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Insight about Production Plan – Schedule – Control

I           Importance of Production Plan in Manufacturing

What is Production Plan?

Production Plan describes how the products will be manufactured.  Production Plan consider the important factors like Production targets, Required Resources, Process, Delivery Due dates and overall schedule.  The plan also arrives all of the dependencies of the production components viz., Assemblies and Sub assemblies, etc.

At one point of time the production plan was only with the large manufactures, owing to the technology advancement, it was made it easier to plan and track production processes effortlessly for even small and medium sized manufacturing companies. 

Plan includes Raw material, Purchase Components, In-house components or assemblies etc..  

Importance of Production Planning

A well-constructed production plan can help to boost revenue, profit, adhere to customer commitments and satisfactions viz.,

 Insight knowledge:  Production plan provides holistic view of the target, resources and operating steps.

Capacity Planning:  Efficient plan gives the detail resource utilization and deficiency if any.

Types of Production Planning:  Project Based Planning or Order Consolidation and Manufacturing (OCM)

Process Flow of Production Planning

II          Production Schedule is the Backbone of Manufacturing

After finalizing the production planning based on the factory calendar, every manufacturing company undertakes production scheduling. This critical process ensures smooth operations by aligning production activities with the plan

Scheduling involves various factors that must be considered before finalizing the schedule and releasing the production order. It is a detailed, micro-level planning process derived from the Master Production Plan (MPS), typically carried out daily or weekly.

What is production scheduling?

Production scheduling develops a detailed timetable for specific orders or aligns with the Master Production Schedule (MPS). It involves critical decision-making to determine task commencement based on resource availability, dependencies, and constraints

Key factors in production scheduling include the availability of machines, materials, and labor. These elements must align to prevent bottlenecks and ensure the smooth execution of production tasks.”

Production scheduling aims to streamline workflows by focusing on these key objectives:

  • Organize the order of tasks within the production cycle.
  • Allocate resources like equipment and labor to specific tasks.
  • Reduce idle time while maximizing resource utilization.
  • Adapt to changing customer demands and market conditions.
  • Ensure on-time delivery of products.

Production planning and scheduling complement each other. While planning focuses on the broader strategy and long-term goals, scheduling hones in on short-term, day-to-day operations to ensure the plan is executed effectively

Process Flow of Production Scheduling

III         Critical Role of Production Control

In manufacturing, planning and scheduling mark only the beginning of a long journey. The true challenge lies in ensuring that production stays on track, meets schedules, and upholds quality standards

Production control enables managers and supervisors to track and oversee every aspect of work being done in the manufacturing facility in real time.

What Is Production Control?

Production control is about monitoring and controlling 

There are multiple types of productions such as.,

  1. Make to Order: Products are manufactured after receiving a customer order.
  2. Make to Stock: Items are produced in advance and stored until needed.
  3. Engineer to Order: Custom products designed and built to specific client requirements.
  4. Assemble to Order: Components are assembled only after receiving an order.

Each organisation may have one or more types of production based on their operations.

Routing  :  Routing is the first step in production control, involving the definition and sequencing of each operation from start to finish. It includes planning for raw materials, equipment, tools, and labor. Some operations may require subcontracting. Quality checks at every stage are crucial to ensure targets are met and products meet standards.”

“Production control is responsible for managing the entire process from start to the targeted delivery. Real-time monitoring and notifications at each stage are essential for timely decision-making on the shop floor to achieve production targets.”

Process Flow of Production Control

Conclusion:

To meet the highest quality, efficiency and customer demands, Production planning, scheduling, and control plays the key role in manufacturing. By optimizing these process with the help of a good software, would able to align resources, streamline workflows, and ensure quality and timely delivery. Together, they empower manufacturers to meet customer expectations, adapt to changing demands, and drive operational excellence, laying the foundation for sustainable growth and success.

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