You Can be Great If You Really Want To

Datacraft Solutions, the world leader in lean manufacturing software, noted that its flagship product, Signum Digital Kanban, is designed to help manufacturers reduce inventory by up to 75% while eliminating stock-outs. Only true digital kanban solution allows shop floor operators to manage and track all material as well as components that are sent to outside processors. This critical product feature allows manufacturers to achieve additional inventory reduction and fewer stock-outs, using a single integrated set of material replenishment processes for all products.

One of the key features to Datacraft’s technology is its ability to manage outside processing to increase visibility to all material and work-in-process both on and off-site. As a result, companies can better manage sub-contracted processing such as heat treatment, sheet metal operations and component manufacturing. For the first time, material managers will have real time inventory and scrap data for all material at their outside processors. This allows manufacturers to reduce production cycle times by days (and sometimes weeks) while significantly reducing unnecessary raw and component material inventories. The ability to track and identify scrap rates also improves inventory accuracy while holding suppliers to committed performance objectives.

Stephen Parker, CEO of Datacraft proudly noted, “Our exclusive digital kanban solution continues to be an innovator with software applications that support Lean best practices. “Outsourced manufacturing is a major trend and there are a limited number of tools available that help companies realize this type of success within a Lean program. Signum allow Datacraft’s customers to dramatically reduce inventory, shorten cycle times and eliminate stock-outs in this key business area.”

The digital kanban software allows plant management to track inventory reduction, increased inventory turns and reductions in supplier lead times as they are achieved.

Datacraft Solutions (www.datacraftsolutions.com) delivers a revolutionary digital kanban process of automation solutions to lean manufacturers through a secure Internet gateway, eliminating the need to install and maintain a complex IT infrastructure. The company has experienced significant growth in the past twelve months by eliminating complicated, expensive, time-intensive software implementations as well as extensive training regiments and the need for internal support. The Datacraft Solutions’ replenishment supply chain digital kanban lean system allows customers access and fully utilize powerful lean benefits immediately for a low, predictable monthly fee. Services are scalable so manufacturers can design an appropriate digital kanban solution.

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One of the biggest opportunities for improvement in ETO manufacturing is in the supply chain, where procuring the right materials more quickly and accurately has a direct effect on lead times. According to Stephen Parker, CEO of Datacraft Solutions: “The role of digital kanban in the ETO environment is critical because of the complex and time sensitive nature of engineer-to-order projects. Companies are battling rising costs, fluctuating exchange rates, and increased overseas competition. Customers expect and demand quality products, short on-time deliveries, and competitive prices. Only the most efficient and flexible survive. Digital kanban is a key component that provides companies with a tool to manage costs and shorten cycle times.” Because digital kanban offers realtime information, it allows a company to produce what customers require as they require it, which is exactly what engineer to order is all about.

According to leading manufacturing journalist, Thomas R. Cutler, in the May issue of Business Excellence in a feature article titled, An Order of One, much of the (manufacturing) waste is invisible to the naked eye, so identifying and eliminating it is not always easy. Lean manufacturing uses standardized processes to remove waste from repetitive tasks, but its main principles are still relevant to ETO (engineer-to-order) manufacturers, including:

• Pull scheduling (digital kanban) to reduce inventory and reduce cycle times

• Rapid setup – to reduce lot sizes and inventory

• Team development – to implement the new processes

• Value stream mapping – to identify value added and non-value-added activities

• Cellular and flow manufacturing – to reduce travel distance and simplify routings.

Dramatic improvements can be achieved from lean manufacturing implementations and continued process improvement, including 40-60 percent increases in productivity, inventory reductions in the region of 50-75 percent, lead times down by anything from 25-75 percent and quality improvements between 50-70 percent.

Datacraft Solutions (www.datacraftsolutions.com) delivers a revolutionary digital kanban process of automation solutions to lean manufacturers through a secure Internet gateway, eliminating the need to install and maintain a complex IT infrastructure. The company has experienced significant growth in the past twelve months by eliminating complicated, expensive, time-intensive software implementations as well as extensive training regiments and the need for internal support. The Datacraft Solutions’ demand driven supply chain digital kanban lean system allows customers access and fully utilize powerful lean benefits immediately for a low, predictable monthly fee. Services are scalable so manufacturers can design an appropriate digital kanban solution.

According to Datacraft Solutions’ CEO Stephen Parker, “Digital Kanban solutions within the demand-driven supply chain impact profit margins in several ways: by decreasing expense side tangible cost associated with legacy forecast management solutions, increase profit margins through efficiency gains. Increased customer satisfaction may result in additional sales to new as well as existing customers. Automated Kanban can dramatically reduce inventory, increase turns, and eliminate stock outs while enhancing supplier relations and customer satisfaction.” Digital Kanban solutions provide supply chains with real-time visibility and management capabilities to assist in enabling winning and sustaining market presence. A clear example is a Datacraft Solutions’ Automotive Manufacturing Industry Client realizing these savings:

o A 50% decrease in Inventory levels over six months ($16M to $8M)

o Order of magnitude Increase in inventory turns from 10 to 105

o 60%-70% of on hand inventory is 4-5 working days of demand.

o Significant operational benefits

o 5000 Scans a day with zero expedites over 6 months

o Doubled revenue while realizing above benefits

In today’s global marketplace the competitive winners are those companies which can reliably and cost effectively supply their lines in a timely and continuous manner. Factory automation enables “Repeatability”, “Quality” and “Cost Management.”

• Import Demand: Allows users to modify and upload new card set information into Data craft Solution’s pull-based Kanban solution, Signum.

• Calculation Reports: The “calculation reports” interface provides users with the ability to see all of their uploaded and processed demand data.

• Print Cards: The “print cards” component enables users to print new cards for any card-sets modified during a DDII session.

Datacraft Solutions (www.datacraftsolutions.com) delivers a revolutionary digital kanban process of automation solutions to lean manufacturers through a secure Internet gateway, eliminating the need to install and maintain a complex IT infrastructure. The company has experienced significant growth in the past twelve months by eliminating complicated, expensive, time-intensive software implementations as well as extensive training regiments and the need for internal support. The Datacraft Solutions’ demand driven supply chain digital kanban lean system allows customers access and fully utilize powerful lean benefits immediately for a low, predictable monthly fee. Services are scalable so manufacturers can design an appropriate digital kanban solution.