Part 1: What is a Production Scheduler?
2011.11.30
What is a Production Scheduler?
A production factory is a large and complex system. Various elements such as raw materials, parts, machinery, molds, personnel, etc., are intricately intertwined.
Moreover, external factors have been fluctuating intensely recently. For example, the Lehman Shock, European instability, yen appreciation, Japan's major earthquake, and even the great flood in Thailand. We are in a situation where unforeseen events occur frequently.
In such a situation, are the respective factory personnel making accurate judgments?
As an example, let's consider the delivery date response for new orders.
In delivery date responses, it is necessary to predict the future. After predicting various situations that will occur in the future, the possible delivery date is calculated and responded to, but usually, a margin is added to prepare for unforeseen troubles. In doing so, if the margin is large, the risk of delivery delay decreases, but instead, the risk of losing orders increases. Conversely, if the margin is small, the opposite is true. In cases where the sales representative is entrusted with the delivery date response, when the economy is bad, they tend to reduce the margin to somehow secure orders, but that burden later falls on manufacturing.
In addition, in factory operations, various personnel are likely making various decisions daily, but what are they looking at and how are they making those decisions? Are the managers aware of this?
Needless to say, decision-making requires decision-making materials. So, are the necessary decision-making materials being provided to the personnel who need to make decisions? Only when it can be said, "Given the current situation, it should be like this in a few days or weeks," can accurate decision-making be made.
The era when skilled personnel performed this like a divine skill is gradually receding. In today's increasingly complex world, a system that can simulate production activities in factories with appropriate accuracy has become indispensable.
In other words, it is a "system to visualize the future." The core of this is the production scheduler.
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However, not just any production scheduler will do. For a production scheduler to visualize the future with high accuracy, it must be able to accurately simulate the production activities of the factory. In other words, the various circumstances of the factory need to be reflected in the production scheduler. However, these "circumstances" vary greatly from factory to factory. It is possible that the package you happen to choose may not be able to accommodate them.
Therefore, a production scheduler package needs "flexibility," and conversely, it is important to choose a production scheduler equipped with "flexibility."
Operating a factory with a production scheduler that does not fit is like driving a car with foggy glasses, which is extremely dangerous.
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By all means, please introduce a production scheduler that fits your factory and build a system that can respond flexibly.
