What are the major functions of the manufacturing module?

Manufacturing execution systems have become an essential tool for many ERP software companies in order to help them improve their manufacturing processes. The manufacturing module of MES plays a vital role in this process. It helps companies to collect data from their manufacturing systems, analyze them and make decisions based on the information provided by ERP management software. However, it is essential for companies to know precisely what the main functions of this module are and how they can benefit themselves from using it.

The following are some of the major functions of the manufacturing module:

Production Planning and Scheduling

Production Planning and Scheduling is the process of determining what and when needs to be produced. First, it creates a schedule for each product or group of products. This schedule list includes things like when each item will be made, how many units will be produced on each shift, and how many workers are needed on each shift. The production schedule is then shared with other modules so that they can plan their activities accordingly.

Real-Time Inventory Valuation

This function helps to track physical items throughout their lifecycle. Once an item is produced, it can be followed using this function until it reaches its end-of-life date or until it is sold to customers. This information is stored in ERP databases so that companies can have real-time data regarding their inventory levels, material requirements, and costs associated with producing goods or services.

Facility planning

Facility planning helps users to plan and organize their manufacturing processes so that they can achieve their goals more efficiently. For example, they can use this function to determine what equipment should be purchased in order to meet customer demand or how many workers are needed at each stage of production. By knowing these factors, companies will be able to allocate resources more effectively and make sure that they always have enough resources available when needed.

Bill of materials processing

The BOM is a list of the components and sub-assemblies that make up a finished product. It is an essential component of the manufacturing process because it allows you to track how many parts are needed to build each finished product and whether those parts are available in inventory. For example, if your company makes computer cases, you’ll need to know how many steel sheets and plastic panels go into each case so that you can purchase enough raw materials when required.

Shop floor scheduling and control

The Shop Floor Control function allows you to schedule the manufacturing process by defining machines, batches, products, and materials. You can specify how much time each machine will be busy processing parts and when it can be interrupted by other jobs. This function also allows you to set up different processing schedules for various departments or workstations within a department. In addition, you can also specify which steps need to be performed in a specific order as well as define different sequence rules for each step.

Work order processing

Work order processing is the process of creating, modifying, approving, releasing, and tracking work orders in manufacturing. Work orders are produced from the Bill of Materials (BOMs) that define the products that need to be manufactured. You can use this function to create new BOMs from existing ones or vice versa, modify existing BOMs, change the quantity on a BOM line item, approve or reject BOMs for production, release all approved BOMs for production, or track the progress of each individual component part as it moves through your factory’s operation sequence.

Routing management

The routing management function of an ERP for manufacturing industry allows users to set up schedules for every step in the production process, including when materials are received and when they’re shipped out. This helps ensure that production runs smoothly and efficiently, without delays or other issues that could impact customer orders. In addition, it defines processing times per work center type and determines how much time is spent at each work center type for each product or production order.

Human Resource Management

HR management is a complex process that involves recruitment, training, development, compensation, and benefits administration. An ERP management software involves hiring new employees and planning their training in order to fulfill the needs of the organization. It also includes determining their performance evaluation criteria and rewarding them accordingly while encouraging them to perform well. Moreover, this function allows you to define job codes and qualifications for your employees, create employee groups, and define performance scorecards for each employee group.

Material requirements planning

MRP is the process of planning, scheduling, and controlling the production of goods. The primary purpose of MRP is to determine what materials are required to manufacture a product, when they will be needed and what resources are required to produce them. The material requirements planning module is mainly used to plan production by analyzing the demand for raw materials and finished products. It helps a company to meet customer demand while minimizing stock levels, inventory costs, and wastage of raw materials and finished products.

Quality Control Management

Quality control management ensures that the products being produced are up to the company’s standard. The main objective of this function is to ensure that the products meet customer requirements and maintain high-quality standards throughout the supply chain process. The quality control management process includes a number of steps, including inspection, sampling, analysis, test methods, and corrective action.

Also Read: Manufacturing ERP Modules: Your ERP Software

The Manufacturing module has several other key functions that make it an essential element of an ERP for manufacturing industry:

• Sales and marketing- The sales and marketing functions are responsible for making sure that customers are aware of your product or service and then persuading them to buy it. These functions may include advertising campaigns, public relations initiatives, trade shows, and direct marketing activities.
• Warehousing- Warehousing provides the storage space for all products sold by a company before they make it to their final destination. Warehousing is necessary because it allows companies to store large amounts of inventory in one place so they can easily access it when required while keeping it protected from damage or loss. Moreover, warehousing can be used as a standalone function or integrated into other areas such as logistics or purchasing.
• Supply chain- Supply Chain Management allows you to manage orders, master data, and all related processes from the order entry stage through production to delivery. You can also use this component for demand-based production planning and scheduling by using forecast scenarios and the integrated sales order management tool. This helps you plan for fluctuations in demand by taking into account seasonal factors such as holidays or special occasions.
• Accounting and Finance- Accounting helps companies keep track of their financial records by recording transactions such as purchases and sales as well as recording customer invoices and payments received through credit cards or checks etc. In contrast, finance provides insights into future company growth potentials by considering past performance trends and current market conditions.

Also Read: Benefits of ERP for Manufacturing Companies

How does the system handle production in multiple locations?

In a manufacturing company, production is carried out at different locations, so the system should be able to handle multi-plant operations. A good ERP system integration allows you to enter orders for different plants separately or together. The system can also be configured to generate reports and other documents for each plant individually.

You can choose from various ways of carrying out production in a multi-plant setup:

• Single plant production – This is common in small companies where there is only one manufacturing facility. There are no problems with this approach as long as there is enough capacity at a single location to meet demand. If there isn’t, then you will have to consider expanding into multiple plants or outsourcing some parts of your manufacturing process to other companies that have excess capacity.
• Centralized distribution – In this setup, all the various plants send their finished goods to one central distribution point, where they are consolidated before being shipped out to customers or retailers. The benefit here is that it saves time and money because you don’t need as many warehouses around the country; however, it also presents challenges such as managing inventory levels and ensuring that each plant produces enough goods in time.
• Multiple plant production – Multiple plant production is the simplest method and involves producing at various locations to ensure that your customers receive their orders on time. The most common example of this is when a large company has multiple factories in different countries, each manufacturing parts for the same product line. This approach offers many benefits, including cost savings through economies of scale and easier management of inventory levels and workflow.
• Cluster manufacturing – Cluster manufacturing is used when several smaller companies are grouped together under one roof to carry out specific tasks such as assembly or testing. It allows companies to take advantage of economies of scale by sharing resources like machine tools, raw materials, and workers between them. It also helps companies save money on capital expenditure since they don’t need to invest in equipment for each individual process.
• Distributed manufacturing – In this approach, the product is assembled and packaged in one location, but some parts are manufactured elsewhere. This method is often used for large projects that require different types of skills at different locations. For example, assembling the product at one site and manufacturing some components at another site may be more systematic.

Autus Cyber Tech is a leading ERP software company in India. We offer fully integrated, cloud-based ERP solutions for the manufacturing industry across the globe that help companies grow profitably by optimizing processes and increasing transparency across the entire organization. Call us today at 742-882-4488, and we will help you determine the best ERP for manufacturing industry.