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Replacing Your Manufacturing Execution System?
Going for a software upgrade is one of the easiest moves that manufacturing companies make when they’re trying to increase productivity, boost their profitability, and become a more powerful operation. Implementing manufacturing execution system software is much simpler than gutting the production floor and bringing in new machinery. The software’s job is to take everything that’s already being done at the shop, streamline it, and make everything run more efficiently, thanks to automating away human error and time-wasting steps.
If only it were that easy! Manufacturing execution system software isn’t a magic bullet for service-based manufacturers. Finding the right software can be challenging, especially for small companies or those that operate within a specific niche. Paying for more software than you need will not hurt the day-to-day function and production on the floor, but it may cost too much and come with dozens of unnecessary features that just collect virtual dust in the cloud. Making the right choice can be the difference between saving hundreds of thousands of dollars per year or having a fancy software package that costs too much and is loaded with extras that you rarely use.
The manufacturing execution system is the most crucial piece of software for managing plant operations. The MES is constantly tracking data and work in progress from the production floor and allowing the operations manager and staff to see actionable insights in real-time.
Every company that makes a product—especially with all the uncertainty and changes brought on by the global pandemic—stands to benefit from upgrading its manufacturing execution software. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer completely transformed its manufacturing operations at the onset of the pandemic, to bring its dozens of production sites and offices under a single system. It has seen immediate results and is on track to produce an extra 3 million doses.
The pressure is on, and not just for companies like Pfizer, which makes something that people depend on to stay alive. Every manufacturing company is under constant pressure to create new things, but faster and for as low a cost as possible. It’s a tough environment to work in. The right manufacturing execution system allows companies to get a boost by reducing scrap, rework, and inventory and increasing the amount of time that their machines are actually up and running, with product flowing off the line.
Service-based manufacturing is an industry of its own, and companies working in this sector need manufacturing execution system software that is tailored to their needs. Bluestreak offers that package and more for the service-based manufacturing industry, thanks to industry-specific specifications management, intuitive scheduling control for both staff and machinery maintenance, and the ability to manage work orders and track real-time data from the shop floor.
Bluestreak is ideal for smaller service-based manufacturers thanks to its anytime, anywhere, any device capability. It is 100% browser-based, meaning it works with all of its capabilities right out of the box on any laptop, desktop, tablet, or smartphone. There’s no need to code your own apps or spend time doing installations. It works right from the get-go.
Manufacturing execution system packages that don’t include specifications managers are missing a hugely important component. Luckily, Bluestreak has a robust specifications manager. Bluestreak’s Advanced Specifications Manager is centered around its intelliPlan feature, a powerful tool that allows users to build a sophisticated process for each work order on the fly. Build the process, and quickly attach the appropriate specifications for the material and part being produced. The advanced specifications manager can be updated extremely quickly to ensure that production is always in compliance with the latest standards and revisions.
Lastly, if different work centers on your production floor aren’t “speaking” to each other via your MES, that’s a big red flag. The data loses value and becomes disjointed or lost in disparate silos. Bluestreak takes care of that with a powerful Integrated Quality Management System. Use the QMS to build a complete database that can define quality, processing, operating instructions, inspection and testing intervals, and data collection and reporting for every work order.
Don’t trust your software needs to a big-box software provider that isn’t catering directly to your needs. Bluestreak is the answer, providing a cloud-based software package that can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection and used on any device. Harness the power of Bluestreak’s system to optimize every aspect of your manufacturing business and stay one step ahead of the competition.
If you’re ready to leave manual, time-consuming service-based manufacturing tasks in the past, drastically reduce your scrap and rework percentage, gain visibility of your production floor processes, and build better relationships with your customers, contact us for a free consultation today!