Integration by sector
API integration for manufacturers
In manufacturing, information about the same job lives in several places: the ERP holds the order and bill of materials, design software holds the drawings and revisions, the shop floor records what was made and scrapped, quality systems hold inspection results, and machines may count parts on their own. When these are not connected, planners chase paper job cards, scrap goes unrecorded and the wrong revision reaches the floor. Integration links them so planning sees reality and the floor works from current information.
This page looks at a manufacturer's integration landscape and how to connect it without disrupting production.
Illustrative diagram
ERP
- Design
- Revisions
- Bills of materials
- Shop floor
- Job recording
- Scrap
- Machines
- Counts
- Stoppages
- Quality
- Inspections
- Certificates
Where manufacturing information lives
| System | Holds |
|---|---|
| ERP | Customer orders, works orders, bills of materials, purchasing, stock |
| Design software | Drawings, part revisions and engineering changes |
| Shop-floor recording | Start and finish times, quantities made and scrapped |
| Machines | Cycle counts, run and stop times, alarms |
| Quality records | Inspections, non-conformances and certificates |
| Customer systems | Forecasts, orders and delivery schedules |
The right revision on the floor
When an engineering change is released in the design system, the bill of materials in the ERP and the drawings at the workstation should change with it, from an agreed effective point such as a date or batch. Integrating the release step, rather than relying on someone to update each system, reduces the chance of a part being made to an old drawing. Keep a record of which revision each batch was made to, which matters for quality and traceability.
Decide which system is the master for parts and revisions, usually the design or product data system.
Recording on the shop floor
Operators record starts, completions, quantities and scrap against works orders, and the ERP updates progress and material use from those records. The recording must be quick: a scan of the job card and a few taps on a terminal, not a long form. If recording is slow, it will be skipped or done at the end of the shift from memory, and the integration will carry poor data faithfully into planning.
Involve operators in designing the screens and test them on the floor, with gloves if they are worn.
Collecting machine data
Read data from the machine
Suits you when
- The machine or its controller exposes counts and states
- Accurate run and stop times are wanted
Watch out for
- Older machines may need added sensors
- Agree network and security arrangements with whoever maintains the machine
Operator recording only
Suits you when
- Machines cannot provide data
- Counts are easy to record at completion
Watch out for
- Less detail on stoppages
- Depends on consistent recording
Quality and traceability
Linking inspection results and material batch numbers to works orders means a customer complaint can be traced to the batch, the materials used and the inspection records quickly. Where customers require certificates with deliveries, generating them from linked records avoids assembling them by hand.
Customer schedules and orders
Customers may send forecasts and delivery schedules electronically. Loading them into the ERP automatically, with changes highlighted, helps planners respond to revised schedules rather than discovering them late.
Example: paper job cards replaced on one cell
Illustrative example — not a client case study
Situation: A small manufacturer's planners walk the floor each afternoon to find out which works orders are finished, and scrap is recorded weekly from memory.
- Operators on one machining cell scan job cards at start and finish and enter good and scrap quantities on a terminal.
- The ERP updates works-order progress and material use from those records within minutes.
- After a month, the screens are adjusted using operator feedback and rolled out to the next cell.
What this shows: Planners could see progress without walking the floor, and scrap figures became usable. This example is illustrative.
Protecting production during changes
Timing
- Changes outside peak production
- A fallback to paper if a terminal fails
- Agreed support during the first shifts
Machines
- Machine builder or maintainer consulted
- Read-only connections where possible
- Network separated from office systems where advised
People
- Operators trained at their workstation
- Supervisors know who to call
- Feedback collected and acted on
Material use and stock
When completions are recorded, the ERP can deduct the materials used according to the bill of materials, with scrap recorded separately. Comparing expected with actual use shows where materials are lost. The inventory pages for manufacturers cover stock states in more detail.
Better planning information
With completions and stoppages arriving promptly, planners can see which orders are behind, which machines are loaded and which materials are running short, and adjust the plan during the day instead of the next morning. The value of the integration lies in those decisions, so build the planning views alongside the data collection.
Questions about API integration for manufacturers
Which system should be the backbone?
Usually the ERP for planning, with the design system as master for parts and revisions.
How do we stop old drawings being used?
Integrate engineering change release so ERP and workstations update from an agreed point.
Can machine data be collected?
Often, if the machine exposes it; older machines may need sensors.
Why does recording speed matter?
Slow recording is skipped, and poor data flows into planning.
How does integration help traceability?
Linking batches, materials and inspections to works orders makes tracing quick.
Where should we start?
On one line or cell, with the link causing most chasing.
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