4 Steps in Production Planning

Production planning is a vital component in modern day manufacturing operations. Without it, facilities are unable to schedule production accordingly, ultimately limiting the functionality of the operation. Integration of a production planning system will establish the groundwork for how production should be running, and locate areas where productivity is lacking. If any aspect within the factory is experiencing low productivity, the production planning software will generate various schedules that will keep production flowing efficiently. In successful production planning, there are a few steps that the process takes in order to ensure optimization.

Demand Forecasting

Without demand forecasting, production is unsure of how much to produce, which halts the first step of the process. This is because demand forecasting enables effective demand, capacity, and production planning. Though demand forecasting methods can vary, accurate data and information aids your operation through preparing the first step in production planning. Therefore, utilizing an accurate demand forecasting method will ensure for the best results of a production planning system.

Scheduling Alternatives

The next step pertains to generating various schedules. Based on the demand forecast, the system develops several routes that production can take. This step considers diverse factors such as material availability, equipment functionality, and the timeframe established. This function can also locate areas in which bottlenecks may be prevalent and attempt to avoid them. The system then decides on which production schedule alternative is the best and enforces the schedule.

Control

As the system executes the schedule, it oversees the entire process. This is completed by data being fed into the system. The control system can quickly alert the facility when a problem occurs or when human interference is needed. 

Evaluation and Adjustments

After the process is complete, the system then analyzes the schedule and fixes the areas in which efficiency is lacking. This process is completed several times as the production schedule is carried out and ensures for a quickly optimized and overall efficient production process and schedule.  

Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) Software

Project managers around the globe are integrating advanced planning and scheduling (APS) software. As many facilities are realizing that ERP software alone is not enough, APS offers benefits and capabilities that will fill in the gaps that ERP is lacking. Improve production time, reduce cost, and experience the benefits of APS through features such as:

• Simple, Quick Integration,
• Capacity Planning
• Production Scheduling
• Up-to-Minute Demand Planning and Forecasting
• ”What-if” Scenarios

Implementation of an advanced planning and scheduling (APS) software is simple and will permit your production facility to take the next step in overall production efficiency. For more information on APS software, click here.