Optimization of production planning: Rough vs. detailed scheduling
In production, planning plays a crucial role in ensuring that manufacturing processes run smoothly. But where is the greatest potential for improvement - in detailed scheduling or in rough-cut planning? This question shows the complexity of the planning process and the challenges that companies face.
As described here, the planning process begins with rough-cut planning, which carries out initial scheduling and ensures that material availability is guaranteed and the requirements date is met. In contrast, detailed scheduling plans with specific production resources such as machines and employees and optimizes the production sequences for efficient production.
The cause lies in the complexity
This results in a complexity for the entire planning process that should not be underestimated. Accordingly, the causes of planning-related difficulties are often complex and not easy to localize. A key question is therefore: Is the greatest potential for improvement primarily in the rough planning or in detailed scheduling? This is easiest to answer based on the KPIs with potential for improvement.
As a rule, reduced adherence to delivery dates is primarily caused by problems in rough planning. If the production time of an order is underestimated during scheduling, the promised delivery date can often not be met. However, even this problem cannot always be solved by improved rough planning alone.
Problem: Planning against unlimited capacities
Planning against unlimited capacities in rough planning can be problematic here. Backlogs in production are often not taken into account, which can lead to systematically early delivery dates. Downtime-related bottlenecks in personnel or machinery are also not always adequately taken into account, which can lead to unrealistic delivery dates. This is where detailed scheduling can make a decisive contribution. By knowing the capacity utilization and current restrictions, these effects can be identified and taken into account.
Consideration of all limited resources and their optimal utilization
However, if there is potential for improvement in the optimization of throughput and throughput time or in the reduction of throughput time, then the most promising starting points are clearly to be found at detailed scheduling. By taking into account all limited resources and the optimal utilization of these resources, significant improvements in throughput, throughput time and production costs can be achieved in the detailed scheduling .
An APS such as PAILOT offers valuable support for production planners.
