Multi-Product Production On-The-Fly

25JUN2024

Keywords: multiple finished goods, multi-product production

WilloWare’s LeanMFG module supports multiple methods of manufacturing:

  • Regular discrete manufacturing where a list of raw materials (Inputs) is used to produce a finished good (Output).
  • Disassembly/reverse assembly where a single item (Input) is taken apart into multiple items (Outputs).
  • Batch Processing where the raw material quantities are based on a specified quantity of finished good.  For example, all of the raw materials could be specified on the BOM based on a 12,000LB batch of the finished good.  This addresses a common issue with discrete manufacturing software where the raw materials must be specified based on a “per unit” of finished good output, which results is very small quantities that cannot be recorded accurately in software.
  • Multi-Product where there can be one or more raw materials which are turned into two or more finished goods.  For example, a single piece of leather may be turned into multiple belts and wallets.

Released today is a new extension of the multi-product manufacturing functionality.  Previously a Multi-Product Bill of Materials was required by LeanMFG, which listed the possible inputs and outputs.  Now you can perform Multi-Product Production on-the-fly!  As you add Outputs to a Multi-Product Manufacturing Order, the components of the Output are added to the Inputs (raw materials).

From the MO Entry window, Outputs tab, click the ADD OUTPUT button.

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Select the finished good item and BOM and enter the quantity to produce.

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The finished good is added to the OUTPUTS tab:

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And the components are added to the INPUTS tab:

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This process can be repeated to add as many items to the Outputs list as needed.

Going back to the leather scenario above, now production can be recorded on the fly as workers determine what can be made from a particular piece of leather.  The belt may require various pieces of hardware (buckles, decorations, etc) which get added to the Inputs when “belt” is added to the Outputs, while the hide itself is added to the Inputs manually.

The new Multi-Product on-the-fly capability creates a streamlined easy to use process that gives production staff the information they need (i.e. what are the extra bits and pieces needed to make a belt) while making it as simple as possible to record production (simply put what you are going to make on the Outputs tab).