ASCON: Gulf Stream

The main articles are:

• MES Systems - Features and Benefits
• APS (Advanced Planning and Scheduling)
• Product Lifecycle Management

2021: Version 8

On November 3, 2021, ASCON announced the release of the Gulf Stream production management system version 8, focused on discrete order production. To more flexibly manage the production of large long-lead products, a different approach is used to obtain, store and modify design and process data (KTD) and production specifications.

According to the company, the Gulf Stream system automates the processes of production planning, accounting and management at mechanical engineering enterprises. Its first version was released in 2012. The data structure of the design and technological composition (KTS) in Gulf Stream 8 differs from the classic KTS tree in the Pilot: PLM engineering data management system.

Each version of the product is a separate route. Through the route, you can determine how to realize the demand for the item: make, buy, supply from stock, etc. The resources required to fulfill this need - component items, procurement, materials, equipment, personnel with labor standards - are also indicated in the route. At the same time, compatibility with the standard KTS structure in Pilot: PLM of the current version 2018.3 and the ability to obtain data from another Pilot: PLM database is ensured.

The updated Gulf Stream allows you to create an item and set its route directly in the item master data. This option goes beyond the PLM concept of end-to-end product lifecycle, but is allowed, in particular, for pilot production, when processes are worked out. The production specification in the Gulf Stream will now be filled with data as they become practical in demand, instead of simultaneously creating a complete structure at the start of the order batch. For the initial formation of the production specification, it is enough to take a composition from batches of parts and assembly units (DSE). The remaining data required for resource requirements assessment and planning will come from the general routes of the item master data. The composition can be changed until the start-up of DS batches for production, and only at the moment of start-up of DS batch its full production composition is formed according to the latest current data. This approach allows you to launch "large" products in parts as design and technological data becomes available. The ability to delay the start of scheduled tasks will help you configure the automatic execution of resource-intensive tasks during "technology windows." Such tasks include importing design and technological data, updating production specifications, identifying production surpluses, and recalculating shift plans. Enterprises working at the Gulf Stream will be interested in an additional type of report templates - a summary table (cross-table). Based on an existing query, you can convert multiple rows of result data into a short report.

2012

ASCON released ERP and sweeps with 1C and SAP

On September 26, 2012, the engineering developer ON ASCON officially announced the release of its new Production Management Systems "." Gulf Stream The main possibilities of the new system will be the management of production, quality, material resources, relationships with counterparties, production document management.

The approaches laid down in the system were based on the principles of the MRP II production planning and management methodology with APS (Advanced Planning & Scheduling) elements. The integration of the Gulf Stream system into the complex of ASCON solutions for mechanical engineering is achieved due to the fact that the new system is based on the PILOT: PLM platform and the use of a common database. But in this case, the PILOT: PLM configuration is complemented by entities and relationships specific to production management.

Pilot implementations of the system took place at such enterprises as the Murom Plant of Radio Measuring Devices (the system has been transferred to operation), projects are also underway at the NPK Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering ( Kolomna), NPO IT (Korolev).

GULF STREAM is a closed three-level system with feedback. At the strategic level of the enterprise, it controls the relationship with customers (the main unit is the order). At the tactical interpersonal level, the system ensures the organization of stages of the production process and the fulfillment of orders accepted for production (unit - DSE, part, assembly unit). At the operational in-house level, the system executes the planned tasks (unit - process transaction). The functionality of the system includes: order accounting and evaluation of the portfolio of orders, operational planning, planning of procurement of raw materials, internal planning and accounting, warehouse and production accounting, business analysis, calculations and much more. ASCON clarifies that at the moment the first version of GULF STREAM V1 has been released, and its pilot implementations are underway at the Murom plant of radio measuring devices, at the Engineering Design Bureau (Kolomna).

Ilya Kharmats, head of the competence center "Automation of Production Management," spoke about the prospects of a new product in the TAdviser market ASCON:

Ilya, please tell us about those projects based on the Gulf Stream that are already underway?

Currently, several projects are underway at different stages of implementation at enterprises of the military-industrial complex and equipment manufacturers. Official information is available only from the experience of using the Gulf Stream in the Murom Plant of Radio Measuring Devices (part of the Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern). According to the tasks of production management, about 100 users work in the system at the same time - dispatchers, storekeepers, specialists of the PDO (production and dispatching department) economists of the EPO (planning and economic department), operators for supporting regulatory reference information. In real factory tasks, there are modules for order management, accounting for the movement of parts and assembly units (DSE) (dispatching), targeted accounting of inventory in storerooms, and enlarged production planning.

It turns out that the competitors of your new system on the market will be SAP, 1C, Galactica, and Compass, which also have a very strong expertise in industry and mechanical engineering. What do you see as the competitive advantage of your system? '

"Gulf Stream" is a specialized solution for discrete machine-building, instrument-making, machine-tool building. The designated market segment defines the boundaries of competition with the listed companies, but not completely.

The decision to release Gulf Stream is a response to the requests and needs of engineering enterprises in a solution for automating production processes. Not all players of the ERP solutions market are ready to offer enterprises the required functionality, often the production loop in classic ERP systems is secondary to finance and logistics, or, for example, one or more partners develop a separate functionality on the vendor platform.

Our analysis shows that production management is often implemented unsuccessfully or in a reduced residual form, while we are ready to give customers a solution to their problems. The Gulf Stream is entirely focused on production tasks, has an appropriate methodology and production terminology. Our goal is not to compete with classic ERP solution providers, but to work in related functional units to increase the competitiveness of our customers. The main value of Gulf Stream for users is its focus on production tasks.

Can you gauge the investment appeal of your new system against the backdrop of competing products?

The nature of production processes at each enterprise has its own unique features. These features in 90% of cases are a key factor affecting the cost and timing of the implementation of the information system. Depending on the cost of switching to new technologies, the payback periods of each specific project vary greatly. Therefore, without a specific production example, such estimates turn into fortune telling on the coffee grounds. Our experience says that savings only on reducing unreasonable safety stock and work in progress can reach 20-50%.

Please compare the cost of licenses with the cost of licenses of competing products?

We do not publish the cost of licenses, as well as most suppliers of corporate information systems. In our opinion, such comparisons do not carry practical information for customers, because the cost of owning the technology is primarily important, the cost of licenses does not play a decisive role. If we consider the total cost of ownership of the solution, then all competitive advantages are on our side: competitive levels of license prices, an extensive network of ASCON offices and partners in Russia and the CIS, a system methodology combined with openness and others. In addition, the use of ASCON products by many enterprises for design and technological preparation of production reduces the cost and timing of the formation of regulatory reference information and does not require the development of special translators.

What share in the Russian market do you plan to take in the short and long term?

In the short term, we target 15% of the market for enterprises with discrete machine-building and instrument-making production. In the long term, we plan to become a leader in this niche of production automation.

Are there any contracts for the implementation of the system that are still being discussed? Are there many of them?

Interest in the use of the Gulf Stream and new plans for the implementation of the system regularly arise from potential customers. Currently, negotiations on several projects for the introduction of Gulf Stream into production are in an active stage. At least one of the projects starts in 2012.

Learn more about the functionality of the system

The methodological basis of Gulf Stream is the provisions of MRP II (Manufacturing Resource Planning), as well as some elements of APS class systems (Advanced Planning and Scheduling - "advanced" or "synchronous" planning). The selected levels of production management, iteration of decision-making, hierarchical system of plans in the Gulf Stream comply with MRP II. In terms of APS functionality, the Gulf Stream has implemented an order-based approach to identifying production objects - all planning, dispatching and accounting of production is carried out only in the context of orders and batches of orders. Thanks to this, at any stage of manufacturing a batch of DSE (parts and assembly units), it is known exactly within which order (batch of order) it is produced, who made it and when.

In Gulf Stream 2012, the following blocks of application functions are implemented, conditionally called "modules" below:

• Production Order Management

The system allows you to register applications for the manufacture of products or services, contracts, track the progress of work on open production orders, receive the necessary analytical reports, charts, and form sales plans;

• Production Specification Management

Mandatory module that provides data for all other functional modules of the system. Allows you to control (create, change, supplement) production specifications of products in the breakdown of orders (batches of orders). The production specification in Gulf Stream is not just a static description of the composition of the product (BOM - bill of materials), but is formed for each batch of the production order when it is launched into production and stores the entire production history of the batch of the order. The primary data source for creating production BOMs is the data generated in the PILOT: PLM environment.

• analysis of production needs

The module allows you to assess resource needs based on the production program of the enterprise. Within the framework of the module, the needs for basic and auxiliary materials, purchased components, equipment and personnel (working specialties), and technological equipment are subjected to analytics.

• production scheduling

This module ensures the synchronous operation of the company's production departments to fulfill orders - the deadlines for the work are set for each performer. The module allows you to calculate the durations of production cycles, the planned start-up and production dates for DSE in workshops and areas, and generate nomenclature work plans. The Gulf Stream plan system and the main approaches to calculating plans comply with MRP II.

• accounting for the movement of DSE in production

The module relates to the level of action management and provides dispatching of the manufacture of DSE and production operations, control over the implementation of plans, visualization of the production picture. Control of production progress at Gulf Stream is based on the fulfillment by users of their direct duties: creation of invoices for the movement of batches of DSE, discharge and closure of work orders.

• in-house control

The module is designed to manage work in the workshop, based on the workshop plan generated in the nomenclature and scheduling module. Allows you to obtain reports on loading the equipment of the workshop (site), form work orders and shift-daily tasks, the necessary reports on work orders. The planning object at the in-process control level is the process operation on the DSE batch. The main document is a work order. The accounting results can be used to calculate the piecemeal part of the wages of production workers.

• Production Cost Analysis

The main task of the module is to translate the operations and results of production processes reflected in the automated system into monetary units. The basic practical results of the Gulf Stream cost accounting module are the assessment of work in progress, reports on direct costs (labor and material) in the context of orders, and the preparation of estimates.

• Inventory warehousing

The module is needed to ensure access of production services to information about inventory in central warehouses and storerooms.