Use Interactive Production Scheduling to Improve Your Plant's Efficiencies

Production planning and scheduling sits at the heart of all operations for plastics processors and poses unique challenges. To optimize overall production runs and improve lead times, it is crucial to identify the best-performing machines and tools for each product upfront. Additionally, processors must consider the availability of limited quantities of secondary equipment such as conveyors, grinders, calibrators, robots and coextruders, along with any scheduled maintenance or ongoing production runs.

Moreover, dynamic material requirements planning (MRP) calculations are essential to ensure the availability of materials and equipment when rescheduling work orders. 

To effectively address these complexities, plastic processors require an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with an interactive production scheduling module. Let’s explore the significance of interactive master production scheduling for plastic processors and the benefits it offers in improving lead times.

 

Optimizing Production Runs and Equipment Utilization

With interactive production scheduling, plastic processors can make informed decisions about production runs, optimizing the utilization of machines and tools. By visualizing the availability and performance of each machine or tool, processors can identify the most efficient setup for a particular product. 

 

This approach ensures that production runs are scheduled in a manner that maximizes output while meeting order due dates. The ability to plan and allocate resources effectively is crucial in minimizing downtime and optimizing the utilization of limited quantities of equipment.

Real-Time Availability and Conflicts Management

A robust interactive production scheduling module provides real-time visibility regarding the availability of machines, tools and secondary line equipment. Processors can instantly determine whether specific equipment is available or already assigned to other production runs or undergoing maintenance. 

This information enables efficient decision-making when assigning equipment to different production runs. Furthermore, processors can identify and address conflicts in equipment availability, ensuring smooth operations and minimizing disruptions. By proactively managing equipment availability and conflicts, plastic processors can enhance lead times and optimize production efficiency.

Dynamic MRP Calculations and Alternative Recipes

Dynamic MRP calculations are a key component of interactive production scheduling. When scheduling work orders, the ERP system should automatically perform online calculations to verify the availability of required equipment and materials. This dynamic approach enables processors to make informed decisions on work order scheduling and ensure that all necessary resources are available. In cases where specific materials are unavailable, the system should provide the flexibility to suggest and implement alternative recipes to prevent production delays. This adaptability enables processors to maintain continuity in production and meet customer demands efficiently.

Visual Dashboard for Real-Time Monitoring

An essential feature of interactive production scheduling is a user-friendly visual dashboard. This tool provides a drag-and-drop interface that enables processors to easily manipulate and adjust production schedules. The visual dashboard offers a comprehensive overview of production runs, highlighting any potential deadline delays, material availability issues, or equipment conflicts. This real-time monitoring enables processors to quickly identify and resolve issues, ensuring optimal production planning and lead time improvements.

Choosing an ERP Solution With Interactive Production Scheduling

When selecting an ERP system for your plastic processing business, it is crucial to evaluate the capabilities of the production scheduling module. Ensure the ERP system offers an interactive and visually intuitive production scheduling tool that can handle the complexities specific to plastic processing such as tool or die efficiency by machine. 

This core component should provide real-time availability and conflicts management, dynamic MRP calculations and the flexibility to handle alternative recipes. By incorporating these features, an ERP solution with interactive production scheduling empowers plastic processors to optimize production runs, improve lead times, ensure on-time delivery and enhance overall operational efficiency.

What to Look For

Interactive production scheduling plays a crucial role in optimizing production runs and overall plant throughput for plastic processors. By providing real-time visibility into equipment availability, managing conflicts, performing dynamic MRP calculations and offering a user-friendly visual dashboard, an ERP system with interactive production scheduling enables processors to streamline operations and make informed decisions with accuracy. 

About the Author: Rick Dunne is the director of sales and a partner at CyFrame. He has over 20 years of experience dedicated to helping plastics processors identify and resolve inefficiencies in their operations through complete enterprise integration. His mission is to enable business owners to simplify their operations while better managing in real-time, with accurate shopfloor data to effectively strengthen their bottom lines and scale for growth.