26 Apr 2022
APS is an Advanced Planning and Scheduling production management system.
An APS-class (Advanced Planning and Scheduling) system is capable of creating a production schedule for a variety of products in an instant while supporting various company-specific processes and taking into account limited shop-floor resources at the same time. The APS production schedule incorporates information on production orders, technologies, resources and inventory levels, ensuring optimum planning of production processes.
APS bridges the gap between an ERP system and the shop floor by providing information on the current production plan. When integrated with MES and SCADA systems, the schedule also shows the progress of shop-floor processes.
APS creates a shop-floor schedule, either automatically or manually, taking into account available resources, production constraints against order lead times and raw material delivery dates, as well as technological overlaps between individual production components and outsourced products.
A structure Gantt chart is the production planner’s useful tool. The chart shows the progress of shop-floor processes by production structure, with an option to analyze anticipated delivery dates of both finished goods and their individual components.
A resource Gantt chart shows a list of resources (e.g. machinery) and their availability, the current production plan and completed orders.
In the most advanced APS-class systems (such as PSIasm), a single production schedule is updated in real time by several planners, who can see their updates on a Gantt chart. As a result, planners responsible for various areas can interact with one another and are not forced to close the application which is used by several planners at the same time. This makes their work much more comfortable.
APS can be integrated with MES and SCADA systems, making it possible to track the progress of production orders and their estimated completion dates against actual data (plan versus execution). In the event of a downtime (machine breakdown, unavailability of production components or absence of key staff), the planner can immediately modify the plan.
APS comes with a report generator function, covering the use of resources, delayed orders, various scheduling scenarios, as well as evaluation of planning quality. As a result, process bottlenecks and other elements of the schedule affecting plant efficiency are identified on the spot.
All departments across the company benefit from the deployment of APS thanks to more efficient organization of work and better company-wide communication. However, the key advantage is the reduction of production costs caused by under-utilization of machinery, production stoppages and poor planning flexibility.
In just seconds, planners are able to create a schedule based on the available technology, existing resource constraints and ongoing production processes, avoiding many hours of scheduling in Excel spreadsheets.
With the APS system in place, both company owners and managers gain access to real-time data on the current production plan and its actual execution. Optimum planning drives down production costs by up to 20% and enhances equipment efficiency by 10%, which is reflected in the company’s inancial bottom line.
Shop-floor personnel receive a clear work plan and access to up-to-date information should any unexpected situations arise. Along with the roll-out of production management systems, the team’s morale also goes up, as the staff eventually recognize the benefits of optimized plant and work organization.
On linking the APS system with up-to-date shop-floor data, the procurement department will be automatically notified of the availability of raw materials and semi-finished goods necessary to complete customer orders.
Thanks to real-time updates on actual lead times and changes in order completion statuses, the sales department has access to up-to-date information on when a given order is to be ready and when new orders can be completed. The APS system also ensures more timely deliveries.
How does the APS system compare to other IT solutions? According to PSI 2019 survey, ERP systems were the most popular production scheduling tools among medium-sized and large enterprises (51%). Microsoft Excel, preferred mainly by mid-sized manufacturers, came in second (48%); it is considered rather ineffective in terms of optimal utilization of machinery and production management. Advanced APS-class systems were least popular (10%); however, users declared they were the most effective planning tools allowing for maximum utilization of shop-floor machinery.
The APS production plan is much more than just a colorful Gantt chart visualization of orders and operations to be performed using specific resources. First and foremost, it offers a dynamic interconnected network and real-time updates drawing on data from various sources: the ERP system, HR systems, CMMS changeover matrix, the MES system collecting shop-floor data, and SCADA machines. Only full integration will enable the planner to update the plan in real time in response to changing external conditions: new orders, machine breakdowns and overhauls, staff absence or other unforeseen situations.
Production planning and scheduling is a key process underlying
efficient production management. Without an advanced APS system in place, companies respond to changes with a considerable delay and are unable to utilize their resources with maximum efficiency. At a certain level of organizational growth and production complexity, IT tools are essential to incorporate all the different planning criteria at the same time.
