Effective management information systems (MIS) are key requirements for Lean Manufacturing

By Tom Polischuk

Efficiency is the name of the game in any manufacturing environment—maximize output, minimize input. It’s a simple formula, but there’s nothing simple about implementing it.

One of the more common approaches used to improve manufacturing efficiency, Lean Manufacturing, has been around for some time. It is a concept that drives companies toward efficient operations by relentlessly focusing on waste—in any form—that impacts time and materials.

A key underlying requirement for implementing effective Lean Manufacturing practices is accurate and timely information. This is why there is a close association between Lean Manufacturing and business/production software systems. As one example, David Taylor, president/CEO of Radius Solutions, has promoted his company’s interests in this area by taking active roles in forums on Lean Manufacturing at TLMI events, along with participating in research studies on Lean Manufacturing’s impact in printing and packaging organizations.

Last year, Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) formed its Center for Lean Practices as a source for training and consulting for Lean Manufacturing practices applied in the printing industry. A recent survey conducted by PIA/GATF and Point Balance, LLC—a consulting firm serving the printing and publishing industries—found that although 77 percent of North American printing company managers were familiar with Lean Manufacturing, about 40 percent of printing companies were actually using Lean Manufacturing tools.

These results would indicate that there is still a lot of opportunity for efficiency improvements within the printing industry (at least the Lean type). Given the highly competitive, global nature of the industry, along with intense pressure on profit margins from a multitude of areas, companies that have yet to incorporate Lean Manufacturing into their businesses may want to give it serious consideration—before it’s too late.

One way to start is by streamlining business processes and management information systems (MIS). The following is a sampling of companies that specialize in MIS for the printing and packaging industries, along with recent enhancements to their product lines.

CRC Information Systems

CRC’s latest MIS solution, Nucleus, includes fully customizable dashboards, industry-specific job estimating, extensive management reporting, fully integrated browser-based contact relationship management (CRM), easy-to-use navigation, extensive accounting tools, drag-and-drop production scheduling, comprehensive inventory management, and a complete e-commerce suite.

Using dashboards, users can customize graphics displays to provide key information needed for timely business decisions. Pie charts, bar charts, colors, and gauges can provide “at-a-glance” alerts and drill-downs to executives, production managers, sales managers, chief financial officers, and other key people in the company.

The browser-based CRM includes a suite of software that allows for comprehensive control over sales data and processes, while building customer loyalty and improving the productivity of the sales staff. The ability to create activity-based sales plans, to combine contacts into relevant marketing groups, and to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns are just a few examples of its functionality.

Nucleus includes a new menu and navigation structure that is customizable, allowing users to create their own workflows using their own terminologies. These menu structures can include CRC programs, user-defined reports, even relevant Web sites, providing a smooth transition from one area to another.

DiMS! organizing print

DiMS! organizing print offers its DiMS! MIS/ERP (enterprise resource planning) solution designed for the printing and packaging industry. It covers a full range of business processes from sales, estimating, and prepress, to scheduling, and automated invoicing.

At drupa, the company introduced DiMS.net!, which is intended to provide proactive tools for improved flow of process information and increased efficiency. Features include:

• An intuitive set-up procedure that allows each user to customize the system to his/her individual needs;

• A context-sensitive ribbon menu that shows the consecutive steps in the process flow and the status of each process using colored flags; and

• The ability to attach any kind of document (e.g., e-mails, customer documents) to an order in DiMS.net!

Kodak

At drupa, Kodak announced five new Job Definition Format (JDF) certifications for its KODAK PRINERGY Workflow System, including JDF MIS-to-prepress certification. This certification specifies the information to be exchanged between an MIS and a workflow system, including the way to describe the information and the method of communication. This means that two certified systems—even from different vendors—will have a level of interoperability that allows for job creation, specification, and tracking of materials.

Operon Systems

Operon Systems’ RedHawk is a complete data-collection system that provides operators and supervisors with real-time feedback of their manufacturing processes. Users can generate reports that include information such as the key performance indicators (KPI) for a given manufacturing line, as well as overall equipment effectiveness, productivity by operator or shift, and other important manufacturing metrics.

The company recently completed its 100th installation of RedHawk at Buffalo, N.Y.-based Gintzler Graphics, which has standardized all 10 of its Gallus printing lines with RedHawk. According to Sandy Preusch, IT manager for Gintzler, RedHawk streamlined and enhanced shop floor data collection, provided more accurate job costing, and allowed the company to better monitor productivity and equipment utilization. This led to better scheduling and reduced waste of time and materials.

Radius Solutions

Radius Solutions offers PECAS Vision, a flexible, scalable, fully integrated ERP/MIS solution. Its Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP) component is designed to help companies efficiently manage production planning, inventory control, and manufacturing processes. It can help users by importing customer sales and demand forecasts; improve workflow via more accurate scheduling and planning of production and material requirements; reduce inventory and work in process (WIP); and speed up data entry.

The new PECAS Vision Business Intelligence/Business Performance Management offering is a comprehensive, customizable solution to help companies define KPI and measure business performance. It is built on a framework that can aggregate daily transactional data into business intelligence information. Users can perform multi-dimensional analysis in such areas as profitability (most/least profitable clients, sales volume vs. margin), production (on-time delivery by client, by product), and financial (sales vs. budget, time to invoice, collection performance).

Tailored Solutions

Tailored Solutions supplies its Label Traxx™ print business software to flexographic narrow-web converters and printers. It recently introduced Label Traxx Version 5.2, which incorporates more than 25 new features and enhancements.

Among the new features:

• Full support for HP Indigo presses—It can calculate digital press parameters and graphically view the process crossover point between flexo and digital.

• General ledger budgets—It creates general ledger budgets and easily import and export data.

• Press capacity planning—It allows users to review the current scheduled load on each press, including costs assigned to each press backlog.

• Flatbed and rotary presses—It accommodates rotary press stations and flatbed diecutters.

Following on the heels of Label Traxx Version 5.2, the company will launch Version 5.3 at Labelexpo Americas. pP