APS (Advanced Planning and Scheduling) Asprova APS
APS system that creates production schedules
at high speed for multiple items and multiple processes
Solutions
Click here for a free trial version of Japan's #1 APS software.
How to Choose an APS Solution
1.Buy from a well-established vendor
The advanced planning and scheduling market is mature enough that there is no reason to risk the success of your project on immature or untested software. High-end software that is used in several hundreds of manufacturing companies can be expected to be stable and applicable to many companies.
2.Test the software before you buy it
Even when dealing with established vendors, there is no substitute for testing the actual software on a prototype of your own factory. Make sure the software handles your unique requirements and is the kind of software your people will enjoy working with and not put back on the shelf.
3.Make sure competent support is available
Most successful implementations of advanced planning and scheduling employ the help of consultants who are trained and experienced in the software in question. Such consultants can be from the software vendor, value-added resellers, or members of your own company or corporate group who have already implemented the software. Wherever your support comes from, make sure the support is available and that you feel comfortable and confident with their expertise.
4.Allow for future customization
The initial implementation of an APS system is typically a pilot project of limited scope, which necessarily makes compromises between the ideal and current situations. Your needs will continue to change, however, and this solution should be able to grow and improve incrementally at reasonable cost and without damaging the integrity of the solution. Beware especially of vendor or consultant lock-in. Make sure the software can be customized through a well-documented plug-in architecture and doesn't make you depend on the vendor for expensive and risky modification of the core modules. Make sure also that extensive written user documentation is available. Consulting and customization services from your vendor or reseller will often continue to be cost-effective for future projects, but you must always be the one in control.
5.Consider total cost not just license cost
License costs are typically only a small part of the cost of an advance planning and scheduling implementation. You also need to consider consulting fees and the time that will be spent by your own employees on the project. Some software vendors give secondary priority to R&D and price their licenses low so as to maximize consulting fees. Higher quality software, on the other hand, designs out the need for much of the consulting and labor involved in implementation. Make sure you are considering the total cost of the solution and not just the license cost.
6.Focus on ROI
More important than cost, however, is the return on investment you will achieve from the implementation. Advanced planning and scheduling software when applied properly empowers significant increases in manufacturing enterprises' profitability. (Learn more...)
Company |Partner Programs |Download
Lean Manufacturing Japan - Broadcasting the latest lean manufacturing know-how from Japan!
All rights reserved by Asprova Corporation .