Almacam: ERP/Production Management Systems integration

Almacam uses an event and formula system, making it possible to graft a specific program onto each step in the process (e.g. specific naming of offcuts or automatic export of closure of a nesting).

Almacam makes use of high level APIs enabling importing parts to produce, metal sheets, etc. and managing the impacts resulting from changes to imported elements (e.g. native identification of the nesting layouts affected by a change in the part or the part-to-produce).

It is possible to create any type of user fields (numerical, text, list, etc.) in order to transfer information from one system to another. They can also be used as a criterion to group parts and/or metal sheets in a manufacturing order.

Almacam enables you to execute planned tasks, e.g. to automate importing of parts to produce, and so eliminate a user action.

It is possible to attach elements to the imported entities, e.g. a metal sheet’s factory product control certificate (CCPU).

None of the imported or exported data retrieved from or sent to various information systems (ERP, CAD, Production Management, CRM, etc.) is lost, and it is not necessary to capture it again.

Information imports and exports are merged into the standard Almacam process and are completely transparent for the user.

Almacam can even be used as a black box, when it is automatically controlled by an ERP. The ERP supplies Almacam with the parts to produce and metal sheets to use, instructs it to execute the tasks for nesting and generating NC files and exporting the results (produced parts and metal sheets used).

Automation of data exchange avoids users having to trigger imports or exports, and this eliminates any possibility of human error.

The impacts of data modifications are automatically taken into account, e.g. nesting layouts impacted by a part modification are automatically indicated and visualized because they must be validated again and modified before they are sent for cutting.

It is possible to dedicate an “administrator” role to control any alerts generated when importing parts to produce or metal sheets, e.g. change of material for a part to produce that is already nested in a different sheet thickness and grade.

Almacam adapts to the customer’s organization, interfacing with the different systems, and plays a central role in communication between the different software packages.

Modules relating to Almacam (e.g. the quotation or planning of cutting) can be an integral part of the digital chain, and the communication process will be adapted accordingly.

Imports of orders (parts to produce) or of inventory can be additive (i.e. only as an addition to the Almacam database) or can be synchronized by managing changes to the previously imported elements.

It is possible to avoid using Almacam’s inventory synchronization by directly using the customer’s inventory management system.

It is possible to anticipate the metal sheets that will be used, even if these sheets have not yet been supplied to the workshop.

Thanks to the “context” concept, users have only access to parts to produce, to sock and to nesting layouts, etc. that concern their specific department or production site.