Lean Supply-Chain Solutions Help Streamline Manufacturing Operations
PASSWORD
Manufacturing Engineering: Your company recently updated its supply-chain solutions. Describe the system and what it does for manufacturing productivity. Narayan Laksham: Ultriva’s cloud-based supply-chain so-
lutions streamline the production schedules with customer de- mand and synchronize the supply with shop-floor consump- tion. It uses the consumption-driven replenishment model to establish a true pull process across the value chain. The pri- mary goal of the system is to right-size the inventory whether
these modules are focused on the execution side of factory floor. In the new release, we have added modules to supple- ment planning and procurement. The collaborative request for quote [RFQ] module allows buyers and suppliers to collaborate easily and effectively in a bidding process. The iterative process tracks and traces the bids in real time until a winning bid is converted into a purchase order. The collaborative Planning Module integrates planning data with execution and establishes a feedback loop.
“In response to the changing realities of the supply chain, Ultriva devised an electronic Kanban that turns the manual card system into a powerful closed-loop Kanban through supplier collaboration and the real-time flow of order, shipment and receipt information.”
it is finished goods, work-in-process or raw materials. Using a unique supply-chain-loop-based architecture, manufactur- ing companies can establish real-time collaboration with their customers and suppliers. This collaboration allows manufac- turers to carry the right mix of inventory at the distribution center, shorten the lead time to their customers and improve the service levels through elimination of part shortages. ME: What are the latest features in the new system? Laksham: Our supply-chain solutions have three primary
modules—Collaborative Supply Portal (CSP) to manage raw material replenishment, Lean Factory Management (LFM) to manage shop-floor schedules and Collaborative Demand Portal (CDP) to service distribution centers, dealers and OEMs. All
ME: How do your solutions further lean efforts, with capa- bilities like electronic Kanban? Laksham: Ultriva focuses on leaning the supply chain. One of the key factors to ‘leaning the material replenishment process’ is to set up a pull system. The underlying methodol- ogy for implementing a pull system is referred to as Kanban, and historically Kanban has always been used as a manual card-based system. This worked well in the past where manufacturing was vertically integrated and the suppliers were located within a short radius. In today’s environment where manufacturing is less integrated and the suppliers are global, the manual card system doesn’t cut it. In response to the changing realities of the supply chain, Ultriva devised