, which is fundamentally different in design, function and form from legacy applications, is the beginning of the software revolution. Although the first generation systems have had their place and time, business practices of the new millennia, wireless technology, and the need for flexible systems is more than these aging systems were designed to deliver. The time has come to move on to a new generation of browser-based, object-oriented, model-driven toolsets which have the flexibility and functionality needed to carry us to the next level. The ultimate goal, real-time availability of information, is now attainable.
How does next generaton software technology make an organization better able to adapt?
Adding funtionality to software systems is a historical problem for first generation ERP vendors. This is because of the legacy code it is built upon. A next generation ERP provider does not have that problem, due to the use of an object-oriented software architecture. Making changes to or even adding functionality to an existing software system already in use is more easily and quickly done. Tuppas has also developed a set of rapid application developement tools to which make modifications even faster. An application which might take a man year to develeop using traditional methods such as asp.net, would take a matter of weeks with our development tools. Due to the relative ease with which they can be configured and changed, object-oriented software tools have brought drastic price reductions to normally high priced integrated management support software. Now not only can the largest organizations afford these software applications, small and medium sized businesses can too. The ease with which these applications can be reconfigured allows a vendor to collaborate with clients to quickly build customized software. This is extremely beneficial to corporations with a number of diverse plants. Tuppas can even help the customer learn to use their development tools so that they can modify the software themselves at their discretion. New business practices can be readily incorporated into an existing system. Our toolset gives us the kind of flexibility which allows us to create highly configured solutions for the corporate level and the plant level. Having the ability to modify the software that helps run the company as their needs change is a huge advantage in a highly competitive market. The system becomes more that just a software purchase. It is an adaptable tool to help them grow and innovate now and in the future.
Wireless adaptability accelerates decision making with real-time or just-in-time information
The faster that mission critical information can be recognized and made available, the faster the reaction time can be. The wireless capabilities of next generation software are providing unprecedented opportunities to accelerate the decision making process due to the decrease in time to acquire critical information. Wireless technology can be used to connect corporate entities, mobilize a sales force, track warehouse inventory, trace products and jobs, empower field personnel and more. The applications are really limitless. Having the ability to collect and organize timely information in a global environment, whether it be a field service technician, a sales person or a CXO, extends the power of any organization.
SaaS-Software-as-a-Service
The idea of software delivered over the web and hosted by a vendor has been around for a while, but it is just now beginning to come into it's own as a viable option for software buyers. The benefits are numerous. Making monthly or quarterly payments for a system allows many more buyers into the market for high end software applications than traditional licensing purchases. Other benefits include lwer cost of entry, quicker start up, faster return on investment, decreased internal support costs, reduced risk (initial investment is small), and better service and support since customers must be happy to be retained. Typically, the vendor or a third party host provide the maintenance, upgrades and security for the system relieving the customer of these burdens too. The absence of on-site servers, software, security and IT professionals means significantly lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for buyers.
The advantages of the thin-client system
A thin client strategy allows for the use of inexpensive work stations along with various other devices, such as palm computers, cell phones and more. It means anywhere, anytime access to information within the system from any browser capable device. It has made complete connectivity very cost effective. Thin-client software is browser-based software which resides on a dedicated server. The server may belong to the client, the vendor or a host. Users have full access the system via "thin client terminals", which really only require access through a browser to the dedicated server. This differs from traditional software installations, which require that a copy of the application be installed locally on each computer where it is to be used. This makes software upgrades infinitely easier, since only the program on the dedicated server needs to be upgraded, and not numerous client computers. This also saves time and disruption of work flow. Another advantage is the reduction in hardware needed at individual work stations to operate the software.
Model-driven design makes integration and upgrades easier
Model-driven software applications allow users to focus on functionality and core business processes without having to worry about technology platforms, technology upgrades and integration issues. Model-driven applications seperate the business, or application logic from the underlying platform. It means that the software is created with two layers, so that one can change and upgrade the user side independently of the technical under-layer, and vice-versa. Software based on model-driven development eases platform integration issues and is a wise IT investment in the uncertain world of changing platform technology. It means reduced cost of ownership, reduced development time for new applications, rapid inclusion of emerging technology into systems and an increased return on technology investments. Model-driven design provides the framework which frees users to evolve their software and practices independently of the underlying technology or platform. It enables better, faster and less expensive system integration.
In conclusion
When you combine all of the features of the next generation software applications, what you end up with is a new class of software. Together, model driven development tools, object-oriented design, browser-based development, rapid development tools and wireless possibilities have created a revolution in software design and development. These applications mean greater flexibility at a significantly lower cost than first generation systems offered. U.S. manufacturers need to become more able to quickly react, move and respond to changing markets, regulations, finances and the competition in order to survive. This adaptability will soon become a necessary trait for any manufacturer who wants to survive in our new global marketplace.
Tuppas offers manufacturing and ERP modules which were developed as browser-based, thin client applications. Their easily configurable modules gives manufacturers the ability to make changes to or even add functionality to the software. Tuppas software is web-based, object-oriented, model-driven, thin-client, configurable and available as a service (SaaS). Applications offered include: Production Scheduling, Advanced Planning and Scheduling, Production Reporting, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, SPC, SQC, SCM, CRM, Accounting, Procurement, Job Tracking, Capacity Planning, Quality Assurance, Materials Requirements Planning, Process Control, Training Solutions, CMMS (Preventive Maintenance), Business Intelligence and Performance Dashboards.
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