SQF lot and coding computer program? Traceability Computer Program?
Hello everyone,
Does any one know of a computer program that is designed to track lot #s and coding in a manufacturing facility? The owner of my company is asking about it and wants me to look into it. He went to a equipment convention and saw something there can track lot #s for tracibility.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Thank you,
M. Brown
contact mettler toledo (http://us.mt.com/us/en/home.html) and visit
http://us.mt.com/us/...aceability.html
and www.aberdeen.com and visit
We are also looking to upgrade our traceability system. Unfortunately this means upgrading our inventory contol, which blends into a purchasing system, and manufacturing control system... So this looks at material resource planning, and a system for the facility.
I have heard Trace Gains is a very good module when added to Ross system. Unfortunately, our company is driven by an accounting system, and is good at recall but not traceability (can tell where product is but not what batches are in product), so this data is compiled manually, not by a bar code machine.
In regards to ERP software I have worked with Oracle and SAP. I liked SAP better.
If properly implemented you can select a raw ingredient and see ALL lot codes of product that it was used in.
or...
You can select a finished product and see ALL of the ingredients used in that lot.
That way you can trace an ingredient to the product or if you find a product had a problem you can trace back to all of the lot codes ingredients to try to find the problem.
It also had purchasing options, it automatically generated quality testing metrics that were set up by our own testing time frame protocols.
It is a top notch system for food.
All management had things in it. I think it tracked maintenance things, ordered parts through it, check it out.
We use it, I'm not completely satisfied with it, but an option would be the PRIMS solution from focus-works.com
Marshall
We use it, I'm not completely satisfied with it, but an option would be the PRIMS solution from focus-works.com
Marshall
We use it, I'm not completely satisfied with it, but an option would be the PRIMS solution from focus-works.com
Marshall
Hi mgourley,
We are looking at ERP software, and someone else had suggested PRIMS - I'm curious as to what your thoughts are on it? What does it do well, and what causes you to not be completely satisfied with it?
Thanks!
Brian
we use iTrace
Lot/batches are assigned when raw ingredients arrive, that lot is then attached to a batch. Once a year I verify that inventory matches usage v.s. incoming
Very simple to use, you then attached a finished Lot code and print off bar code labels for finished units
We are a small company, do not integrate accounting to it but you can, scanner to read bar codes for shipping.
Thanks, Scampi!
My boss really wants something that has integrated CRM (to track all customer communications, with reminders to make contact, etc.) - does that program have that? I looked over the website, and I didn't see anything about CRM...
Brian
Interesting topic.
I am a QA manager etc. looking for a career change into the field of IT and software development. This has been an idea I've been kicking this exact idea for the past 2 years around. Traceability, ingredient statement generator and notification system.
Don't want to highjack this thread but what other features would a QA look for without reinventing the ERP/MRP?
But on that topic has anyone seen the cost attached to one of those ERP software packages before implementation costs?
I'd like to generate some QA tool of sorts (Freeware) by the this fall season with a streamlined use to prevent feature creep. What would help you?
Way to go, Donnie!!
(A huge fellow TBL fan here...hahaha!)
I would think that, if you can develop an ERP program that is food production focused, with solid CRM and other modules, and market it to small businesses, you could really fill a niche!
If you would like to talk, I will gladly go through the things we're looking for in a system!
Brian
Brian,
They are installing the system in our New Jersey facility and I was asked to provide some input since I used PRIMS at a previous employer. Here is what I said in my email.
On the receiving end, materials are entered and assigned an internal lot number. Pallet stickers are printed out and attached to each pallet of material. Care must be taken at receiving to ensure that multiple lot numbers are not on the same pallet, at this will lead to incorrect quantities, incorrect internal lot numbers and loss of traceability.
While they tout the bar code labeling, in practice it’s next to worthless. The information on the bar code shows the total quantity received per lot, so it’s not like you can just go through the storage areas and read bar codes to do inventory.
All the recipes are input into the software and scheduling for the week is set up and sent to the mixers. Ingredients are scaled and input using the internal lot numbers.
As with anything involving humans, this is where things can break down. Let’s say we have 4,000 pounds of ingredient X with an internal lot number of 1234 and we have 1,000 pounds of the same ingredient with an internal lot number of 2234. PRIMS will track usage of each lot number and give you an error when a particular lot number of ingredient has been exhausted from inventory. However, as long as there is inventory of a particular lot number, PRIMS is happy to accept that lot number.
What happens is the scaler inputs lot number 1234 when actually using lot number 2234. PRIMS sees that there is 4,000 pounds of lot number 1234 and accepts the input. You have now lost inventory control and traceability.
It’s very important that people scaling ingredients use the proper internal lot number.
PRIMS certainly will alleviate scaling errors as it will not allow the next step in the batching process to proceed if the scale weight is over or under by whatever percentage you have specified.
Given the amount of rework you have on hand, I’m not sure how that would be accounted for in the system. I’m sure the people at Focus Works have that answer.
On the inventory side, assuming proper quantities were entered at receiving and during scaling, reconciliation is a snap.
The truly useful thing the system does is traceability. Again, assuming human input was correct all through the process, It’s literally one button traceability.
Let’s say you get a recall notice from a supplier on a particular lot number of whatever. You simply find that item in the receiving records and click on “Trace Lot”, and the system will show you every product that material was used in, in what quantity and on what day it was used.
All that being said, PRIMS basically just does receiving and batching. Admittedly it’s been over three years since I was involved with the system, so they may have included more enhancements.
Marshall
That i do not know Brian, but an email to them can't hurt!!
I do know, however, that when this company bough the software, they were told they could get it to work with whatever they needed.
I'm thinking the report module could probably be tweeked to suit your needs
Now folks, this stuff is EXPENSIVE.........prepared to be shocked when you make an inquiry. Whatever # you've budgeted or been given, you're going to have to double it
However, I can do a mass balance in 2 minutes (not counting the actual on floor verification); I can run a mock recall in under 20 minutes (it really only took 5 but I don't want to jinx myself!) and all have been 100% accurate. It does also allow for back door entrance to correct a mistake if you scanned the wrong raw material. It will also allow you to delete inventory of raw or finished if you've had to condemn anything