Eliminate the ‘Invisible Inventory’: How MOM Solutions Fill the Gaps in Manufacturing Efficiency
About the Interview
While ERP systems and standalone warehouse management solutions track inventory and warehouse movements, they often lack visibility into the various stages of the manufacturing process, leading to what is sometimes called “invisible inventory.” This issue arises when inventory management fails to capture all relevant manufacturing activities. In this interview, Mike Bradford, Marketing Director of Dassault Systèmes, talks about the advantages of implementing a Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) solution in production facilities, even those already using ERP or Warehouse Management Solutions, to address what he calls “the Manufacturing Blind Spot.”
Mike explains that in a ten-step assembly line with ERP or Warehouse Management Solutions, these systems typically track materials entering and exiting the line but fail to monitor progress in between. This gap creates a “black hole,” as illustrated by manufacturing clients who face situations where production orders are released, but materials aren’t available at the required steps. Mike states that by integrating MOM, huge value is added by synchronizing materials more efficiently with the production line, accelerating throughput, and freeing up space previously used for excess inventory.
To conclude, MOM has helped clients reduce Work in Progress (WIP) inventories, lower material handling costs, and increase throughput while decreasing raw and finished goods inventories. Upgrading to MOM offers numerous benefits that enhance the efficiency of manufacturing processes and provide long-term value.
