Page 86 - MetalForming October 2014

Going Mobile
system. Vendor assistance should include selecting the right hardware, designing the barcode labels and rec- ommending scanners, printers and other infrastructure that has been proven to work with the vendor’s ERP software.
For example, without a business- grade wireless system, workers may encounter dead spots throughout the shop floor that render the system use- less in those areas. The scanners must be compatible with the vendor’s ERP software and the label printers must be able to print barcodes. So before invest- ing any money in a mobile system, work with your ERP vendor to devise a complete solution that includes hard- ware and software setup and installa- tion, as well as on-site training for employees.
Case Study: Measurable Process Improvement
M3 ultimately is all about stream- lining the materials-management process without adding more people or
“Now that we barcode all raw materials, hardware and finished goods and use wireless scanners, we can count our entire inventory in about 4 hr. using only eight people,” says Hawkeye Industries CEO Bryan Hawkins. “That’s what I call real process improvement.”
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resources. Using a wireless network, you can receive and issue materials, conduct bin-to-bin transfers and per- form real-time inventory and cycle counts faster and more accurately from anywhere on the shop floor.
Consider the experience of Hawkeye Industries, a make-to-order sheetmet- al fabricator in Tupelo, MS. When Hawkeye first implemented ERP soft- ware, it quickly gained more control over inventory levels, reduced over- purchasing and streamlined bin-to- bin transfers—all using traditional inventory-management techniques.
But when the company upgraded to barcoding and mobile technologies, the time and cost savings increased exponentially.
“To keep on top of our large inven- tory, we conduct a full physical count every quarter,” says CEO Bryan Hawkins. “Previously, that process required 16 people working two days to complete. Now that we barcode all raw materials, hardware and finished goods and use wireless scanners, we can count our entire inventory in about 4 hr. using only eight people. That’s what I call real process improvement.” MF