Using technology in industrial companies is now a necessity as well as a source of competitive advantage. There is no shortage of statistics and articles proving the importance of using production and quality management software, replacing programs such as Excel or even sheets of paper for recording industrial data. However, choosing the option best suited to the reality of each industrial company is not an easy task.

During their research, managers come across various acronyms and different options that promise similar results. From ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), APS (Advanced Planning and Scheduling), MES (Manufacturing Execution System), MOM (Manufacturing Operations Management) to PLM (Product Lifecycle Management), in-depth knowledge of the company's main challenges is needed, as well as of the areas with the greatest potential for improvement.

The main stages in choosing the best technology

1. Check Up on your Factory

Finding out your company's level of industrial and technological maturity is one of the first steps to take. By knowing this level, you will be able to make better decisions about acquiring technology solutions and improving industrial processes. Find out what level your company is at through a series of interactive questions available online.

It is also at this stage that you should identify the company's main needs. While one company may need industrial management software to solve traceability issues, such as increasing the quality of the final product, another may have industrial costs and their reduction as its critical area. Only by understanding your factory's needs will you be able to see which technology solution is best suited to address them. Find out what your company's needs are in this online diagnostic.

Next, a list of requirements should be drawn up that production management software must meet so that all the factory's needs are addressed. To do this, all the features should be listed, divided into the following groups: functional requirements, integration requirements and technological requirements. Carry out your company's requirements diagnostic here.

2. Mapping out the future of your factory

To achieve the desired results, specific objectives should be set with the implementation plan for the new technology. It is therefore essential to choose the KPIs that will measure the success of the technology implementation, as well as to understand the level of integration between systems.

3. Selecting the best option

This is where the technology selection process begins. The objective criteria for evaluating the best solution should be defined. Find here some criteria that can be used, as well as the most common technology options usually presented to industrial managers to ensure control of the factory, and the costs to consider when choosing the best option.

4. Implementation

At this stage, some critical factors for the successful implementation of the new technology solution should be considered. There are also some risks that should be avoided to increase the likelihood of a successful implementation. Discover here the critical factors and risks associated with implementing the technology.

Essential Guide: Factory Upgrade

The Essential Guide: Factory Upgrade is a powerful aid in the process of selecting the best industrial software. This guide brings together all the stages and characteristics of the factory that should be analysed so that the manager can understand which production management software solution is ideal for their reality, ensuring investment in a technology that will bring significant improvements.

Download the Essential Guide: Factory Upgrade for free and discover:

• Your company's level of technological and industrial maturity;
• The main KPIs that should be measured to ensure the success of the technology;
• How to ensure the successful implementation of the new technology solution;
• The right technology solution for your factory.

Written by:
Openlimits

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