The Difference between Amper and an ERP System

Chances are, your factory uses an ERP—and that’s a good thing. ERPs help manufacturers operate more efficiently in a number of ways. However, one thing ERPs don’t do is to track and optimize machine activity on the shop floor. That’s where Amper comes in.

How ERPs Benefit Manufacturers

Today, most manufacturers have ERP software, whether on-premises or cloud-based. The vast majority Amper customers certainly have them, including systems by Oracle, SAP, Epicore, and Proshop, to name a few.

ERPs help manufacturers manage many aspects of the business, including:

• Inventory management
• Supply chain management
• Purchasing
• Preparing quotes
• Job tracking and management
  
• HR tasks like workforce scheduling, time and attendance & performance reviews

In other words, ERPs allow manufacturers to operate more efficiently, while providing visibility into their work processes.

How Amper Benefits Manufacturers

Unlike ERPs, factory operating systems like Amper, give manufacturers insights into how their shop floor is performing—in real-time and over periods of time.

In addition to measuring machine utilization, Amper can also be used to communicate on the shop-floor, log downtime, digitize tallysheets and automate functions such as alerting users when problems arise and reminders when maintenance is due.

In other words, unlike ERPs, factories operating systems like Amper allow manufacturers to:

• Obtain real-time utilization and OEE data
• Receive instant alerts when machines go down
• Pinpoint bottlenecks and identify the causes of downtime 
• Uncover training opportunities, by revealing which operators are struggling
• Shorten setup times. by identifying where and why problems are occurring
• Empower operators, providing shop floor communication tools like andon calling—which lets operators to request help digitally, without leaving their post
• Digitize tally sheets—no more pen and paper or compiling time-consuming Excel documents 
• Identify the need for (and justification of) capital expenditures, such as investments in new machines and operators. ERPs can’t do this!

Amper provides an immediate, data-based answer to the questions: exactly what’s happening on the shop floor right now? What happened last week? And how can we do better?

How The Two Types of Systems Work Together

When you bring in a factory operating system to work alongside your existing ERP, you’ll get much more from both systems. In essence, you’re filling in the missing puzzle piece that gives you comprehensive visibility into—and control over—every aspect of your operation, from the warehouse to the front office and the loading dock to the shop floor.

In fact, you can take data generated from an operating system like Amper and upload it to your ERP to produce even more advanced insights.

If you’re familiar with an ERP, but new to Amper, here’s a few things to keep in mind:

• The implementation processes and timelines are very different. ERP implementations can last months (and a botched implementation can take years to set right, but a factory operating system like Amper can be deployed in as little as one afternoon. Not only that, you’ll start seeing helpful data in less than a week.
• With factory operating systems, you gain access to real-time data, minute-by-minute. Most ERPs can’t offer access to real-time data, so there’s always a lag—but that’s not the case with systems like Amper. As a result, you can turn your shop floor into a more agile, responsive environment, whether fixing problems or making small, on-the-spot improvements.
  

So, in summary: no, your ERP Is not a manufacturing operating system—they’re two entirely different things—but it would certainly benefit from having one. And so would you. To learn more about Amper—the simplest, most affordable factory operating system on the market—schedule a demo.

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