ATech’s Progress in Production Automation – Upgrade of ERP System with Finite Scheduling

Finite scheduling is a detailed scheduling strategy that is classified right after strategic and operative level and concerns capacity planning for shorter periods of time. Today’s environment is changing rapidly. Leave of absence from work because of illness, new and very urgent orders, delays in material supplies, equipment damage, slower or faster order fulfilments, etc. are all presumptions that are subject to daily changes, and as such significantly influence short-term capacity planning.

Integration of finite planning into ERP system is rare in the field of production

Finite scheduling is usually performed by a separate information system. By this integration, ATech avoided one of the most delicate points – synchronisation of two systems thus gaining both on time and quality level of system introduction. Finite scheduling helped ATech gain in terms of responsiveness to the parameter changing that affect production planning as it takes into account actual resources available (available workforce and workplaces, workers’ qualifications to perform certain operations, time schedule and evenly occupied workplaces). Before the beginning of each shift, based on these data the system calculates detailed work plan by operations which is than assigned to each worker. Preset priorities are taken into account, such as date of delivery, work order of precedence and building in of semimanufactures as well as current limitations. At the beginning of the shift, the worker logs into MES (Manufacturing Execution System) application. The system shows the operations that have to be performed in a certain order of precedence. The worker, on the other hand, simultaneously inserts into the system data related to the work done (number of manufactured pieces).

  

The role of GOSoft information system

For finite scheduling ATech uses the information system GOSoft (www.goinfo.si) which performs the scheduling on MRP II principle, whereas for shorter periods it performs finite scheduling (CRP) that include Heller-Logemann algorithm together with other best practices for determining order of precedence and priority operations.

The application enables graphic and tabular representations of the plan, even among internet browsers independently of the location or operational system. The same plan is available to the purchasing as well as sales departments thus shortening the communication line and making the transfer of information much easier among different departments within the company. All of these significantly influence the quality of company’s relations with its clients as the time of response is almost immediate.

Key advantages of the CRP for ATech are:
1. Time savings at daily capacity planning;
2. Higher quality daily planning;
3. Time savings for department managers due to faster and more optimal workforce allocation;
4. Time savings for workers due to the faster allocation to the workplaces;
5. More optimal allocation of workers to the workplaces based on their skills and qualifications;
6. Optimization of labour time, workplaces and equipment by taking into account key priorities (time of delivery);
7. Better communication.