Guide to optimizing intralogistics, materials management and reducing costs
Today’s manufacturing environment is characterized by growing product complexity, smaller lot sizes and frequent production changeovers. As bills-of-material lengthen and lead times shorten, manufacturers must improve coordination with suppliers and optimize management of materials—both in the warehouse and on the shop floor.
Inefficient intralogistics and material flow through the factory results in higher inventory costs, poor materials management and obsolescence and decreased line performance.
Read this paper to learn about the problems associated with inefficient material flows and methods to improve material management efficiency and increasing manufacturing operations profitability.
New approaches for intralogistics and material management
Material management and intralogistics often require creativity in approaches to address material flow issues. Some of these innovative approaches include:
- Robotics solutions that allow manufacturers to automate tasks
- ERP systems to improve materials efficiency in managing inventory using real-time manufacturing activity and requirements
- Warehouse management systems that seamlessly interface with other systems to manage the entire flow of materials
- Digital twins that manage a single, unified materials logistics management system
Increase inventory accuracy with material management software
Material management software covers the breadth of plant logistics to give manufacturers an accurate view of inventory. Intra plant logistics covers inbound and outbound, replenishment, storage and transport – keeping track of inventory levels, status and locations.
Siemens material management software Opcenter IPL allows operations managers to plan production according to their capacity and to plan logistics along the production plan.
Download this whitepaper to learn more about how Opcenter IPL can help manufacturers:
- Reduce inventory costs and obsolescent materials
- Increase efficient use of production line, labor and warehouse resources
- Eliminate the need for shop-floor levels
- Increase operator efficiency while improving overall production flexibility and agility
- Shorten lead times.
The key benefits of material management software
One of the key benefits of material management software like Opcenter IPL is being able to increase inventory accuracy and material planning, while maintaining inventory consistency.
Material management software enables operators to:
- Register material incoming to the facility
- Track material movements within the factory
- Visualize logistic and production data
- Monitor inventory levels with custom dashboards
- Maintain inventory accuracy
- Use real-time analytics to optimize the manufacturing line