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Discrete Manufacturing Software
Discrete manufacturing systems are designed to give organizations better control of and visibility into the manufacturing process. Discrete manufacturers focus on reducing costs by limiting waste and reducing the time to produce. A typical system will implement a lean manufacturing philosophy, matching the inflow of parts, materials and subassemblies with the production of finished goods.
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24SevenOffice
24SevenOffice
24SevenOffice is a cloud-based Accounting and ERP system for small and mid-sized businesses. 24SevenOffice eliminates repetitive processes and greatly reduces the need to manually enter information. The system will also streamline...Read more
Katana Manufacturing ERP
Katana Manufacturing ERP
Katana Manufacturing ERP is a manufacturing ERP that gives you a live look at all the moving parts of your business — sales, inventory, and beyond. Combining a visual interface and smart real-time master planner, Katana makes mana...Read more
Global Shop Solutions
Global Shop Solutions
One-System ERP Solution is a full-featured ERP that is a great fit for businesses of all sizes. The software features the proprietary Global Application Builder (GAB) that allows for extensive customization and scalability....Read more
DELMIAworks
DELMIAworks
EnterpriseIQ by IQMS is a comprehensive ERP solution designed to meet the needs of discrete and repetitive manufacturers. Because it's fully scalable, it can grow with any company. ...Read more
Software pricing tips
Read our Discrete Manufacturing Software Buyers GuideSubscription models
- Per employee/per month: This model allows you to pay a monthly fee for each of your employees.
- Per user/per month: Users pay a monthly fee for users—normally administrative users—rather than all employees.
Perpetual license
- This involves paying an upfront sum for the license to own the software and use it indefinitely.
- This is the more traditional model and is most common with on-premise applications and with larger businesses.
Rated best value for money
Infor VISUAL
Infor VISUAL
Infor VISUAL is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System with end-to-end functionality built for manufacturing organizations looking for a complete solution that supports the entire operational lifecycle, from planning to sour...Read more
MIE Trak Pro
MIE Trak Pro
One word sums up MIE Trak Pro: flexibility. You may be using tired old spreadsheets or an ERP system that can't scale with your manufacturing company. When your organization grows, MIE Trak Pro adapts to your needs, striking a bal...Read more
Adaptive Compliance Engine (ACE)
Adaptive Compliance Engine (ACE)
ACE Essentials A turn-key fully validated quality management system. Designed for those companies wanting to move into an electronic QMS. Be fully compliant in 2 weeks with FDA, ISO, and other regulatory bodies. ACE Enterprise A...Read more
Mar-Kov Chemical Management System
Mar-Kov Chemical Management System
Mar-Kov CMS (Chemical Management System) is a cloud-based process manufacturing solution for process, batch, and formulation based manufacturers. The solution can also be installed on-premise to automate daily routine processes of...Read more
Popular Discrete Manufacturing Software Comparisons
2022 Discrete Manufacturing Software Pricing Guide
Learn about the key aspects of accurate software pricing before you make your purchase decision.
Pricing models & ranges
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Pricing of popular systems
Buyers Guide
Last Updated: May 24, 2022Discrete manufacturing is a commonly used term in manufacturing that refers to a final product which can be divided up into its raw components. For example, in an automobile, each component can be separated, touched and seen. By contrast, in process manufacturing it isn’t possible to get the raw ingredients out of the final product. An example of process manufacturing is medications produced by pharmaceutical companies.
This guide is intended to help those who are looking for a software solution that will make the discrete manufacturing process more streamlined for their organization. Here’s what we’ll cover:
What Is Discrete Manufacturing Software?
Common Features of Discrete Manufacturing Software
Benefits of Discrete Manufacturing Software
What Is Discrete Manufacturing Software?
Discrete manufacturing systems are designed to give organizations better control of and visibility into the manufacturing process. Discrete manufacturers focus on reducing costs by limiting waste and reducing the time to produce. A typical system will implement a lean manufacturing philosophy, matching the inflow of parts, materials and subassemblies with the production of finished goods.
The key modules for discrete manufacturers are inventory (including purchasing and receiving), accounts receivable and customer relationship management (CRM), with a special emphasis on process control. Manufacturers of discrete goods can choose to implement a full enterprise resource planning (ERP) system or select best-of-breed components to integrate with their accounting system. Firms with automated shop floors will be interested in incorporating manufacturing execution systems (MES). Integration with project management is available on some manufacturing systems as well.
For most manufacturers of discrete goods, general ledger and accounts payable are standard. Payroll is standard, but some companies have bonus pay and overtime that must be charged against specific projects or products.
On-premises installations are the norm for discrete manufacturing software, but cloud-based options exist. The key driver of cloud-based installations is the existing information technology (IT) capabilities of the company, usually based on the complexity of the shop floor technology and integration.
Common Features of Discrete Manufacturing Software
In evaluating software, discrete manufacturers should consider the following functions to meet their unique requirements:
| Supply chain management | Discrete manufacturers need transparency into suppliers’ systems. Order status, supplier inventory, current pricing, order entry and payment can all be integrated between supplier and manufacturer. |
| Make/buy reporting | Products require subassemblies. Make/buy reporting applies job estimating to subassemblies to see if it is more profitable to make or buy components. Advanced systems will factor in time to build or buy, as well as the cost. |
| Process planning reporting | In order to estimate and track jobs, the process for each step of fabrication must be planned and documented. The process of planning reports tracks the development of the process plan for each product. |
| Material supplier planning | Part of the make/buy process, material supplier planning assigns a bill of materials to each subassembly. This also allows make/buy decisions to be based on current market prices for material and labor for each product and production run. |
| Component substitution | If a preferred component is not available, the inventory system should provide any alternative components. The production runs with alternative components should be tracked for recall management. |
| Bill of materials (BOM) management | The system should create BOMs directly from orders. It should allow revisions to the BOM to provide additional levels of detail. In advanced systems, a conceptual BOM is used as part of the process to develop a quote or new product. |
| Workload planning | As part of the manufacturing planning process, shop floor managers can adjust the workloads of employees and machines. Managers can use this feature to leverage the most expensive equipment to depreciate or minimize usage of the most expensive to run. Managers can also manage workloads of shop workers, taking into account workers’ preferences. |
| Engineering change management | The system should track engineering changes and their impact on time and cost per unit. It should also be easy to enter the changes into the system so that the adjustments can flow to other products and the overall production schedule. |
| Serial number management | If the products are serialized, the serial numbers must be managed. Numbers must be linked to specific products, including any variations, such as color options. Serial numbers must be tied to production runs as part of recall management. |
| Certified design management | If the manufacturer produces certified products, the system should provide compliance reports for the certification authority. It should also enforce the stipulations of the certification, such as no component substitutions or no changes in software. |
| Recall management | The system should support product recalls by identifying which runs are affected and which customers received them. |
Benefits of Discrete Manufacturing Software
Manufacturing businesses can see a variety of benefits with the implementation of discrete manufacturing software. Some of these benefits include:
- Creation of a collaborative environment in the organization. Discrete manufacturing tools allow for a collaborative environment that lets employees share information seamlessly with both internal and external stakeholders. They can retrieve a graphical view of processes and workflows that help in sharing and adopting best practices within the organization. Finance and other teams can also access the accurate costs of products and detailed reports once the software is integrated with other applications in use.
- Improved customer service. Integrating CRM functions with discrete manufacturing software allows users to generate a consolidated view of their customer information. Users can quickly access the order status, product details and progress report. This information helps users provide after-sales service by monitoring the equipment delivered to its customers. Businesses can further expand their customer base by sending competitive quotes and delivering customized products.
- Better visibility of work in progress. Users get up-to-date information of all product orders, which helps them plan their workflows more effectively. The software helps managers determine whether the order will be finished and delivered within the stipulated time frame. This feature helps floor managers take corrective actions and expedite the work on orders with the nearest deadlines.
- Increased efficiency. Discrete manufacturers require data about their providers, transportation expenses, the market demand and competitors. An efficient solution provides a consolidated view of data in a single platform, giving full visibility into all processes. Management can also use this real-time data to make better decisions.