{"id":9890,"date":"2021-11-23T08:58:27","date_gmt":"2021-11-23T16:58:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qad.com\/blog\/?p=9890"},"modified":"2021-12-10T14:10:45","modified_gmt":"2021-12-10T22:10:45","slug":"digital-manufacturing-for-the-packaging-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qad.com\/blog\/2021\/11\/digital-manufacturing-for-the-packaging-industry","title":{"rendered":"Digital Manufacturing for the Packaging Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”9891″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]During our next installment of <\/span>QAD Tomorrow<\/span><\/a> on December 1, 2021, we\u2019ll focus on how manufacturers adopting digital solutions are future proofing their operations. For the packaging industry, digital manufacturing solutions must help manufacturers produce the right stuff at the right time as optimally as possible and then support the decisions of what to produce next. Simplistically speaking, that might boil down to three sets of information: material availability, equipment\/labor status, and the up-to-date order priority in context with all the possibilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having real-time information, or \u201cone version of the truth,\u201d across all relevant departments about materials, equipment\/labor and order priority is critical for strategic decision-making. Digital manufacturing solutions share real-time <\/span>data<\/span><\/a> and integrate all departments, from planning and scheduling to quality and shop floor control, to reduce costs, achieve good quality and deliver exceptional customer experiences. The ability to plan, execute, monitor and adapt is improved by digital solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Challenges Facing Packagers<\/span><\/h2>\n

The reality in the <\/span>packaging<\/span><\/a> industry is often this: the planning department has a view of what needs to happen on the factory floor to satisfy demand around the current customer and channel priorities. The operations department has that same view, however, it often gets lost in a spreadsheet that is only updated once a week during a meeting. Technology and the adoption of<\/span> digital transformation<\/span><\/a> mean decisions are based on reality and facts \u2013 \u201cone version of the truth\u201d \u2013 rather than gut feelings or doing what was always done in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

Outdated legacy solutions create stumbling blocks for manufacturers seeking optimal decision-making. So often they have competing versions of \u201cthe truth\u201d. For example, material status and inventory levels are only available from a disconnected warehouse system. Manual processes for recording equipment status and active order status on paper documents occur at the end of the day or shift rather than in real time. Spreadsheets are only updated for the weekly production meetings and don\u2019t reflect the changing priorities. The results?<\/span><\/p>\n