Production Planning & Scheduling (APS)
Make the Plan in the Spreadsheet Match Reality on the Floor
In most plants the production plan lives in a spreadsheet, maintained by one person's experience. When a machine breaks down, an urgent order lands or material is late, the whole plan has to be rebuilt — and usually is not.
We develop APS solutions that calculate capacity, tooling, operator competence, material availability and setup times together. Change one variable and the plan recalculates in seconds, flagging every affected order.
Key Capabilities
Constraint-Based Scheduling
Machine capacity, tool availability, operator competence and material stock are considered simultaneously, so an unworkable plan is never produced.
Setup Time Optimisation
Similar products sequenced consecutively to cut tool and colour changeover times, visibly reducing lost production hours.
Realistic Delivery Dates
When a new order is entered, a realistic promise date is calculated against current load, so sales commit to dates that can be kept.
Scenario Comparison
"What happens if we squeeze in this rush order?" is answered by running it. Affected orders and the cost of delay are visible in advance.
Bottleneck & Load Analysis
Reports show which machine will choke in which week, so overtime, subcontracting or investment decisions are taken in time.
Two-Way Flow With MES & ERP
Actuals from the floor feed back into the plan. It runs in sync with MES and ERP, eliminating duplicate data entry.
Where It Is Used
- Metalworking and machining
- Plastic injection and moulding
- Textile weaving and dyeing
- Food production and packaging lines
- Furniture and woodworking
- Cable and electrical equipment manufacturing
- Automotive component suppliers
- Packaging and printing plants
How We Work
Capacity & Constraint Inventory
Machine park, tooling sets, operator competence matrix and setup times are documented.
Planning Rule Definition
Priority rules, batch sizes and sequencing preferences are agreed, clarifying which constraints can flex.
Model Build & Validation
A past period's plan is regenerated by the system and compared with what actually happened, and deviations resolved.
Go-Live & Planner Training
The system goes live and the planning team is trained in running scenarios and intervening.
The Goal Is to Strengthen the Planner, Not Replace Them
APS does not take the experienced planner's place. It frees them from hours of manual recalculation and backs their decisions with numbers. The final call always stays with a person; the system simply shows the consequences first.