Process Manufacturing Software: A Primer

Process manufacturing has unique requirements differentiating it from other types of manufacturing. When selecting software for the process industry, special attention and emphasis should be placed on these requirements to ensure that a company can operate at optimal levels, consistent with how it does business and not on how the software lets the company do business. This article defines process manufacturing; discusses its formulation, packaging, and pricing issues; talks about interfaces; provides cautions and caveats.