Introduction
To achieve success in any business there is a need to make the best decision concerning the best method to deliver customer demands at a cheaper cost possible. The consequence of doing will translate to rise in sales which leads to higher profits. To achieve this, there is need to make use of technology and better methods that focus on manufacturing processes, more so, in the allocation and planning of resources, ordering of materials, analysis of cost data and generation of production schedules. Generally, the manufacturing process requires the integration of Materials Requirements Planning (MRP), Capacity Requirement Planning (CRP) and Enterprise Requirement Planning (ERP) to assist in providing the best choice of production decisions (Nishioka, Suzuki & Kumori, 2014) . Some of the benefits that accompany such kind of integration include the reduction of lead times, reduction in work-in-progress balances, flexibility in production functions and shorter launch times. The positive side is that there have been advances in technology and as part of the PPQ parts manufacturing company, there is a need to make use of these systems for efficiency.
Oracle
The Oracle Application’s e-Business Suite is a very good software that has a set of very powerful tools and problem-solving methods that other than providing a better way of managing organization’s processes, they also are important in the planning process. The Oracle Manufacturing and Supply Chain suite is one of the best systems that fit the manufacturing environment that is discrete, involves projects, repetitive functions, process manufacturing and other activities that are associated to the process. Generally, the production process involves the details of products, the quantity of produce and the time the product is needed. Production planning involves Aggregate Production Planning, Master Production Planning, Material Requirements Planning and Capacity planning (Russell & Taylor, 2013) . Oracle provides MRP, CRP, and ERP as separate modules among other modules.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Pros
It provides sales forecasting
The database and the application are integrated nicely.
Provides scheduling of useful information
Cons
Lacks normal activities that are tailored for industry environment
The report generated online is not friendly.
Some of the forms lack compatibility with some of the databases.
SAP Business One
This business software provides a better visibility in manufacturing operations. It provides an all-in-one solution that enables manufacturing organizations to achieve smooth operations effectively. It provides accurate, real-time data to maximize profits and production. The SAP is an ERP system that consolidates various functions. Generally, SAP can serve as an important tool in the implementation, planning, and coordination of logistics, financial businesses, manufacturing, and human resource.
Pros
Provides aggressive delivery time and process optimization
Reduces reproduction time through improved planning, communication and the response to the changing requirements
Provides accurate quoting
Enhances machine and labor utilization
Cons
SAP has a high cost of purchasing and the implementation
It has higher complexity and thus companies are limited to implementing one feature at a time leading to a longer period of implementation.
Fishbowl
This software deals with automation and the management of inventories. Its ability to integrate with QuickBooks gives it an upper hand in inventory control and MRP. Generally.it focuses on inventory management and thus has features for barcoding, management of raw materials, asset management, and generation of customized reports.
Pros
Automatic quoting, ordering and purchasing functions
It enables sharing of work orders
Availability of training and support resources that enhances user ability.
Cons
It is user-friendly and user support is present.
Its ability to integrate with accounting software makes it cost effective and efficient.
JobBOSS
JobBOSS is also another popular system that can be used for planning, creating quotations and developing execution systems. It has functionalities that can assist in quoting sales, order, and job creation, the ability to schedule jobs and material requirement planning. JobBOSS, as well, can be integrated with QuickBooks and also can be sold with the accounting module. It consists of several packages: Starter, Professional, and Enterprise).
Pros
It is customizable
It is simple and easy to use
It is flexible and can be expanded to fit the company’s requirements
Cons
It is somehow tedious working with it.
Infor VISUAL ERP Software
This software is an ERP system that offers end-to-end functionalities that are customized for manufacturing companies. It offers solutions ranging from planning to sourcing, creation to delivery, generally the overall product lifecycle. It offers functionalities that enable the management of MRP, full financials, human resource management, and supply chain management.
Pros
It supports several manufacturing modes, for instance, MTO and ETO.
Provides single sign-on authentication.
It is easy to learn and be able to use
Ability to integrate it with finance, scheduling, and engineering.
Cons
Has limited ability to sort data in the purchasing planning data table
The browser-based is quite inferior
The i2 Manufacturing Management
This is a software that has the ability to synchronize products between the company floor and the multi-tiered supplier functionalities. This enables the company to optimize capacity as well as lower the inventory and order-to-delivery lead times. This is a solution that makes use of the comprehensive methodology in the incorporation of the organization’s planning, scheduling, execution, and collaborative processes.
Pros
It is easy to use
Customer support is good
Its features and functionalities are efficient
Cons
The interface is simple and too basic
The system is expensive to acquire
Does not offer customization
Conclusion and Recommendation
While every system can work alone, the best results can be achieved by incorporating them together. MRP generally requires CRP to achieve capabilities that concern machine and labor. MRP needs input from other sections of the industry which include marketing and finance. ERP is also a very powerful tool that can be implemented to enable organize and manage the production and manufacturing costs across all areas. The success of a manufacturing company depends on the ability of the company to implement this software, at least, some of them to achieve maximum profits using the least resources as well as reducing lead and turn-around times. It will also go a long way in enhancing efficiency and management of resources as well as labor so as to ensure optimization of resources.
References
Nishioka, Y., Suzuki, Y., & Kumori, T. (2014). Study of production lead time offset for integrated operation schedule of MRP and CRP. The Proceedings of Manufacturing Systems Division Conference , 2014 (0), 39-40. doi: 10.1299/jsmemsd.2014.39
Russell, R., & Taylor, B. (2013). Operations management (7th ed.). Hoboken: J. Wiley & Sons.
