iTAC’s MES and IIoT solutions support transparent, automated production processes. The Manufacturing Execution System iTAC.MES.Suite includes various services for networking, automation and analysis of production processes. The Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) service for detailed order planning is one of the core elements of the system.

Improved planning and calculating of batch productions
A significant extension to the APS function, which is available with Release 9.20.00 of the iTAC.MES.Suite, aims to improve the planning of batch production. This makes it possible to integrate and plan serial manufacturing based on the respective production version.

A production version represents the combination of a routing with a bill of material (BOM). This determines how a material is manufactured and which material quantities are required. Two production versions for the same material can differ in the routing, in the BOM, or in both the routing and the BOM. Each production version has a validity period that is derived from the two data sets ‘Valid from’ and ‘Valid until’. For each combination of routing and BOM, there is a component assignment for which the operations in the routing require the materials.

"The APS service has been enhanced so that the available valid production versions for the respective material are considered when scheduling an order. From now on, the APS service will select the production version so that the order is scheduled according to the target function at the lowest possible cost. Only valid and released production versions are transferred from the ERP system to the MES and GANTTPLAN. This ensures an exceptionally efficient planning process," explains Andreas Zerfas, Vice President Product Management at iTAC Software AG.

Splitting of work orders
A further addition to the APS is the creation of order lots and the splitting of work orders. With this new function, it is possible to dispatch production orders for which the material requirements are not completely covered proportionally. A partially covered order is split so that a new order lot is created and planned for the covered portion. The remaining quantity remains in the original order and can only be dispatched once the material shortage has been eliminated. Order lots can be generated from the dispatch control station. This expansion of the APS offers significantly greater flexibility for dispatchers and enables detailed planning according to requirements.