Visual South Insights

What is mixed mode manufacturing?

A mixed mode manufacturer is a company that does not have a single manufacturing process. It is typically a combination of one or more of the following modes of manufacturing:

Discrete Manufacturing

Discrete manufacturing differs from primary modes of manufacturing in the following areas:

• Repetitive manufacturing
• Process manufacturing (continuous & batch)
• Job shop manufacturing

Discrete manufacturers typically have production lines or areas where the finished good is produced in a non-continuous process. In addition, they are often categorized as “to order” manufacturers, with mixed mode components when there is a make-to-stock or forecast demand to be addressed.

One size does not fit all

If you are a small to medium-sized business (SMB), then you know you have unique needs when compared to a large company. This is especially true when it comes to evaluating ERP solutions for SMBs.

Choose the right tools

At Visual South, we have decades of experience implementing ERP software. I personally have been with Visual South for 20 years, and spend a lot of time working with manufacturing companies. Some of our customers are looking to get the most out of their Infor ERP, while others don’t have a solution and need help evaluating which ERP platform is the best fit for their company. Regardless of where they’re at in their ERP journey, I have found that just about all of these companies are working to have better manufacturing process control. How they do that is highly dependent on the tools they use to manage their business.

Specialized ERP is needed to address engineer-to-order requirements

Not all ERP systems are designed with the capabilities to address the somewhat unique requirements for manufacturing organizations that specialize in engineer-to-order products. There are significant differences in the business requirements of engineer-to-order manufacturers, compared to those of repetitive, make-to-stock, mixed mode, and even make-to-order manufacturers. The key difference is that engineer-to-order companies may build a specific design and configuration only once. That’s it. You need engineer-to-order manufacturing software to be able to accommodate the unique requirements of creating singular products.

Emotion and data

I like a sense of order. If a picture is crooked, I straighten it. If there is a mess in the kitchen, I clean it up. I’m not obsessive about it, but it is part of my nature.

I also like data. Not data for data’s sake. Rather, data that brings clarity to a problem or situation, which brings me right back to my desire for a sense of order. Data helps me understand if a problem is fixed, or situation is under control. The data feeds my need for a sense of order.

We have what you need

There are a variety of ERP solutions on the market, but it can be difficult for aerospace and defense manufacturers to find a solution that addresses their specific needs. Infor’s ERP solutions, Cloudsuite Industrial and Infor VISUAL, are configurable and robust, with advanced functionality that directly address the requirements of aerospace and defense manufacturers.

Some background before we begin

There are ERP solutions out there for every type of manufacturing company. One of the niches Visual South works with are project-based manufacturers, who have similar needs to other manufacturing companies, but also some exceptionally specific ways of doing business. These companies work in a world of “projects” and their ERP solution needs to support this requirement.

Aerospace ERP must have traceability

Aerospace and defense customers need ERP with industry-specific functional attributes to help them comply with mandatory regulations. For that reason, ERP for the aerospace industry includes the standard functionality provided in general manufacturing systems, plus additional tools. In this article, I focus on one of the most important functional areas for those who are evaluating or seeking to improve their aerospace ERP software.

What others say are benefits of ERP

We’ve written many articles about the benefits of ERP, but also wanted to poll the industry to hear what others had to say. Below is a compilation of the answers we received to our survey question, “What is the best benefit you or your company has experienced from using an ERP system?”