26
Jan 2018
1
an image of iot for manufacturers and the tools predictive maintenance delivers to manufacturers

How Predictive Maintenance With ERP Solutions Saves Manufacturers Millions

Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) costs can cripple a manufacturer’s bottom line, especially when the required work compounds

How Predictive Maintenance With ERP Solutions Saves Manufacturers Millions

Automation , , , , , , Sean Balogh

Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) costs can cripple a manufacturer’s bottom line, especially when the required work compounds problems by impacting production to a significant degree. Implementing a dynamic ERP solution, like Epicor ERP, can address the issue before it becomes a problem. Through an effective mix of Quality Assurance and Asset Management modules, Epicor has built a powerful solution to specifically tackle the tasks associated with maintenance management, from Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) to multinational corporations.

Industry 4.0 – Machine Learning As An Essential Tool

By leveraging the Industrial Internet of Things and modern data analytics, manufacturers are finding that machine learning is the next essential tool in keeping their operations running at peak performance. These tools provide manufacturers with more and better data to ensure impacts that are detrimental to business are circumvented even before becoming roadblocks.

a representation of machine learning using a digital intelligence spreading through circuits a the push of a button.

Manufacturers Are Finding That Machine Learning Is The Next Essential Tool In Keeping Their Operations Running At Peak Performance.

According to John Fryer, senior director of industry solutions at fault-tolerant computer servers and software company Stratus, on his partnership with TransCanada, “data is now being collected from every turbine, pump and compression station, and fed back to a centralized control room. The data is then integrated and analyzed…to identify trends and enable predictive maintenance to be carried out.”

Stratus is currently working in tandem with TransCanada to maintain the operation of the gas company’s 57,000 miles of pipelines. The network often stretches into in rural and remote regions, which makes monitoring and predictive maintenance even more essential.

ROI With ERP Solutions

Because of improved monitoring, quality assurance, and asset management, manufacturers receive significant savings when it comes to MRO costs. By providing a comprehensive and fully-integrated approach to the calibration and upkeep of systems and equipment, manufacturers employing ERP solutions in their facilities can operate at maximum runtime to secure an optimum return on their total costs.

an image of factory automation equipment breaking

Improved Monitoring, Quality Assurance, And Asset Management Allow Manufacturers To Realize Significant Savings When It Comes To MRO Costs.

In the case of TransCanada, savings between $16m and $17m were measured in the first year following implementation alone. That’s just one success story. When an entire industry employs such advancements in how operations are maintained, the savings can compound by an order of magnitude.

How Epicor ERP Addresses Predictive Maintenance

Through the Maintenance Management module of Epicor’s ERP solution, manufacturers gain extensive support for maintenance request processing, planned preventive maintenance (according to predefined schedules), and improvised break/fix maintenance processing for a single piece of equipment. When it comes to the facilities themselves and production equipment housed within, maintenance can be scheduled according to a pre-defined service interval, usage, time or through manual requests. Once these work orders have been identified in the system, the upkeep planner can schedule equipment downtime and exchange resources or materials on the fly. The complete history of these machines, materials, and work orders are tracked using many metrics, including the in-service date, equipment location, warrant expiration date, and preventative maintenance plans based on either time or meter frequencies.

a picture of factory equipment, technicians, and c-level executives working together.

Epicor ERP Helps Manufacturers Keep Operations Running Smoothly With Predictive Maintenance Tools.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

19
Jan 2018
0
an image of fixed (hard) automation in manufacturing on the manufacturing factory floor

Epicor Names Winners in Sweepstakes for Automotive Service Providers Using Epicor Integrated Service Estimator Solution

Integrated Service Estimator Solution Winners Congratulations to the first two winners of professional-grade Innova scan tools for their participation in

Epicor Names Winners in Sweepstakes for Automotive Service Providers Using Epicor Integrated Service Estimator Solution

Epicor , , , , , , Sean Balogh

Integrated Service Estimator Solution Winners

Congratulations to the first two winners of professional-grade Innova scan tools for their participation in the Epicor Integrated Service Estimator Solution Sweepstakes! The first-place prize winner, Darrin Gilliam of Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers, Daphne, Ala., will receive an Innova 5160 CarScan PRO scan tool. The second-place prize winner, Randy Wilkens of Kwik Kar Automotive, Kansas City, Mo., will receive an Innova 5100 CarScan ABS/SRS tool.

“We congratulate Darrin and Randy for winning the first of 12 Innova scan tools in our six-month promotion,” said Stephen Gannon, senior director, automotive, product management and product development, Epicor Software. “Epicor ISE is a powerful business tool that helps shops grow their mechanical repair volume by streamlining the estimating and parts sourcing processes. Service writers and technicians who rely on ISE can save time and provide a higher level of customer service while earning free chances to win an Innova scan tool. It’s a win-win opportunity for every shop that relies on ISE to drive business growth and improved margin performance.”

The Epicor promotion, which continues through May 31, 2018, will award a total of 12 premium Innova scan tools to Epicor Integrated Service Estimator Solution customers via monthly drawings. Businesses using the web-based solution will automatically earn one free entry with each order generated and completed through the solution. Epicor will randomly select two winners each month to receive either an Innova 5160 CarScan PRO (First-Place Prize) or an Innova 5100 CarScan ABS/SRS (Second-Place Prize). Visit www.epicor.com/ISEsweeps for program rules and alternative form of entry.

Used by thousands of tire dealerships, oil-and-lube facilities, transmission service business, tune-up specialists, and general repair shops, the Epicor Integrated Service Estimator Solution enables users to write comprehensive, accurate repair estimates and identify, price, and source replacement parts in a fraction of the time normally required through manual processes. Parts, labor, and pricing information can automatically be imported into estimates, work orders, and invoices, simplifying the workload for shop service writers. In addition, an optional, mobile “Smart Inspection” feature helps to boost service bay productivity by allowing technicians to record the condition of key vehicle systems and components during comprehensive, guided inspections.

The solution is powered by the Epicor industry-leading replacement parts database, as well as popular repair and maintenance packages, an aftermarket flat-rate labor guide, OEM-recommended vehicle service intervals information, a VIN decoder, cross-reference parts database, and more. To learn more about the solution and the sweepstakes promotion, contact your Epicor representative or visit www.epicor.com/ISEsweeps. For more information about Innova tools and accessories, visit www.pro.innova.com.

Posted by the Epicor Social Media Team

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

25
Oct 2017
0
Epicor ERP Software Update

Stay Tuned: Big Update Coming!

ERP systems are kinda our thing, so we’re sure you’ll understand when we get really, really excited about

Stay Tuned: Big Update Coming!

Epicor , , , , , , felixc

ERP systems are kinda our thing, so we’re sure you’ll understand when we get really, really excited about version updates. We understand that most people don’t get excited about version updates at all… in fact, a lot of people get nervous at the idea of change. That’s where we come in. We love keeping our clients on the cutting edge and version updates help us make your business more efficient, productive, and streamlined. Get ready for the Epicor ERP 10.2 Update!

announcing the Epicor ERP 10.2 Update

That’s definitely something you can get excited about.

Epicor ERP 10.2 Update Details

Epicor 10.2 has been kept tightly under wraps, but earlier in the month, Express and Multi-Tenant Cloud customers were able to receive a pilot upgrade, and customers with embedded education have access to delta training courses. Our team has been training hard on learning the new features and functionality so that we can continue our commitment to excellence by providing seamless updates and smooth roll-outs.

The new Epicor mission statement—“Ease of Everything”—gives us a clue on what to expect. They’ve made no secret of the fact that there will be a new User Experience with this version, and the new customizable, role-based Home Page will feature active tiles that will display—in real time!—the important data your business needs immediate access to in order to keep your workflow running.

So: Get excited. Epicor 10.2 will be out soon and Encompass will be there to help take your business to the next level.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

08
Jul 2016
1

Barcodes: How To Increase Efficiency And Better Utilize Systems

Encompass and Bezlio partner on many projects aimed at enhancing performance through better utilization of barcode systems. For

Barcodes: How To Increase Efficiency And Better Utilize Systems

Epicor , , , , , , bellis

Encompass and Bezlio partner on many projects aimed at enhancing performance through better utilization of barcode systems. For years the gold standard on the shop floor has been to use dedicated barcode scanners to replace time-consuming and error-prone manual keyed entry. Unfortunately, many mobile applications require the user to verify that they are in the correct field prior to scanning a barcode and then re-checking after the scan to ensure that the correct data was entered into the correct field. This removes some of the efficiency of the system because it requires the user to be constantly going between the handheld unit and the task that they are performing.

Adding Field Qualifiers For Barcodes’ Labels

The first efficiency that you can add is by adding field qualifiers to your barcode labels. These can then be interpreted and the data can be automatically filled into the correct data fields instead of relying on the user to have the correct fields selected. Most customers benefit from adding an automated process in their purchase order receipt process to print off an internal label which can be added onto any raw material received. This process ensures a consistent label format for all internal transactions.

The below carton label is printed by the customer as a finished good label, they have listed their part number, job number that produced it, and the quantity in the carton. By having this information to perform inventory movements, pick for shipping or assign a product to a shipment the user can simply scan the three barcodes, have it entered into the correct fields automatically, and complete whatever transaction they are performing.

singleBox   

Adding Non-Visual, Dynamic Feedback

The next efficiency that can be added is providing non-visual feedback to the user. When the user has scanned the necessary data to perform the transaction, you can add an audio or vibration cue for them so that they can focus more on the task than providing constant visual verification of the process. 

These simple changes can provide a dramatic improvement of data integrity and employee efficiency for shop floor operations, but to quote Steve Jobs “one more thing…”

Most modern handheld devices including smartphones or the latest generation of mobile computers for shop floor applications such as the Zebra TC7x and TC5x series include a camera. Now while shop floor selfies may not have a use yet, the camera can still add substantial value to shop floor processing efficiency.

Many of us have used the barcode scanning applications on a smartphone, the problem is that they are much slower than a traditional barcode scanner, they are unwieldy to use, and are not appropriate for the most part in a shop floor environment due to these issues. But that is for scanning one barcode, instead of using the camera you can scan all of the barcodes at once. Using our customer barcode at the top, let’s say to add that box to a picking process the user would need to scan the 3 individual barcodes to pick that box as they put it into a cart. Using that exact image above, we can extract all 3 barcodes our simultaneously and then by using either their data qualifiers or by using their relative locations on the label we can pick with a single operation.

Now scanning efficiency with data qualifiers and a quality feedback mechanism to the user means that often times scanning a single box with a dedicated barcode scanner will be quicker than taking a picture, but there is nothing that limits the transaction to a single box. Take for instance the illustration below:

multiBox

Scanning each of those barcodes although efficient would mean that you would have to perform a transaction for each box. By using the camera we could either choose to perform that transaction on all of them simultaneously, or provide the user with a touch based interface where we present all of the data that we gathered from the image (each box) and allow them to select the boxes that they would like to perform the transaction on. This increases process efficiency dramatically by having a single step to perform many complex operations.

barPhone

In this case, working from our photo we’ve extracted all of the labels that were visible. From there we’ve created a mobile UI in the Ionic framework allowing the user to select the cartons they would like to pick and pick all of them in a single operation.

Hopefully, this inspires some of you out there to look at what else mobile devices can do to increase employee efficiency for shop floor operations. If you have any thoughts or questions please feel free to reach out and we’ll help however we can!

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

19
Aug 2015
0
an image of making the transition to ERP

The Big Change

Where To Begin With the Transition To ERP Few things strike fear deeper into the hearts of people

The Big Change

Encompass Solutions , , , David Cranshaw

Where To Begin With the Transition To ERP

Few things strike fear deeper into the hearts of people more than change. It doesn’t matter if they know the change will be good—“This system has never worked for us and a new, better one will improve our business,”—or bad—“We need to expand beyond our current system and it’s going to be very expensive and time-consuming.”—it’s still just changing. That means the whisper of the unknown growing louder and louder into a yell of “STOP!” Here’s what you can do to prepare for the transition to ERP.

Of course, the rest of the world isn’t stopping, no matter how loudly you ask it to. Your growing need to expand or improve will only keep you behind the rest of your industry if you don’t get to changing and leaving your legacy system behind. You can’t do too much planning or preparation before the transition, so the sooner you start the smoother your change will be. Here’s a general idea of what you can look forward to.

an image of making the transition to ERP

Examine Needs and Appropriate Software

First things first, ask yourself is the transition to ERP appropriate for you? The larger and more intricate a company is will increase the need for the cohesive organization and company-wide integration. Alternatively, a smaller company may do just fine with standard office software combined with strict processes and organization. Since you’re reading this on our website, we’re guessing you’re going beyond simple and have kicked around the idea of a transition to ERP territory. While we stand by Epicor as a flexible and robust system that can become a tool for any company, you owe it to your company to consider all options available (before you come back to us, of course).

Get Everyone on Board

Many business decisions are unilateral, but when it comes to the software that every one of your employees will be using every day, all day, you’re going to need their opinions. You’ll also need the backing of all of the shareholders as well, and to be blunt, the relationship between the software vendor and the people paying for its implementation can be quite rocky. Many of these partnerships are mediated by a third party project manager, and they can help the shareholders understand the scale of implementation—which can be expensive and take years to complete—and the software developers understand the specific needs of the company, often through employee feedback which a third party can keep anonymous.

Define Goals and Channels of Communication

Now that everyone is ready to move forward, it is time to define exactly where everyone will be moving to and when they should be there. The software vendor will need to work with the company on tempering realistic dates and achievable goals, and the company will need to work with the software vendor on providing information and process transparency, as well as ensuring employees are receptive and ready to be trained. Establishing clear avenues of communication between the project management, the company executives, employees, software vendor, and engineers are of paramount importance.

Expect Chaos

Everyone will be putting forth their best efforts to be clear and concise, to meet deadlines and goals. And despite everyone’s intentions and efforts, things will probably go wrong. It’s stressful and upsetting and the urge to point fingers and yell is going to grow, but it’s important to maintain some perspective: your company is being taken apart and put back together and when it’s over, it won’t look or work the same. It’s a major invasive surgery, it’s a complete overhaul. Be prepared to roll with the punches: the pain won’t last long!

Eliminate all Aspects of the Legacy

No matter how well a preexisting system might have worked beforehand, it has no place in a brand-new ERP system. Information needs to be transferred or archived and every aspect of its usability needs to be transferred to the new system. Having an old system remaining open or employees creating informal workarounds defeats the purpose of an ERP. The solution to any problem should never be having redundant systems, duplicating data entry, or wasting time reconciling the two differing systems. The company needs to make sure all employees are ready for the transition and have hopefully been listening to employee input so that the form and function of the system work for them.

Training, Responsibility, and Refinement

As the system creation and installation draws to a close, the team should look back on their progress and realize how far they’ve come in building and implementing the new system. If everyone has done their part they should feel a sense of ownership in the ERP system and this positive feeling will aid in the training and maintaining of the new system. This extends to the software vendor and the engineers as well, who will be providing a lifetime of IT support and will be aiding in the modification and refinement of systems in the future. Like any system, your ERP will work for you right out of the gate but as it is used over the months, your company will discover the parts that work better than others and processes that can be made more efficient with tweaking.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

30
Jul 2015
13
top 10 manufacturing technology books

Top 10 Manufacturing Books To Read

Is your reading list looking a little thin these days? Haha, right, sure: as if there were enough

Top 10 Manufacturing Books To Read

Manufacturing , , , , , sagarm

Is your reading list looking a little thin these days? Haha, right, sure: as if there were enough hours in the day and days in the week to read every book you needed, let alone wanted to read. We put in our best efforts but the list grows and grows and nothing is quite so frustrating as realizing a few chapters in (or, heaven forbid, at the very end) that the book you’re working on is Just Not That Good. Here’s some good news for you: We’ve got a list of the top 10 manufacturing books that are definitely worth adding to the top of your list. If you have any role in the manufacturing technology sector, are wanting to improve performance in any business, or even do a little bit of personal organization, you’ll find great advice and information in any of these.

Are you looking to continually improve processes and cut down on wasted resources like time and money, whether it be in the back office or factory floor? Get in touch with the expert analysts and consultants at Encompass Solutions today.

Here Are those Which We Believe Make The List Of Top 10 Manufacturing Books

top 10 manufacturing technology books

Toyota Production System by Taiichi Ohno

In this classic text, Taiichi Ohno–inventor of the Toyota Production System and Lean manufacturing–shares the genius that sets him apart as one of the most disciplined and creative thinkers of our time. Combining his candid insights with a rigorous analysis of Toyota’s attempts at Lean production, Ohno’s book explains how Lean principles can improve any production endeavor. A historical and philosophical description of just-in-time and Lean manufacturing, this work is a must-read for all students of human progress. . .

(Amazon.com – 2015)

 

Built To Last by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras

Drawing upon a six-year research project at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras took eighteen truly exceptional and long-lasting companies and studied each in direct comparison to one of its top competitors. They examined the companies from their very beginnings to the present day — as start-ups, as midsize companies, and as large corporations. Throughout, the authors asked: “What makes the truly exceptional companies different from the comparison companies and what were the common practices these enduringly great companies followed throughout their history?” (Amazon.com -2015)

 

Good To Great  by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras

Built to Last, the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the very beginning.  But what about the company that is not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness?

(Amazon.com – 2015)

 

Give and Take by Adam M. Grant

Named one of the best books of 2013 by Amazon, the Financial Times, and The Wall Street Journal– as well as one of Oprah’s riveting reads, Fortune‘s must-read business books, and the Washington Post‘s books every leader should read. For generations, we have focused on the individual drivers of success: passion, hard work, talent, and luck. But today, success is increasingly dependent on how we interact with others. It turns out that at work, most people operate as either takers, matchers, or givers. Whereas takers strive to get as much as possible from others and matchers aim to trade evenly, givers are the rare breed of people who contribute to others without expecting anything in return.

(Amazon.com – 2015)

 

Dealing With Darwin by Geoffrey A. Moore

The Darwinian struggle of business keeps getting more brutal as competitive advantage gaps get narrower and narrower. Anything you invent today will soon be copied by someone else—probably better and cheaper.

Many companies thrive during the early stages of their life cycle, only to fall slack during periods of inertia and die out while others surge ahead. But as Geoffrey Moore shows, some notable companies have figured out how to deal with Darwin in their mature years—making changes on the fly while fending off challenges from every quarter.

(Amazon.com – 2015)

 

The Outsiders by William N. Thorndike

“An outstanding book about CEOs who excelled at capital allocation.” — Warren Buffett

. . .
Named one of “19 Books Billionaire Charlie Munger Thinks You Should Read” in Business Insider.

“A book that details the extraordinary success of CEOs who took a radically different approach to corporate management.” — Charlie Munger, Vice-Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Corporation

“Thorndike explores the importance of thoughtful capital allocation through the stories of eight successful CEOs. A good read for any business leader but especially those willing to chart their own course.” — Michael Dell, chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of Dell. 

(Amazon.com – 2015)

 

Anti-Patterns  by Brown, Malveau, McCormick, and Mowbray

Are you headed into the software development minefield? Follow someone if you can, but if you’re on your own-better get the map! AntiPatterns is the map. This book helps you navigate through today’s dangerous software development projects. . . .

While patterns help you to identify and implement procedures, designs, and codes that work, AntiPatterns do the exact opposite; they let you zero-in on the development detonators, architectural tripwires, and personality booby traps that can spell doom for your project. Written by an all-star team of object-oriented systems developers, AntiPatterns identifies 40 of the most common AntiPatterns in the areas of software development, architecture, and project management. The authors then show you how to detect and defuse AntiPatterns as well as supply refactored solutions for each AntiPattern presented.

 (Amazon.com – 2015)

 

The Lean Startup by Eric Reis

Most startups fail. But many of those failures are preventable.  The Lean Startup is a new approach being adopted across the globe, changing the way companies are built and new products are launched.

Eric Ries defines a startup as an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. This is just as true for one person in a garage or a group of seasoned professionals in a Fortune 500 boardroom. What they have in common is a mission to penetrate that fog of uncertainty to discover a successful path to a sustainable business.

(Amazon.com – 2015)

 

Yes, And by Kelly Leonard and Tom Yorton

Executives from The Second City—the world’s premier comedy theater and school of improvisation—reveal improvisational techniques that can help any organization develop innovators, encourage adaptable leaders, and build transformational businesses.

For more than fifty years, The Second City comedy theater in Chicago has been a training ground for some of the best comic minds in the industry—including John Belushi, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Mike Myers, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, and Tina Fey. But it also provides one-of-a-kind leadership training to cutting-edge companies, nonprofits, and public sector organizations—all aimed at increasing creativity, collaboration, and teamwork.

(Amazon.com – 2015)

 

You Are Not So Smart by David McRaney

An entertaining illumination of the stupid beliefs that make us feel wise, based on the popular blog of the same name.

Whether you’re deciding which smartphone to purchase or which politician to believe, you think you are a rational being whose every decision is based on cool, detached logic. But here’s the truth: You are not so smart. You’re just as deluded as the rest of us—but that’s okay, because being deluded is part of being human.

(Amazon.com – 2015)

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

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