After a UKP3m investment ICL has developed OMAC 2000 for manufacturers, running under the VME mainframe operating system, to help maximise output and minimise costs by reducing inventories, waste and increasing quality using Manufacturing Resource Planning technology (CI No 1,366). In the UK up until about 15 years manufacturers believed that production on a large scale reduced unit cost, so that the manufacturing system was productive. One of the problems faced using this production method was that large amounts of money were tied up in inventory, both in stock and storage. Raw materials were often purchased too far in advance of manufacture, often there was a bottleneck in the manufacturing process which caused stock to be tied up, and manufactured items could not be distributed immediately, and as a result, when times got harder, companies hit cash flow problems. About 30 years ago an American introduced a new system to the Japanese, later adopted by the US and the UK. The aim was to reduce the amount of money tied up in stock, both in raw materials and partly or wholly finished products, by receiving raw materials just in time to use them in manufacture, and design a system where by stringent quality control, wastage is low, but the timing must be correct so that the product can be delivered immediately. To achieve the end goal, known as Just in Time, the manufacturer needs to liase with suppliers and distributors and plan his production line well. This method is used quite commonly and successfully by many major manufacturers even though there is still some resistance to accept this ‘new’ way of thinking. One of the most feasible ways helping the manufacturer implement manufacturing resource planning is a computer system. The base for this is a Bill of Materials, a database designed specifically to handle all the materials used in the product manufacture. ICL’s manufacturing system stems stems from its OMAC production management sub-system and comprises a 32-application suite that includes Integrated Just in Time and Manufacture Resource Planning, otherwise known as MRP II, and Electronic Data Interchange for ordering and invoicing. Lot Traceability enables the manufacturing materials to be traced throughout production and distibution line so in the event of a problem occurring even years after manufacture particular products can be traced. Also incorporated are Enginering Management Control and Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing. Other application modules include OMAC Expert which enables materials controllers and buyers to impose their own rules on systems. The software also needs a What If… clause so that different situations can be entered and results predicted. These subsystems and modules operate from a series of interlocking databases which ensure uniformity of data feeding the different management functions. It is fully integrated with the ICL Series 39 hardware and via networking and Open Systems Interconnection to other conforming manufacturing systems. The new and enhanced modules integrated in OMAC 2000 are grouped under the headings of Engineering, Production, Financial and Commercial. They are backed by 18 consultancies and technical support services and 18 specialised training courses. Prices for the system, including hardware start from UKP45,000. – Elvadia Tolputt
