Manufacturers across various industries are continually seeking new ways to minimize waste, optimize operations, and enhance efficiency, ultimately benefiting their bottom line. For those who practice lean manufacturing, every second counts, and every ounce of waste matters. That’s where Kato Integrations’ API solutions can help, offering powerful tools to connect systems for process automation and reduced waste.
Whether you’re running legacy systems like IBM i (AS/400) or working toward fully digital operations, Kato’s suite of tools, including RPG API Express and RESTful API integration services, can help you transition from reactive to proactive operations.
Lean manufacturing is all about eliminating anything that doesn’t add value, whether that’s unnecessary motion, overproduction, downtime, or excess inventory. But manufacturers using siloed systems often struggle to gain real-time visibility or react quickly to disruptions.
That’s where Kato’s API solutions come in. By connecting applications and equipment across your manufacturing environment, Kato enables data to flow automatically between departments and systems. This level of real-time monitoring integration in lean plants empowers operators and decision-makers with accurate, up-to-date information.
For example, instead of manually updating order statuses or production schedules, Kato’s tools automatically push updates from one system to another. The result? Faster decisions, fewer delays, and a significant waste reduction.
Kato Integrations’ RPG API Express is designed specifically for the IBM i platform, providing fast, secure ways to expose and consume data. It allows companies to use existing RPG programs as RESTful APIs, turning legacy logic into modern interfaces.
By using RPG API Express to build complex web services, your plant can:
This eliminates manual data entry, reduces duplication, and helps lean manufacturers act on accurate information without delay.
Many manufacturers still rely on IBM i systems for core business functions. But to remain competitive, these systems need to communicate with modern tools. IBM i data integration for lean manufacturing allows real-time syncing between ERP systems, MES platforms, shipping solutions, and more.
Kato’s API solutions help your team create seamless communication between IBM i and external systems. By eliminating data silos, your operations become faster, smarter, and more efficient, key goals for any lean initiative.
Unplanned downtime is one of the biggest sources of waste in manufacturing. Kato Integrations helps tackle this problem with predictive maintenance using RESTful APIs.
By connecting sensors and monitoring systems to your core IBM i infrastructure, Kato’s API solutions for data integration allow teams to detect early warning signs of machine failure. That way, maintenance schedules can be adjusted automatically, and service tickets can be generated before a breakdown occurs.
The result? Cutting downtime with Kato Integrations and improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) across the board.
When your systems are talking to each other, manual tasks shrink, and lean performance grows. Kato Integrations enables manufacturers to streamline operations with IBM i APIs, reducing the need for repetitive data entry or slow interdepartmental communication.
Here’s what that looks like in action:
Using Kato’s RESTful integration tools to improve efficiency and reduce downtime isn’t just a technical upgrade; it’s a competitive advantage for lean manufacturers.
If your team is still relying on overnight data updates or error-prone manual reporting, you’re likely wasting valuable time and resources. Integrating your IBM i system with lean manufacturing systems via Kato Integrations can help you bridge the gap between outdated processes and modern, responsive manufacturing. This enables lean manufacturing waste elimination by enabling smarter workflows, quicker responses, and more agile operations.
Today’s lean manufacturers need fast, flexible, and reliable ways to connect systems and eliminate waste. Kato Integrations’ API solutions provide the tools to do exactly that, whether through RPG API Express, RESTful APIs, or full-scale IBM i data integration.
By investing in smart integration, manufacturers are not only boosting productivity in lean environments but also preparing their operations for whatever comes next. And with real-time data at their fingertips, they can keep delivering value while keeping waste firmly in the past.
Want to give Kato’s RPG API Express a try? Contact us today for a free trial!