Boston, Mass.—A new manufacturing model says present control, manufacturing execution systems (MES), and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software solutions are inadequate.

The model (diagram) identifies "glaring holes in ERP, MES, Product Data Management (PDM), and controls solutions, and reflects new requirements necessary to fit into the supply chain," according to AMR Research.

The "REPAC" model stands for "five business processes necessary to improve plant performance—ready, execute, process, analyze, and coordinate," explains Tony Friscia, president, AMR Research.

Key inadequacies in present models and related software include failure to:

• Give attention to the supply chain;
• Fit manufacturing/business strategies;
• Analyze as part of the plant process, limited by the old hierarchy of planning, execution, and controls; and
• Install, expand, or upgrade, quickly, easily, and at reasonable cost.

Users of technology need to "set an architectural direction" for their plants, Mr. Friscia recommends.

For more information, visit www.controleng.com/info.