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by Stephanie Neil, MA Editorial Staff   | Abstract: | Human nature, not technology, is the biggest obstacle to getting IT and automation teams to unite. New leadership and a universal language can help engender a cultural shift. |
Try explaining to an IT person why a 30-minute delay between the time a production order is confirmed and when it hits the ERP system is unacceptable and you'll likely be met by a blank stare. From an IT and accounting standpoint, it doesn't matter what time an order is posted. But from a manufacturing perspective, a delay builds waste into the system by causing materials to sit on skids in a staging area until the order is logged. This simple example typifies the disconnect between IT and manufacturing, says John Hall, who experienced this very situation first hand. "IT figured that the 30-minute delay didn't hurt, but it was costing us in staging and extra work," says Hall, director of supply chain systems at NIBCO Inc., a flow control product manufacturer in Elkhart, IN. In order to fix the problem, Hall first had to clearly communicate the consequences. Now, much of Hall's role consists of conveying business needs to both IT and manufacturing, and coordinating the ERP system to better reflect lean processes on the factory floor. [Click to continue] |