Valor vManage Materials Manager Software Suite from Mentor Graphics Wins 2011 New Product Introduction Award

The Materials Manager software product is a collection of applications based on the vManage database that streamlines material flow in the form of kits linked to work orders from ERP. This helps ensure that the right material arrives at the right location on the shop floor at the right time. The benefits of the Materials Manager product include accurately matching the continuous flow of material entering the shop floor to real-time rates of production and spoilage; achieving minimum inventory levels to prevent line stops; and keeping the factory responsive to changing requirements.

When ERP and Warehouse Management tools have limited visibility to shop floor material movements or actual production rates, a lean solution can be impossible to achieve. Often, excess material is committed to operations to create a buffer to keep things moving, resulting in added costs, tying up capital and masking the real problems. The vManage Materials Manager software bases all material movements on accurate real-time data from the shop floor, whether delivering materials directly to a machine, or managing set-up on an off-line trolley.

Premiering in 2008, the New Product Introduction Awards sponsored by Circuits Assembly Magazine is an annual celebration of product excellence in electronics surface mount assembly. Premier products based on the finest examples of creative advancement in technology are chosen by a distinguished panel of industry experts.

“We are honored to accept the NPI award for our vManage Materials Manager software which provides a solution for lean and efficient manufacturing today, delivering real value and a rapid return on investment for electronics designers and manufacturers,” stated Dan Weitzman, Americas regional business manager, Valor Division of Mentor Graphics. “This is the second year in a row that Valor has been recognized for its innovative software technologies, winning the 2010 NPI Award for the Valor MSS software suite.”

The Materials Manager product was founded on the principles of “Lean Thinking,” eliminating waste of all descriptions, including materials and energy, resulting in reduced environment and financial costs. The software is commercially flexible, allowing customers to add or select functions to meet immediate needs, and also features the technical flexibility to connect to other systems and databases through API SDK.