1. Quick Response Manufacture (QRM)
This allows manufactures to response quickly to consumer demand and change
It mains that manufacturers will not have a large amount standing stock. This costs money to store and depreciates in value
The term ‘make to order’ is preferred by manufacturers
Every product has an owner before it is made
This can leave a customer with a long wait time but QRM reduces this

2. Parts and Components ordered
Electronic Point of Sale EPOS
(this is a stock control system that knows when an order of stock needs to be placed)
Quick response manufacturing (QRM)
Just in time (JIT)
Telematics (tracking of products location and stage in production)
Master production schedule (MPS) (systems that organisation, planning and ordering)
Materials requirement planning
(software which knows which parts to order and where from)
Parts and Components ordered
Manufacturing
End product
Kanbans
(barcoding system that knows what is in stock, where is needs to go, and when it is about to run out)
Sequencing (system to make sure parts/components are in the right place in the assembly line at the right time)
Flexible manufacturing system (FMS)
(production which allows different products to be produced using the same machinery)
Electronic data interchange
(system which links and sends data about what needs to be order)

3. Electronic point of sale (EPOS)
This is the technology used in bar codes on products.
When they are scanned at the point of sale this system with register that a product has been brought
The distributer, warehouse and others in the system with know a product will need to be reordered
The manufacturer will produce the products needed
EPOS can also refer to products ordered online

4. Just in Time (JIT)
This is a system devised to ensure customers get the products they want at the right time
It ensures that manufacturer do not have a stock pile of materials and components
JIT organises their suppliers to deliver the right components to the right place at the right time
This helps organise the assembly line in the factory

5. Master production schedule (MPS)
This is a computer-controlled scheduling system
It organises the whole order, schedule and manufacture of product in a factory
It can set the order that the items can be produced in
It can sets the quantity of each product to be made over a period of time
It can also be used as an ‘ordered-based’ system scheduling the production of individual items (like cars with customers choice of colour or interior)
It uses MRP so that the required materials/parts are order

6. Kanbans
This is a bar coding system that tells the manufacturer where the parts have come from, what they are, the number of the parts and where they need to be (in the assembly line)
Originally a Japanese creation, this system means that when an operators on the assembly line is running low on parts, the kanban can be scanned and the correct parts/number of parts will be automatically re-order
This is done using an EDI (electronic data interchange)

7. Sequencing This is an essential part of JIT
When the parts/components arrive at the factory this computer controlled system will move the parts to the correct area of the factory floor ready for assembly

8. Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS)
In the production of products such as cars there is a lot of variation possible
With the use of FMS machinery can be made to conduct a variety of different tasks therefore making it flexible
This mean different batches of products can be produced
Types of machinery include;
Robotic arms (which can spot weld, lift and spray paint)
CNC punch (which has a variety of different shaped dies for different punches)
CNC laser (which can be programmes to cut different shape, materials and thicknesses
CNC lathe/milling machine (which can have a variety of different cutting and drilling tools, and can be programmes to do different tasks)

9. Telematics
This is a system that helps track the product from when it is ordered by the customer, throughout the production all the way to the dispatch
During the production of a car a ‘black box’ is put into a car during assembly
This means that it can be tracked and monitored by an operator to check which parts have been fitted