Tokyo, August 31, 2010 — Fujitsu today announced the availability of a software package for the manufacturing industry, including manufacturers of home electronics, high-precision machinery, and automotive components that support companies in increasing the efficiency of their production activities in response to market demands.
GLOVIA/SCP FA
PSI Collaborator automatically calculates target production volumes shared by
the production, sales, and procurement departments of a manufacturer –
production quotas – for a product depending on the number of daily orders
received. The software can perform simulations to forecast optimal production
schedules, volumes of required components and inventory quantities, as well as
production sequencing, related to supply and demand. These features allow
customers to quickly share target production volumes internally without the need
for individual coordination by the respective departments. As a result,
company-wide productivity improvements, including the reduction of excess
inventory, speeding up the decision-making process, and making the manufacturing
floor more efficient, are thus realized.
In addition, the Fujitsu Group plans to gradually deploy this software within its factories for the production of servers, PCs, and other products. The company will then support its customers' manufacturing initiatives based on this hands-on experience.
GLOVIA/SCP FA PSI Collaborator was developed by Fujitsu Advanced Engineering Limited, which possesses a wealth of experience in developing systems that support the production activities of manufacturers.
Background
In recent years, companies in the manufacturing industry
have been deploying production scheduling systems, which manage the optimization
of schedules to improve productivity and reduce excess inventory. In regards to
target production volumes which are necessary prior to the scheduling of
production work, companies are facing challenges associated with increasingly
diverse user needs, as well as the emergence of gaps between expected and actual
market demand resulting from the difficulty of forecasting daily orders due to
the shortening of product lifecycles.
In order to address these challenges, Fujitsu has unveiled GLOVIA/SCP FA PSI Collaborator, a software package equipped with features to control optimal target production volumes based on demand fluctuations and shares them between the production, sales, and procurement departments of a company, while efficiently allocating resources (personnel, materials, and money) on a production line.
Features:
1. Improves the efficiency of production activities by sharing quickly-calculated target production volumes between departments
The software automatically calculates target production volumes from the sales plans from each product group. As the system makes the necessary adjustments while analyzing the volume of received orders, it increases the precision of production quotas. According to these set target production volumes, the system will organize production lines for the production department, in addition to adjusting production sequencing and confirming the available components in stock. For the sales department, the system will handle the generation of orders. It will also make arrangements for the procurement department to secure the necessary parts, including those that will be needed in the long-term, to ensure that all components will be in stock. By employing a production process in which precise target production volumes are constantly shared between every department, companies are able to make significant improvements to their production efficiency.
2. Eliminates overburden, inconsistencies, and waste in production through level-loaded production that reflects the actual volume of orders received
In level-loaded production(1), which aims to make daily production activities and volumes consistent, it becomes difficult to adjust production to quickly reflect the actual number of received orders, which change on a daily basis. As GLOVIA/SCP FA PSI Collaborator allows users to quickly check certain indicators—including the production consistency of each model of a product, customer progress, and the inventory status of components—the system enables users to achieve consistent production levels while handling unexpected orders at the same time.
3. Simple and easy-to-use operating environment
In addition to a PSI(2) sheet that is similar to regularly-used spreadsheet software, the program's interface includes an easy-to-read order accumulation graph, as well as a user-friendly ordering list. The interface is simple and easy-to-use, allowing users to handle and check information freely.
Figure: Screenshot of GLOVIA/SCP FA PSI Collaborator
Pricing and Availability
| Name | Pricing (excluding tax) | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| GLOVIA/SCP FA PSI Collaborator | JPY 12 million | Available now |
* For a ten-client license. Reference clients can be added free of cost.
Sales Target
Sales of one billion yen by the end of fiscal 2012
(Fujitsu's fiscal year ending March 31, 2013).
Glossary and Notes
(1) Level-loaded production: Production, in
which various types of products are produced at a constant rate, that aims to
improve efficiency through the reduction of fluctuations in raw material
procurement, the inventories of finished products, and workloads.
(2)
PSI:Abbreviation for Production/Procurement, Sales, and Inventory.
About Fujitsu
Fujitsu is a leading provider of ICT-based business
solutions for the global marketplace. With approximately 170,000 employees
supporting customers in 70 countries, Fujitsu combines a worldwide corps of
systems and services experts with highly reliable computing and communications
products and advanced microelectronics to deliver added value to customers.
Headquartered in Tokyo, Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated
revenues of 4.6 trillion yen (US$50 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31,
2010. For more information, please see: www.fujitsu.com.