Scheduling based on finite capacity

You can choose to schedule operations based on either infinite or finite capacity. When scheduling based on finite capacity, the load of previously planned orders is taken into account. This planning method is more accurate than planning based on infinite capacity. An operation is scheduled based on the available capacity as well as the number of hours to plan per day. Any days with available capacity will be filled by the same operation for another order.

For each individual capacity group, you can choose to schedule operations based on infinite or finite capacity. Specify the default method to be used for each capacity group. When one of the capacity groups is added to a part calculation or production calculation, you can still change the method, if necessary.

If you choose to schedule based on finite capacity, you will also specify, for each capacity group, whether to plan contiguously or not. You can also use priorities.

Contiguous or non-contiguous scheduling

When scheduling operations based on finite capacity, you can specify how the available time must be filled:

Non-contiguous scheduling: All available capacity can be utilized. Any windows available in the schedule are filled.
Contiguous scheduling: The entire operation must be scheduled contiguously. This means that any intermediate days (after the start day) must be without any load, and that the remainder must fit on the last day. For the 'Contiguous scheduling' option, it is assumed that only one operation is being performed for a particular capacity group at a time. If you fill the To plan per day field with a value that applies to more than one machine, because some machines can work in parallel, this could result in an illogical planning when using the contiguous scheduling method. You are therefore not recommended to use this combination.

If the capacity group is included in a part or production calculation, your selection of contiguous or non-contiguous scheduling will be used in the calculation. The field value can still be modified here.

Priorities

Priorities are used when planning on the basis of finite capacity. You determine the planning sequence by specifying a priority.

You should first register priorities on the Priorities form, and then assign them to a customer or a sales order, for example.

When scheduling operations using the Perform lead time planning process, you then select the priorities you have set in different locations.You can assign the following priorities:

Customer priority:	Production files are scheduled based on the priorities you have assigned to customers on the Customers form (in the Customers module).
Sales priority:	Production files are scheduled based on the priorities you have assigned to sales orders on the Specification tab of the Sales orders form (in the Sales module).
Shipping date:	The shipping date in the sales line (Sales module, Sales orders form, Lines button) for which the production file will be used, determines how the production files are scheduled.
Sales line status:	The status in the sales line (Sales module, Sales orders form, Lines button) for which the production file will be used, determines how the production files are scheduled.
Production end date:	Production files are scheduled based on their end date (production modules, Production files form, Planning tab).
Production priority:	Production files are scheduled based on the priority set in the production file (production modules, Production files form, Planning tab).
Production status:	Production files are scheduled based on the status set in the production file (production modules, Production files form, General tab).