Abstract: You’re probably already familiar with the role of a warehouse management system (WMS). But a warehouse control system (WCS)? In your warehouse, a WCS can play the role of a conductor by ensuring the individual pieces of material-handling equipment—such as conveyors and sorters—perform with harmony, precision, and efficiency. Find out how implementing a WCS execution system can complement your WMS’s planning abilities.

Abstract: Most of the manufacturing software vendors have planning and scheduling software which assume either infinite production capacity for calculating quantities of raw material and work in progress (WIP) requirements or infinite quantities of raw and WIP materials for calculating production capacity. There are many problems with this approach. This paper discusses the pitfalls of this approach and how to avoid these by making sure that the software you buy indeed takes into account finite quantities of required materials as well as finite capacities of work centers in your manufacturing facility.

Abstract: Every supply chain professional must consider certain factors when comparing enterprise resource planning (ERP) and best-of-breed warehouse management system (WMS) solutions for warehouse management. Effective management of warehouse, fulfillment, and distribution operations is key to business success. With so much riding on your decision, you need to thoroughly compare ERP warehouse modules and best-of-breed WMS.

Abstract: Primarily due to rapid development of technology in the past thirty years, the market structure throughout the world has changed considerably. Local markets have become accessible to foreign manufacturers, who are able to perform well in their newly established territories in part due to their superior application of technology. In this light, most companies, including small and medium size, have embedded globalization in their expansion strategies, consistently seeking for new markets abroad. Consequently, local manufacturing companies are facing global competition, forcing them to adopt new concepts with respect to people, process and technologies. This document describes these approaches to production planning in detail as well outlines a software solution. The software solution (Production/3) combines both pull and push techniques and enables small to medium size organizations to fully automate their production system while retaining their investment in their legacy enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

Abstract: With a turnover of CHF 85 billion and 470 sites, Nestle is the world's largest food group. Learn how Nestle is able to plan its production and to accommodate finite capacity calculations in terms of manpower and material resources, strategic material availability, and through the significant production constraints of Nestle's different production environments.

Abstract: SAS Institute has announced the production availability of SAS/Warehouse Administrator software, Version 2.0. This new version provides IT the ability to proactively publish data warehouse information and track its usage, plus aggressively manage the process of change in the data warehouse.

Abstract: Although voice-directed picking may take distributors to higher logistics levels someday, operations managers should try listening to their warehouse personnel for now. Warehouse workers are the real experts on a company's warehouse, its product, and its customer.

Abstract: Enterprises understand the value of integration. One area that has been ignored is the plant. Plant systems and corporate systems must be complementary and leverage each other to provide their maximum value. Production intelligence provides both integration and valuable information which is not available in either type of system.

Abstract: When searching for a warehouse management system (WMS), a number of myths surface.

Abstract: There is a great deal of confusion over the meaning of data warehousing. Simply defined, a data warehouse is a place for data, whereas data warehousing describes the process of defining, populating, and using a data warehouse. Creating, populating, and querying a data warehouse typically carries an extremely high price tag, but the return on investment can be substantial. Over 95% of the Fortune 1000 have a data warehouse initiative underway in some form.

Abstract: Before an important game, you create a game plan. Before you start building a house, you have a blueprint. And before you start looking at a warehouse management system (WMS), you must define how you want your warehouse to be organized and function. This article looks at basic warehouse strategies that need to be understood to ensure that the WMS software effectively and efficiently supports the activities of the warehouse, now and in the future. This is not to say that you will not consider the best practices of the new

Abstract: Iwate Toshiba, a semiconductor fabricator, sought a supply chain solution to resolve recurring production issues. The solution had to be capable of quickly planning and scheduling lots during peak production, providing accurate order commitments, reducing planning cycles for production, optimize use of production resources, and achieving a more accurate supply chain model by integrating business planning with factory-level scheduling.

Abstract: The textile industry is famous for its very different characteristics when compared to industries in either process or discrete manufacturing. Developing production planning and scheduling software for any textile mill is a real challenge even for seasoned industry experts. This article focuses on some of the unique challenges posed to master requirement planning and master production scheduling (MRP / MPS) software vendors by the textile industry.

Abstract: Invensys has created a new group within its Production Management Division called Invensys Production Solutions. The group includes the PRISM and Protean process ERP products plus the resources of Invensys Validation Services group. While the unit should have much strength, it also has certain liabilities that must be addressed.

Abstract: Manufacturers know that production scrap can come from just about anywhere: from the ordered parts that don’t fit into a finished assembly, or from a physical prototype you’ve used and discarded. Whatever the case, the scrap—and any rework needed to fix the problem—costs you time or money, or both. Learn how you can overcome the most serious causes of production scrap with a product lifecycle management (PLM) solution.

Abstract: Learn how Welch's found a solution that would give it the ability to optimize and coordinate its short-term production schedules while building long-term master production schedule (MPS) based on the capacity constraints, inventory targets, and manpower.

Abstract: Today’s manufacturers and distributors are under immense pressure to ensure their warehouse and supply chain activities are continually operating at peak performance. But before any improvements can be made, they must first develop a warehouse management improvement strategy.

Abstract: According to an announcement by International Business Machines on Thursday December 16, 1999, IBM is working with German telecommunications services company Deutsche Telekom to assemble the largest data warehouse in the world. When complete, the warehouse will contain up to 100 terabytes of customer and call records, to be used for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications.