Technology & Automation
More Effectively Track Vendor Managed and Outsource Inventory
In this age of virtual reality, I pose a question: “Do you know where your inventory is located?” Not your physical inventory – that’s probably somewhere on your plant floor and you probably have a very efficient system to track
... ContinuedWhat is Supply Chain Management (SCM)?
What is Supply Chain Management? Many business people talk or read about supply chain management (SCM) without really understanding what it means or the impact it can have on a company’s profitability and market share. Whether you’re a seasoned professional
... ContinuedOEE: How to Calculate Overall Equipment Effectiveness
OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) takes the three sources of manufacturing productivity loss: Availability, Performance and Quality, and creates metrics that provide a consistent way to measure the effectiveness of a machine or process. Availability Factor The Availability Factor of the
... ContinuedModernizing the Medical Device Supply Chain
At the recent American Medical Device Summit in Lombard, Illinois, several FDA officials delivered presentations to help the device designers and manufacturers successfully engage with the FDA, physicians and the patient end-consumers. Yet, with the cost of development and launch
... ContinuedLot Traceability Software for Manufacturing
Lot traceability in manufacturing has made a lot of headlines recently. We’ve all read how a popular automaker has been under fire in recent years for their quality problems. You can just imagine how devastating it must be to find
... ContinuedCloud ERP Software: The New Reality for Manufacturing
In the world of manufacturing where mission-critical enterprise applications such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) are used to run factories, companies have historically been hesitant to embrace cloud based software. Recently, IQMS CEO and president
... ContinuedBest practices in labeling are as important as best practices in production
Why the label can be worth as much as the part Automated and high speed manufacturing operations have upped the ante in product labeling. Best practices in label quality are now often just as important as best practices in part
... ContinuedCrystal Reports Writer: 5 Tips for the Rookie User
Crystal Reports Writer is a report writing program I’m very familiar with. It’s easy to use, and the savvy report writer has a lot of tools at their disposal while the rookie Crystal Report writer can write simple reports in
... ContinuedEngineering Change Management: Find Savings Quickly with Improved Processes
In the busy world of sales, engineering, purchasing, manufacturing and shipping most of us are looking for some quick opportunities to improve our bottom line results. Most of us work diligently to improve quality, reduce scrap and become more efficient
... ContinuedAre QuickBooks and Spreadsheets Putting Your Medical Business at Risk?
Whether you are a medical device start-up or a growth-orientated medical device company, most likely you began your business with an idea: An innovative product designed to help people who are sick or injured. And while bringing a medical device to market should
... ContinuedFinding the ERP Solution that Satisfies Your Accounting Department
The creation of the modern ERP system began in the 1960s. Most manufacturing systems were developed to assist accounting departments, with general ledger and accounts payable/ receivable functionality at the core. Over time, the systems evolved to include MRP and inventory control because understanding
... ContinuedWhy Every Company Ultimately Outgrows its Customized or Homegrown Software Systems
It is easy to understand how homegrown ERP software systems began. Companies evaluated off-the-shelf software and either didn’t like the price or didn’t find the business fit they were looking for. So instead of paying more than they felt comfortable with or changing business
... ContinuedWhy Should You Leave Quickbooks and Invest in Your First ERP?
Leaving behind the familiarity of QuickBooks and spreadsheets might seem like taking off the training wheels of your business. However rudimentary, QuickBooks got the job done and for the most part, grew your company to where it is today. But
... ContinuedLegacy ERP Systems: The Backstory
A legacy ERP system is older enterprise software that is largely no longer being enhanced. Legacy ERP systems were often based on older technology like PIC, Progress or even DOS. Their original user interfaces were character-based, though many received facelifts over the years, often
... ContinuedAre Customer or Regulatory Requirements Preventing You From Growing?
Securing new customers is not a straightforward task. How many times have you negotiated a prospective contract to the finish line, only to discover that you are missing a critical piece of software necessary to obtain the new business? For example: A medical
... Continued