Synchronizing manufacturing and materials flows

The authors discuss a new logistics project being developed and implemented to synchronize materials flow with manufacturing. Called network management, the project is intended to satisfy the following requirements: recognize that not all parts should be ordered or controlled in the same manner; develop a system to classify parts to better determine what control mechanism to apply to which parts; define the material logistics business process and design the system to support it; forecast the use of selected items as the result of a timely outlook rather than a monthly requirements regeneration; generate pull signals to suppliers resulting from actual needs rather than a static plan; communicate information with suppliers via electronic data interchange (EDI); and associate a disbursement method with the characteristics of the item being replenished to the manufacturing line. The authors also address, as background, the thought process used in selecting the parts to which this concept was applied