Mike on Manufacturing

Why Your Small Manufacturing Business Needs Inventory Control

Any advanced manufacturing system relies on an accurate inventory to drive job and PO planning.  Without an accurate inventory you are plagued with chronic shortages, over-stocking, high expediting costs, late shipments, and an erosion of user confidence in the manufacturing system and customer confidence in you as a supplier.

Part Numbers Cannot Be Open to Interpretation

By Mike Hart

Many small manufacturing companies operate using general accounting software such as QuickBooks combined with spreadsheets to address manufacturing issues. I refer to this is an “informal” manufacturing system. 

In an informatl manufacturing system it is common for component specifications such as revisions and manufacturer part numbers to be entered on the fly during purchasing, as specified on drawings or spec sheets. This type of manual purchasing is a slow and cumbersome process where mistakes can easily be made.  

Will a Barcode System Solve Your Manufacturing Inventory Problems?

By Mike Hart

Manufacturing companies with chronic inventory problems pay a heavy price in terms of shortages, expediting costs, excess stock, wasted time, and missed deliveries. 

Will a barcode system solve these problems and guarantee inventory accuracy?  Not likely.