Tools & Maintenance

Tools & Maintenance is a fully integrated option in Monitor ERP that helps you to handle the company's tools and machines directly in Monitor ERP.

Tools in Monitor ERP

Tools & Maintenance provides you with a complete overview of your tools and machinery. You can see where the tools are located, and it also helps you to keep track of stock values, maintenance intervals, and planned services. The tools can be added to BOM and routings, and you can book them for operations in manufacturing orders.

Tools and machines are registered in the same register as regular parts in Monitor ERP. This simplifies stock-keeping as well as purchase of tools and machine spare parts via reorder points and requirement calculations.

Default settings, such as planning settings and settings for serial number traceability, are set for the tool via part templates. Part templates are created based on pre-defined basic types that are convenient for measuring tools, fixtures, molding tools, cutting tools, machines, etc.

Using tools in BOM and routing and in orders

You can link tools to operations via BOM and routing for a manufactured part. You can enter the number of details per cycle and cycle time for the tool. This information forms the basis when updating the values in the counter in the number series register. These values are updated when reporting operations on the manufacturing orders in which the tools are used.

When you register orders of manufactured parts, the necessary tools are automatically reserved. In the priority planning, you'll find information about these tools. You can also filter orders that use the same tool in order to save set-up time. On the order document, the tool is displayed including information about location and instructions, if any.

When starting an operation on the order, the tools will be withdraw. When the operation is reported as finished, the tools will be returned.

Withdrawal and return can also be reported separately. Withdrawal ordered via pick lists, and return is monitored via a withdrawal list. In the withdrawal list, withdrawn tools are shown per warehouse, department, and work center. You can see the status of the operations and manufacturing orders to which the tools are withdrawn. You can also see when the tools are planned to be returned.

Withdrawal register

Hand tools, etc., that are withdrawn and returned to the tool depot can be handled in a procedure used for manual withdrawal and return of tools. Manually withdrawn and returned tools are monitored in the withdrawal list.

Stock management and stock valuation

Since tools and machines are handled in the same procedures as regular parts, you can perform stock count and stock valuation of tools and machines in the same way as for parts.

Recording of stock transactions for tools can be determined via posting methods in the Stock accounting Stock accounting is a standard feature in Monitor ERP. It is used to continuously post all stock transactions in the system. This way the stock value in the Stock module matches the recorded value in the Accounting module. Changes in stock which are due to changed standard prices, direct stock reporting, arrivals and deliveries, stock count differences, nonconformities (cases), etc. will automatically be posted and give a better understanding of changes in stock and the company's gross profit margin in the income statement..

Expensive tools and machines are normally set as fixed assets. They can then be registered as fixed assets objects that you link to the tool register. This is possible if you use the Fixed assets register option. Read more about the Fixed assets register option.

Following up and tracing tools

In the planning window, in the part register, you can see all reservations, withdrawals, and planned purchases for a tool. The stock transaction log shows all transactions that have been performed on a tool, and you can follow its history. You can also see, for example, stock count difference and consumption statistics.

Maintenance in Monitor ERP

Maintenance in Monitor ERP includes calibration of measuring tools as well as maintenance of tools and machines.

Maintenance plans are linked to tools and machines. In the maintenance plans, you can see when maintenance should be carried out based on days, operation time, or cycles. You can also see what triggered the maintenance. In the maintenance plan, you also see which forms should be used and filled out during the maintenance. A form can include instructions, measuring points, checklists, and action lists.

The maintenance type can, for example, be preventive or corrective. You can register optional maintenance types in several levels, and adjust them according to the maintenance standard SS-EN 13306.

There are procedures used to monitor, plan, and report maintenance of tools and machines. There you can create maintenance activities that are reported later on. You can analyze the reported maintenance.

The result of the maintenance will update the status of tools and machines. The status of the maintenance activity will also be updated when reporting.

A long-term maintenance forecast can be created for the tools and machines via customer orders, manufacturing orders, and sales forecasts.

Calibration of measuring tools

Calibration can be handled either by registering and reporting measuring points in Monitor ERP or by attaching external calibration protocols during reporting.

To make it easier to monitor calibration, the status of "Personal" tools is displayed in the recording terminal.

It is also possible to use color codes for measuring tools.

Calibration history is used to see that the tools were approved and calibrated when they were used.