Stages of Manufacturing Planning and Control

As manufacturing planning and control systems are becoming a necessity for today’s manufacturing industry, many are unaware of the stages that take place within the system. These stages are what allow manufacturing facilities to quickly increase their efficiency and take their operation to the next level. Before implementing a manufacturing planning and control system, it is important to understand the stages that are being conducted within the system. Therefore, here are the stages within manufacturing planning and control.

Stages within Manufacturing Planning and Control 

The following stages of manufacturing planning and control include the following:

• Business Planning - This portion of the software enables strategic business planning and pursuing of future goals. These overall goals focus on various areas such as profitability, lead time, productivity, and other areas of the business. These goals are incredibly important in terms of driving the company and focusing efforts within the right areas.
• Sales Planning - Sales planning pertains to the coordination of the entire sales process. This includes sales, marketing, product development, and various other areas. With coordination between sales and demand forecasting, the sales department is able to effectively fill orders according to real-time demand, ultimately fulfilling orders on time.
• Master Production Scheduling (MPS) - Master production scheduling (MPS)  is one of the main components of manufacturing planning and control software. This component controls purchasing and planning and ensures that it is efficient and on time. Overall, master production scheduling oversees and delivers a master schedule that allows production to follow with ease.
• Materials Requirements Planning (MRP) - Materials requirements planning (MRP) pertains to what, when, and how many components are needed within a certain time frame. This is conducted through analyzing real-time demand forecasting and developing a plan for what materials are needed to ensure for a steady flow of production.
• Purchasing Planning - The last stage within the process includes purchasing planning, which is responsible for controlling the purchasing flow of materials within the factory. This purchasing component takes care of the purchasing of raw materials in the most cost-effective and efficient manner.

One of the most popular forms of manufacturing planning and control software is advanced planning and scheduling software (APS).

Advanced Planning and Scheduling Software (APS)

Advanced planning and scheduling software (APS) can easily improve operations through utilization of the various benefits and capabilities available. Some of these features include the following:

• What-if Scenarios
• Finite Capacity Scheduling
• Gantt Drag and Drop
• Inventory Planning

Quickly turn your manufacturing operation into a gold mine by implementing PlanetTogether’s advanced planning and scheduling software. For more information on the features within our software, click here!