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AS/400 Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing
Traditionally, mid-range and mainframe computers have
been limited to wired connections within an organization. It has
been difficult to get timely and accurate information from widely
dispersed company resources, even when they all reside in the same
facility.
At Curbstone...
Curbstone provides the services of trained and qualified (APICS CPIM &
CIRM certified) professionals to analyze and optimize your AS/400 operation. We have extensive
experience in data collection and materials handling, as well as pervasive computing.
This combines for the benefits listed below...
What is it?
AS/400 Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing is the movement of
information management into every activity within the
organization. According to IBM's definition:
[It] helps manage information and reduce complexity for a mobile
workforce and a mobile society. In the enterprise, it extends timely
business data to workers in the field and drives down costs .... it
expands our freedom to exchange information anytime, anywhere.
As AS/400 applications become available to more enterprise
resources (people), it enables them with more accurate and timely
information as well as provides a better view of the enterprise to
management.
What are the benefits?
As AS/400 applications become available in industry
standard formats (such as web browser based applications), it becomes
easier to extend existing applications to more company operations.
Extending existing AS/400 applications to manufacturing and distribution
facilities offers a variety of advantages:
 | Reduced Cost for Collecting Information |
| Increased Operational Efficiencies |
| Increased Velocity of Information |
Cost Reductions
Information flow has traditionally been a slow and
error-prone activity.
A machine operator may fill out a production card,
which is delivered to the supervisor at the end of the shift. The
supervisor passes the information to a data entry clerk in the office,
and the information is entered the next day. Extending the
application that resides on the midrange platform to an industry
standard device (a PC on the plant floor, or a handheld device that
communicates wirelessly) can reduce the number of hours invested in the
information.
Instead of traveling through 3 sets of hands (in this
example), the information is collected and entered at the source.
Operational Efficiencies
When information flows faster and more accurately,
your organization can operate at their peak efficiency. The
production line no longer needs to include a "fudge factor"
into their raw materials inventory, since the delivery of raw materials
is more reliable and accurate with near real-time information.
Warehouse finished goods inventories can be reduced, and inventory turns
can be increased with more accurate information.
Substantial savings are available as better
information is collected from, and provided to the front line worker.
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Velocity of Information
Information is the lifeblood of your
organization. Management depends on information to make skilled
decisions that create a successful enterprise. Sales needs to know
what is available, what the costs are, and what prices to sell
products. Manufacturing relies on information to determine what is
made, where, and how much is manufactured. All parts of the
organization depend on information to operate effectively.
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When information is timely, it can be very valuable,
but as it becomes old, its value diminishes. A product
manufactured in 4 hours, where it takes 24 hours for manufacturing
information to be reviewed, can have "unmanaged" products
shipped or inventoried.
Between the time a product is manufactured and the
information is used, quality problems might arise, order properties
(color, size, or other specifications) could vary, and other
manufacturing variances could appear. Unfortunately, 6 cycles of
production (in this example) could have been manufactured before a
problem is even recognized. The costs involved in correcting any
variances can be very high, and the costs of shipping product to your
customer that is not your typical quality can be even higher.
Collecting information at the source -- often through
browser enabled devices -- helps to increase the velocity of your
information. Quality, inventory, labor tracking, and production
information are all available to management as soon as the information
is collected, without any time delay for transcription and data
entry.
Management can react more quickly and avoid costly
rework or delivery of substandard products. Your sales force can
use higher quality data to give your customers better delivery dates,
and more accurate cost and pricing information.
The Next Step
Just call Curbstone 888-844-8533
to determine how your organization can use AS/400 pervasive and
ubiquitous computing to improve your operations, decrease costs, and
improve your bottom line.
Contact Us to see how You Can Improve Your Business, or
click here to fill in a form for additional
information.
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