MRP Scheduling Engine

The “MRP Schedule Engine” provides a full comprehensive tool for managing workorders scheduling process in finite capacity way. The main results are:

·       New schedule dates determination by taking into account finite capacity constraints (the available capacity defined at workcenter level)

·       Schedule sequence is assigned to each workorder for sequencing their processing per workcenter

The working calendar assigned to each workcenter is taken into account for the finite capacity scheduling (new scheduled dates).

The report “Workcenter Capacity Evaluation” provides an overview over the time how the workcenters are loaded by comparing available capacity with capacity requirements. After performing the scheduling process phase, the workcenter capacity is leveled, so no workcenter is overloaded; hence the production plan is feasible.

Two ways are possible to run the engine:

·       On line by running it per single warehouse (planning area)

·       as daily background job for all the warehouses where manufacturing replenishment has been activated (scheduled action frequency can be changed as per manufacturing process needs)

Setting parameters

Some setting parameters are to be defined for running properly the finite capacity scheduling optimization solver. The scheduling horizon in calendar days for selecting open production orders for the backgroung job is to be set also.

Scheduling Engine Run

The engine can be run on line by selecting the manufacturing warehouse, the scheduling start date (start date for scheduling workorders, usually tomorrow) and the scheduling horizon (how many days from the scheduling start date are to be added for selecting open manufacturing orders to be scheduled).

Scheduling Engine Run as background job

A scheduled job has been created for running the scheduling engine daily as background job. Its frequency can be changed according to the manufacturing process needs.

A mail with scheduling engine results is sent out to the email address entered in the Warehouse Address.

Scheduling Engine List

The scheduling results can be evaluated through the “Scheduling Engine List”: all the scheduled workorders are listed and the new scheduling dates can be compared with the old ones. The workorders with expected delay (new scheduling end date is lying after the planned pivot end date) are pointed out in red color. The expected delay is calculated also.

After evaluating the scheduling results, it is possible to align the old scheduling dates with the new ones. Therefore, leveling of workcenters capacity load is achieved.

The overall scheduling results can be printed out also.

Scheduling Engine Workcenter List

Scheduled workorders per workcenter are listed and sorted by schedule sequence. This list can be printed out as workcenter workload.