Manufacturing Models That Appear to Be Incompatible

¶ … manufacturing models that appear to be incompatible at first glance. The conclusion is that integration is possible, and that this can be done to the benefit of both the manufacturer and the company as user. The integrated software package, enterprise resource planning, or ERP, has been used by organizations for the part ten years. However, material requirements planning problems resulted in the emergence of a new manufacturing model, known as Lean. The rest of the article considers the viability of using the systems together, since many companies have an investment interest in ERP, while integrating components of Lean to optimize their production efficiency.

The main difference between Lean and ERP is that the former places emphasis upon continual production improvement, while the latter is mostly concerned with planning. The premise is that ERP slows down the production process by unnecessary data tracking, while Lean aims at optimizing production speed.

In response to the need for Lean tools in order to increase productivity, ERP manufacturers have attempted to incorporate Lean components in their software in the form of modules or add-ons. In this way an integrated solution is sought for companies who cannot viably replace their ERP system with something entirely new. Helpful suggestions for the integration process include a survey of the company's manufacturing operations in order to determine its ERP and Lean needs.

Finally, an integrated approach is suggested in order to optimize the systems used by companies. With this the article brings a 21st century approach to the view of manufacturing tools. The emphasis in the contemporary world is on choice. It should be no different for either companies or manufacturers. A wide variety of software should be available in order to provide companies with the opportunity to make choices that optimize their particular production styles.