Optimizing resources-stacking

[ticko]

Hi, I ma working in furniture company and in this time we are using very
primitive system of planning (just critical machines and machine times per
work order), which is not linked with our data base.
We would like to improve planning to all machines in our factory and to all
task that occur during production for every single element of furniture. So
in general we are dealing with around 10.000task/month, and we are trying to
have 2 month plans, so 20.000 task all. And 65 different resources (machines)
Now the biggest problem: I would like to stack task of the same work order
on one of the machine(resource) in production together (due to high cost of
setting up the machine: coulor, thicknes,…)-optimization of the
machine(resource). I am not able to do so with any type of Constraint type, I
don’t know the dead line for this machine (I only have the dead line of work
order), not with priority,…
Is it possible to do that automatically, is it possible to define some
condition for resources.
Or it is easier and smarter to by one of MRP, ERP, SCM planning software,
that includes resource optimization and implement it in the company?

thanks
matija

 

[Rod Gill]

Sorry, if you need to ask these questions, I strongly, strongly recommend
you use production scheduling software (which Project is not, it schedules
projects, not production batches).

Project can do what you want, but you will need to know a lot of advanced
tweaks and tricks to get Project to do so and you will not be able to let
anyone else touch the schedule as that would almost certainly create chaos.
You therefore will not ever be able to take a day off!

Seriously, I have tried getting Project to work for batch scheduling but the
whole process became so technically complex and fragile, large amounts of
highly skilled time were being spent just to maintain the system, let alone
use it. You will never be able to rely on unskilled users to even enter data
reliably.

--

Rod Gill
Microsoft MVP for Project

Author of the only book on Project VBA, see:
http://www.projectvbabook.com

 

[Rob Schneider]

Hi, I ma working in furniture company and in this time we are using very
primitive system of planning (just critical machines and machine times per
work order), which is not linked with our data base.
We would like to improve planning to all machines in our factory and to all
task that occur during production for every single element of furniture. So
in general we are dealing with around 10.000task/month, and we are trying to
have 2 month plans, so 20.000 task all. And 65 different resources (machines)
Now the biggest problem: I would like to stack task of the same work order
on one of the machine(resource) in production together (due to high cost of
setting up the machine: coulor, thicknes,…)-optimization of the
machine(resource). I am not able to do so with any type of Constraint type, I
don’t know the dead line for this machine (I only have the dead line of work
order), not with priority,…
Is it possible to do that automatically, is it possible to define some
condition for resources.
Or it is easier and smarter to by one of MRP, ERP, SCM planning software,
that includes resource optimization and implement it in the company?

thanks
matija

This kind of thing debated frequently on this forum. Can Project be
used for production planning? Some say yes. Some say no. Some say try.

I Never really heard that it actually works for production in a
sustainable way, but then that doesn't mean it won't. My view is that
Project could be one of many analytical tools used to design and develop
a production process--especially a batch process. But it does not do
automatic optimisation which is what many people always think it can be
made to do.

I'm of the old school. Use a tool built and fit for purpose and for
that I'd look for a real production planning/tracking tool and I'd seek
something that's world class to help make my company best in the world.

 

[ticko]

Thanks,
It really become complex with this amount of data, thanks for your opinion.
From now on I am 100% focused on searching production scheduling software

Any suggestion for good production scheduling software.

Matija

 

[Rob Schneider]

Good move.

Thanks,
It really become complex with this amount of data, thanks for your opinion.
From now on I am 100% focused on searching production scheduling software

Any suggestion for good production scheduling software.

Matija