Using the integrated solution will affect the following departments as described:

 

Production: Production personnel are able to view all parts pulled for a kit, see if extra parts are in inventory or on order, request replacement parts, and check the status of the request.  They are also able to document the reason for the unexpected shortage to facilitate process improvements.

 

Inventory: Inventory personnel can quickly view shortages for a given Work Center, Work Order, and Component.  They are also able to see on hand and on order information for a component allowing them to more quickly replace the parts.  Upon kit completion, they are able to track actual usage by kit and compare that to expected usage.

Purchasing: When shortages are reported in ManEx and inventory does not have sufficient quantity to fill the shortage, MRP creates a kit shortage demand so that purchasing may order replacement parts.  This kit shortage demand is differentiated from standard demand so purchasing personnel can take appropriate action to reduce production downtime.

 

Receiving: Receiving personnel have visibility of all kits currently requiring incoming components and can receive directly to the kits.  This time saving step also prevents needed components from sitting on the shelf while production waits for the parts.

 

Sales: When shortages are tracked in ManEx, sales personnel are able to to see which parts are preventing delivery.  This enables them to communicate more effectively with the customer and avoid many surprises from production delays.

 

CONCLUSION

NE company was able to quickly transition shortage tracking from their external tracking system into ManEx.  They immediately realized the benefit of tracking shortages in the same system they used to purchase and kit those parts. 

 

This integration reduced line down time and helped identify a small but significant hole in their old process.   The external system required a user to periodically match shortages between the disconnected systems.  If the shortage was reported shortly after this manual synchronization occurred, it could be as much as a day later before the new shortage was finally ordered.  Tracking shortages within ManEx allowed for instantaneous reporting and faster turn times on the shortage.