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George Moroses

Infor LX & BPCS Manufacturing Tip of the Week: Backward Scheduling

Operations are automatically backward scheduled at shop order release time. The backward scheduling algorithm starts with the shop order due date and schedules each operation based upon the standard move and queue times in the routings and the number of days the job is expected to run at standard. The system calculates and stores the operation scheduled start date. The dates may be modified by the shop order maintenance program. The number of days that a job is expected to run an operation is dependent upon the available capacity for that work center and the total hours scheduled for that operation.

The backward scheduling algorithm also considers the shop calendar for weekends, shutdowns, holidays, and partial days.

Backward Scheduling Process

The algorithm starts with the due date of the shop order or planned order. The system makes the following calculations for each operation in the reverse sequence:

  1. The number of move days is subtracted from the due date (or initial date of the previous operation) to get the due date for this operation. The move days are only used on valid shop calendar days.
  2. The system uses the following calculation for the number of clock hours for the operation: Standard run or machine hrs/No. of operators + setup hours
  3. The number of clock hours is spread over the available daily capacity of the work center for those given days. The system uses the following calculation for the daily capacity of the work center: Number of shifts x hours per shift x average efficiency/100
  4. Each day is checked against the shop calendar; the calculation bypasses inactive days or adjusts for any changes in the work center capacity for that day.
  5. Queue time days are subtracted in the same manner as move time days. The resulting date is the operation start date.

The algorithm then goes to the previous operation. When all operations have been included, the resulting date is the scheduled start date of the shop order. Note that MRP uses the item lead time to determine material requirement dates on planned orders.

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Tips:  LX | BPCS | M3

Understanding: How many hours remain in total and at each operation?

Now let’s look at what information is being supplied from the shop floor.

It’s not uncommon for transaction reporting to be captured manually on the shop packet that was issued to the factory floor when the SO was released.

The big question is, is anything done with the data? Is it collected and keyed to a  spreadsheet and not shared, or is the transaction data keyed to SFC600? If it is being keyed, ask how often and by whom? Some companies use alternative methods to capture transaction data that do not require batch keying via a keyboard.

Not a lot of data is required to be keyed to SFC600 in order for the SO Inquiry to be useful. The data that should be reported for the transaction process is as follows:

  • The type of hours being reported – machine, run labor, setup labor
  • If reporting setup and run labor you want an employee clock number
  • The shop order and the operation that is being reported
  • Is the operation complete
  • How many good were produced at this operation
  • How many hours – the numbers of hours are critical. Do the employees estimate how many hours they worked, or do they track actual time started and stopped in order to calculate the actual number of hours.

Based on what is captured and how often will have an impact on the SO inquiry screen. Understanding the batch times as to when the transactions are keyed will provide you with the window as to the SO status at that point in time. Or, are they keyed as they happen in a near real time fashion so that you can have a more current view of the factory floor.

Understanding: How many hours remain in total and at each operation?

First let’s look at some key BPCS Master File data starting with the routing file.

How many routing steps (operations) are set up that reflect how the product is produced in the factory? If you take a short cut and set up only one operation for the entire process, then you will limit the information seen on the SO inquiry program. Set up the operation steps to reflect what you want to report back to from the factory floor.

Will each of the routing steps run in one work center, or in different work centers? To keep it simple you may want to set up work centers as departments. For example:

  • Assembly
  • Machine
  • Paint
  • Etc.

For each operation setup consider how you have set up the following:

  • Load Codes – for example a code 5 is used if reporting both setup time and run labor time. These codes are maintained in the work center file
  • Basis Code – typical codes are P for pieces per hour,  3 is used for hours per 1,000 pieces
  • Setup hours – if you set them up, you also want to report them
  • Run hours – Direct Labor
  • Machine hours

How you set up th

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