Materials Management - Functions and Objectives

As production is steadily increasing, the demand for tangible components is also increasing as well. This expanding demand for materials establishes a need for materials management, which pertains to the coordination of planning, organizing, and controlling the steps within the tangible component management process. Without the materials management process, products are not able to adequately receive the parts that are needed in order to complete the product. Materials management can efficiently source, purchase, store, and utilize materials within their supply chain and production timeline, which can optimize overall production within your manufacturing operation.

Materials Management - Functions and Objectives

Basic functionality of materials management includes various factors such as supply, material pricing, and usage. Taking a more in-depth look at the functions of materials management and how it is advantageous to your supply chain can enable your production facility to locate areas where aid is needed. Various functions of materials management include the following:

• Production Control - As production schedules are generated through demand analysis, the materials that are needed are determined.  It is important to find readily available materials to make sure that production flows smoothly.
• Purchasing - As production management hands off the materials that are needed, the parts are then purchased from various and frequent suppliers. Locating quality materials at a reasonable price can reduce overall cost within the materials management process.
• Transportation - Arrangement of transportation has to be done in a quick and efficient manner. The type of transportation can vary based off of the operation, depending on how frequently materials are bought.
• Receiving - This area of materials management takes the initiative in unloading and counting materials. This is where the parts are distributed to the correct locations and where the process ends.

Along with the functionality within materials management, the objects within the process are the following:

• Material Cost Reduction
• Accurate Machinery Utilization
• Labor Depletion Averting
• Material Investment Control
• Bottleneck Avoidance  

Materials management has successfully optimized production in various facilities, but the process cannot effectively stand alone. Implementing an advanced planning and scheduling system (APS) is the next step in overall cost reduction, inventory reduction, and material flow enhancement.

Advanced Planning and Scheduling & Materials Management  

Advanced planning and scheduling (APS) software offers as an extension of the materials management process. Through master and material planning, easily be able to up your production and material flow process with various capabilities such as:

• Flexible Accommodations
• Fast, Flexible Optimization
• Adaptive Factory Modeling
• Multi-User Capabilities

Integration of an advanced planning and scheduling (APS) system will efficiently enhance your manufacturing operation through increased revenue and reduced production time. Separate yourself from the competition and turn your factory into a profit center.