Manage and track your production with VizProd

Pierre Dauphinais, ing. jr.

2010-04-23

For the production integrated management needs, the VizProd module is the solution.

VizProd is the VizCo suite production management module. Coupled with the TK-Studio product configurator, it can explode orders, manage production recipes, monitor production activities, and even feed the machine tools.

MRP vs. MRP-II
VizProd is a MRP-II (Manufacturing Resource Planning) software. The term MRP (Material Resource Planning) is also used to name this kind of software. The MRP concept - the predecessor of the MRP-II - has become familiar in the early 80s when manufacturing companies aimed to manage better their stock while computer systems became more accessible. At that time, companies looked for a system that allowed them to track their inventory faster with more accuracy.

A necessary evolution
Over time, companies have realized the importance of computerizing their production process beyond the simple inventory management. Thus the concept of MRP-II appeared. The vast majority of MRP-II systems are composed of specific modules to suit the needs of manufacturing companies and not the reverse. Usually, the MRP-II consists of the following modules:

• Inventory and Order Control
• Bill of materials (BOM) management
• Purchasing Management
• Material Requirements Planning
• Shop Floor Control - SFC
• Capacity planning
• Standard Costing or Cost Control
• Manufacturing Technical Data

MTO (Make to Order) or customized products
Customized products had become a way for North-American companies to differentiate themselves from the fierce competition from Asian markets. However, Make to Order manufacturing is more complex to manage and integrated management software is rarely designed for this purpose. The VizProd production module meets the needs of customized products manufacture because it offers flexibility for this type of production. Since it shares the same database as the TK-Studio product configurator, the customized product order transfer is done automatically, without data transcription.

Bill of materials (BOM), Cost accounting and Production recipe
With the VizCo suite, all information gathered by the quoting software (Interactive Catalogue and Product Configurator) is reused for production purposes. This is the system philosophy that the information must be structured right when it is input in bids, so it can be reused in further stages. From the database, VizProd is able to update the BOM and recalculate the cost for each order. Dynamically, it takes into account the product parameters and options defined by the consumer.

Pulled-Flow System
Companies specialized in Make to Order manufacturing have no choice but to operate with a pulled-flow system, because it is impossible for them to predict what will be the tastes of each client. This type of production requires a very good business organization and the ability to quickly assess their standard time of production.

Finite or infinite capacity and Load Management
Any business wishing to operate in pulled-flow should be able to define its production capacity. However, many companies operate with a hybrid approach: some resources have a finite capacity, while others have an infinite capacity. The finite capacity is often known as bottleneck resources in the manufacturing process. VizProd is designed to accommodate all types of possible production. Indeed, the module allows to define typical transactions for each sub-component. In these typical transactions, it is possible to assign workstations. All these relationships are managed using scripts, which allow maximum flexibility to configure the production revenue.

CAM and CAMM
VizProd can also be combined with the DXF Generator module to automatically generate DXF drawing files. Thus, when the order is exploded, the product parameters (such as width, height, clearing, drilling template for hardware, etc.) are transferred and used to create production drawings in DXF format. These drawings are needed to feed the different types of machine tools such as laser cutters, plasma cutters, punching machines and other CNC machines.

The VizProd module meets all the needs of integrated management of production and improves efficiency and profitability of a customized product manufacturer.