Need a Simple Inventory Solution

[BML]

I'm working on implementing an inventory control system at my plant, and I was wondering if anyone has advice on some basics that I should cover. This does not need to be a fancy system (RFID is probably way too much cost and complexity for this organization). Primarily I'm looking for advice on the optimum number of transactable locations and number of transactions. I.e., is one department as a location almost always to broad, and is always transacting between departments too much?

Thanks for all the help!

 

[rhodie]

Primarily I'm looking for advice on the optimum number of transactable locations

determined by operations performed

and number of transactions

determined by TAKT time and WIP

No simple answer out of the book.
I think many manufacturers use "Departments" as costing centers, and many BOMs/cost sheets/WIP inventories reflect transactions between those departments.

Generally, the more data you collect (i.e. using individual machine centers or processes as locations) will make your true costing and inventory control more accurate, but also hit you on the flip side with a more complex and cumbersome system and larger data infrastructure to support it.

Your answer is based primarily on what you are looking for out of your system.