What is custom manufacturing?
Custom manufacturing is the set of processes involved in making custom items. Custom items can be modified versions of model or standard items or can be created from scratch.
Custom manufacturing has a unique set of issues
Custom manufacturing requires all the same processes as standard manufacturing, but also has a unique set of issues that are covered in the next few sections.
Unique item IDs are required
Each custom item by definition is unique and needs its own item ID. Item IDs should be created with a standardized numbering convention and item category structure that sets them apart from standard items.
Custom BOMs are required
Custom items need their own bills of manufacturing. In addition to entering custom BOMs from scratch, custom BOMs should easily be created by copying standard or model item BOMs, which can then be modified to reflect each customer order’s requirements.
Custom BOM entry or modification needs to be quick and easy
Custom BOM entry or modification needs to be quick and easy to cope with a steady volume of customer quotes. You should be able to copy in standard work center processes and rapidly select individual components or sets of associated components.
You must know your costs to establish a price
After BOM customization is completed, you need to calculate each custom item’s estimated cost, which should include costs for material, labor, subcontract services, and manufacturing overhead. With an accurate estimated cost you can then add an appropriate margin to calculate a selling price that can be communicated to the customer.
You must be able to furnish a ship date
In addition to furnishing the customer with a selling price, you must also furnish an estimated ship date, so you need some sense as to when the custom job can be started and finished.
You must generate and process the custom job
You need the ability to generate the custom job, release it to production when it is due to be started, and then you must perform the job out on the shop floor or in coordination with any subcontract suppliers.
You must be able to modify custom job details
With custom jobs the need for detail changes is commonly discovered out on the shop floor. Therefore, you must be able to modify job processes and components at any time during the course of jobs.
Some custom jobs produce multiple outputs
Custom jobs cover a wide range of job types, including repair, remanufacturing, and disassembly jobs. Some of these job types produce multiple outputs instead of a single finished item, so your custom jobs need the ability to produce multiple finished items and costs.
Custom items need to be inactivated
After custom jobs are completed and items are shipped to customers, custom items and BOMs must be inactivated so that they are excluded from current lookups and screens.
DBA addresses all these custom manufacturing issues
DBA provides a formal set of processes that addresses all the custom manufacturing issues listed above.
•One-off items and BOMs are generated within quotes and can be optionally originated by copying model BOMs or standard item BOMs.
•One-off BOMs can be entered or modified by using the routing generator to rapidly select standard work center processes and the speed entry function to rapidly select components. Phantom assembly components are ideal for product options and are used to represent sets of associated components.
•The cost rollup calculates an accurate estimated cost that includes costs for material, labor, subcontract services, and manufacturing overhead. You can then apply a margin to the estimated cost to establish a selling price.
•When the quote is converted to a live sales order, the program calculates estimated lead days and job days to establish an estimated ship date.
•Custom jobs are generated by MRP directly from sales order lines and are released to production and processed in identical fashion as standard jobs.
•Job details can be modified at any time during the course of jobs to reflect needed changes discovered out on the shop floor.
•Custom jobs can produce multiple finished item outputs and costs and are thus suited for repair, remanufacturing, and disassembly.
•One-off items and BOMs are automatically inactivated when sales orders are closed.
