Inventory Control with CMMS: Streamline Your Maintenance Operations
Understanding Inventory Control
Inventory control, often referred to as stock control, plays a crucial role in your maintenance operations by managing the spare parts inventory. It’s essential for ensuring that maintenance tasks run smoothly without overstocking parts that could become obsolete. Effective inventory control systems are indispensable in achieving these goals.
What Comprises an Inventory Control System?
Inventory control systems guarantee the availability of the right parts at the right time. These systems can either be manual or automated. A parts forecaster is a subset of inventory control, predicting necessary parts for upcoming maintenance tasks. Here’s what a parts forecaster can do:
- Purchase Recommendations: It considers predicted parts usage, offering smarter purchasing advice.
- Historical Data Analysis: By harnessing all past maintenance and parts data from a CMMS, it accurately forecasts future parts needs to prevent stockouts.
- Maintenance Trends Analysis: Recognizes maintenance patterns, such as seasonal demands, to optimize parts ordering.
Types of Inventory Control Systems
There are two primary inventory control systems: Periodic and Perpetual.
- Periodic Inventory Systems: These involve scheduling physical inventory counts at set intervals (monthly, quarterly, or yearly) to adjust orders based on past averages. For instance, you might calculate May 2023 inventory needs based on March 2021 to April 2022 data, assuming consistent operations.
- Perpetual Inventory Systems: These systems, typically software-based, keep track of inventory levels in real-time. When a part is used or ordered, the system automatically updates stock levels, providing instant inventory insights.
Benefits of an Inventory Control System
Implementing an inventory control system helps in:
- Cost Reduction: Order parts only when necessary, avoiding excess spending on unused inventory.
- Quality Control: Prevents parts from sitting too long, reducing potential damage or obsolescence.
- Future Planning: Uses historical data to prepare for recurring maintenance needs, known as kitting.
- Accurate Records: Maintains comprehensive inventory records, crucial for audits and asset management.
Inventory Control vs. Inventory Management
Though often used interchangeably, inventory control and management serve distinct purposes:
| Inventory Control | Inventory Management |
|---|
| Manages | Day-to-day tracking of stock levels and usage | Forecasting and strategizing inventory purchases |
| Assists with | Ensures operational stock levels | Aligns stock with projected maintenance demands |
| Purpose | Tracks stock health and usability | Predicts demand and manages supplier relationships |
| Systems Used | Periodic/Perpetual Inventory Systems | Maintenance Inventory Management Software (CMMS/EAM) |
Discover how our advanced CMMS features can transform your maintenance routine by ensuring optimal inventory control.
