Using MRP to boost Manufacturing Productivity
Modern manufacturers often make use of computer software in addition to automated functions to improve their efficiency. Generally this means making use of “manufacturing resource planning”, or MRP to leverage manufacturing efficiency. For example, consider a company that offers laser cutting of metal products. The organization will have to make sure that resources are on hand to meet their customer’s needs, also it will have to manage the orders and inform staff of what projects are to be completed every month. This kind of manufacturing productivity isn’t simple, and that is the reason for the creation of MRP programs. Naturally, any system that focuses only on managing one portion of the work won’t be very effective in increasing manufacturing productivity as it’s fulfilling a single set of objectives. Most businesses using MRP to leverage manufacturing will also use a CAM or “computer aided manufacturing” system along with an ERP or “enterprise resource planning” program too. Alongside one another these applications can produce the ideal levels of optimal manufacturing productivity as they will register any project, the equipment needed to complete them, the schedule of completion for the project, and also indicate how many employees are needed to complete the work. Let’s use the example of the laser cutting company again. This business cuts precision components for parts manufacturers and also handles miniature work such as the creation of special pieces for cell phones.. Their workload requires them to work to an extremely tight schedule and a large number of resources are required. If the company is using MRP to leverage manufacturing efficiency, as well as using a CAM system, they will be able to know that any necessary material ordering was carried out by the MRP system and that the design specs were automatically routed to the CAM software too. This will significantly reduce the risk of human error, which would interrupt the work flow, waste resources, and lead to scheduling problems. By considering things such as manufacturing costs, these programs are also able to cut manufacturing costs. For example, the laser cutting business will not cut a single small component from a sizable sheet of metal, but instead will most likely see a number of parts for a number of jobs automatically lined up by the computer system. In this way all resources are not wasted and huge amounts of time are saved by taking care of several jobs at once. Of course, there are software improvements and hardware changes on a constant basis, and so any company wanting to reduce manufacturing costs, increase efficiency and organize the work flow should explore at least one form of MRP application. A number of machine manufacturers and software companies offer software packages that are specifically developed to help businesses upgrade to automated functions. Marc Anderes is a co-founder of Maloya Laser which specializes in Laser Cutting and Metal Manufacturing with advanced laser technologies, targeting medical, aerospace, scientific and transportation requirements.
