The Main Scope of Production Planning

Many project and operations managers find themselves running into similar issues within production - locating ways to further optimize their overall production process. They believe that they have all of the attributes needed, but production still seems to fall a bit short. This is where many operations managers are locating production planning software and are filling in the gaps where softwares such as ERP and MRP are lacking. As the common misconception of ERP and MRP alone are fading, production planning software is swooping over production facilities and optimizing production through efficiency increase and waste reduction. Before implementing a production planning software, it is essential to understand the functions and main scope within production planning. In this blog, we will discuss the functions and main scope of production planning and how it pertains to optimizing the production process.

Functions of Production Planning

The functions of production planning enables the manufacturing operation to boost efficiency and have clear insight within the operation. This visibility within the operation allows operations managers to make strategic decisions to aid production. Therefore, the functions of production planning include the following:

• Materials Function - In order to adequately eliminate waste, high inventory cost, and other inefficiencies within production, production planning measures the amount of materials that are needed within a certain time period, which then enables raw materials and other components to be delivered to the facility within a timely manner, ultimately saving the production facility money.
• Equipment - Production planning analyzes equipment downtime or maintenance schedules and enables production to keep flowing efficiently. This further enables the production facility to stay efficient and on-time with future orders from customers.
• Methods - This function of production planning analyzes possible alternatives and schedules that production is able to follow. The software generates various schedules and then chooses the most advantageous one that is suited for the operation and locates any constraints that are hindering production.
• Routing - Routing is a feature of production planning that oversees how raw materials are transformed throughout the production process and turned into a finished product. The software is also able to locate the most advantageous path for raw materials to follow.
• Estimating - After a process sheet is available, you can then estimate total operation time. This feature of the software is carried out utilizing analysis on areas of operations such as routing, raw materials, and various other areas of production.
• Dispatching - Dispatching includes execution, in which this process pertains mainly to setting production activities in motion through instructions. This function will then take control of production through material releasing, component, and tools to the operator.
• Expediting/Evaluation - Expediting pertains to overseeing the progress of production, which then coordinates the execution of the production plan. This is then transferred over to evaluation, in which this state includes evaluating the production process as a whole. This aids in identifying areas where productivity is lacking and implements a strategy to improve a particular area.

With these functions being incorporated into your production process, you may be wondering what the main scope of production planning is.

Main Scope of Production Planning

The main scope of production planning includes the following:

• Identifying and stating the purpose of production, in which this will include the item name, code of the product, quantity, volume, any raw material requirements, and various others.
• Production planning will list any technical specifications for the various manufacturing states as well as for quality control
• Listing operations sequentially, in which this will include cycle time for production completion.
• It will also list equipment, machines, tools, gauges, jobs, fixtures, and anything else required for various stages of production.
• Finally, production planning will also list any specifications to be followed in order to achieve results and reach a higher performance standard pertaining to cycle time, output level, etc.

Overall, production planning plays a key role in modern manufacturing and should be utilized by production facilities around the globe. Production planning lays out a clear plan for production, executes it, and attempts to take it up a notch each time it is run, in which this optimizes production and boost efficiency within the operation. A form of production planning software is PlanetTogether’s advanced planning and scheduling software (APS), which generates production schedules and aids in waste reduction and efficiency increase. Advanced planning and scheduling software (APS) can easily provide thorough insight within your operation and enable you to take your operation to the next level.

Advanced Planning and Scheduling Software 

Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) software has become a must for modern-day manufacturing operations due to customer demand for increased product mix and fast delivery combined with downward cost pressures. APS can be quickly integrated with a ERP/MRP software to fill gaps where these system lack planning and scheduling flexibility and accuracy. Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) helps planners save time while providing greater agility in updating ever-changing priorities, production schedules, and inventory plans.

• Create optimized schedules balancing production efficiency and delivery performance
• Maximize output on bottleneck resources to increase revenue
• Synchronize supply with demand to reduce inventories
• Provide company-wide visibility to capacity
• Enable scenario data-driven decision making

Implementation of Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) software will take your manufacturing operations to the next level of production efficiency, taking advantage of the operational data you already have in your ERP.