Shop Floor Scheduling

HYDRA Shop Floor Scheduling

Closer to Production with HYDRA

Today, manufacturing companies must be able to plan effectively, use resources at full capacity and respond quickly to customer requirements. HYDRA shop floor scheduling offers

the advantage of providing necessary information and the flexibility needed for your production process.

HYDRA is an integrated and modular solution for the areas of production, human resources and quality management. To control your production process, HYDRA offers numerous recording, planning and information functions that are ­either unavailable or only partially available from your ERP system. HYDRA meets all the requirements of a modern MES (Manufacturing Execution System) and thus closes the gap between the technically oriented platform of machines and equipment and the more commercially oriented world of ERP and management systems.

HYDRA shop floor scheduling is a tool that enables quick and effective reaction to modified planning data and deviations from the norm at machines and workplaces. Centrally organized PPS or ERP systems and manually operated planning boards cannot provide this ability. In doing so, all resources including machines, tools, equipment, material and personnel are checked for availability.

The smooth integration of the HYDRA shop floor and machine data collection modules provides direct insight into current production results (such as order progress, produced yield and scrap, machine downtime, etc.) – an important precondition for planning to be synchronized with the current status.

Transparency and Planning Reliability

A special characteristic defines HYDRA shop floor scheduling: it clearly displays planning results and the current status in the planning board. This increases transparency and is

the basis for short-term, target-oriented planning activities. Main benefits include:

• Shortened lead times

• Reduced stock and work in progress

• On-time deliveries at an optimum capacity load

• Reduced setup costs

• Optimized batch sizes

HYDRA shop floor scheduling assigns single or multi-level orders to machines, machine groups or workplaces. These consist of interlinked operation sequences that are taken

over from the ERP system in a roughly planned state. At the same time, it considers the actual capacities available in the form of individual shift calendars or capacity pools. Within

the specified timeframe, the production scheduler can establish an ideal production sequence, either manually or automatically, using adjustable criteria. Simulations allow for

comparison between planning variants and the selective release of the optimal planning scenario. After starting production, its progress can be monitored in real-time. As a result, conflict situations can be recognized at an early stage and effective countermeasures can be started immediately.

Effective Resource Management

In many companies, one of the main challenges of shop floor control and process planning is having the resources required for production available on time. HYDRA shop floor scheduling supports planners in dispatching orders by accessing resource data and checking the availability of machines, material, tools, gages, NC programs and other resources online. In addition, workforce requirements are determined and integrated personnel scheduling can assist the user in assigning employees with the right qualifications to specific machines and workplaces.

situations. At the push of a button, machines that are assigned to several different operations simultaneously or violations of basic dates from rough-cut planning, are displayed.

The Gantt chart is the central information and planning tool of the production scheduler. Operations are displayed in bar form. Processes such as setup, start-up,

production and teardown as well as information such as availability of material, tools or personnel, can be highlighted by using different colors or symbols. The elements

of the planning board can be configured individually. The above screenshot, for example, displays an additional window showing the required tools and resources.

The order network displays the preceding / subsequent relationships between all operations of an order.

As an option, a second level shows all orders and components that belong to a superior module or a sales order.

If problems occur when dispatching orders, HYDRA shop floor scheduling also considers alternative

production variants in addition to the preferred ones and suggests using an alternative machine or another tool.

HYDRA Shop Floor Scheduling

Configuration and Information

Clarity and ergonomics are important for working with shop floor scheduling. Various configuration options allow each employee to set his or her individual view and save it

in the user profile:

Orders may be assigned to machines, machine groups and workplaces in the pool of orders.

Capacity peaks can be presented in a histogram in the graphic planning board.

It can be immediately known where bottlenecks arise and when capacities are available at which workplace.

Further functions at a glance:

• Scheduling of single-level and multi-level production orders (forward, backward, …)

• Reduction strategies for capacity bottlenecks

• Extensive information functions for orders and machines

• Information scheduling tool without authorization for planning

• Definition and presentation of notes

• Configurable planning horizons

• Individual shift calendars for each machine as a precondition for real capacity leveling

• Functions for temporary modifications of the offered capacities of machines and workplaces

• Splitting, fixing and specific release of operations

• Consideration of tool or color changes (matrix of setup change) for optimization of setup times

• Scheduling of operations based on defined priorities

• Automatic closing of gaps in the assignment

• Lists on the pool of orders for machines and machine groups including tabular planning functions

• Capacity charts and graphics displaying the utilization ratio

• Print functions for scheduling graphics and tables

The matrix for setup changes supports planners in planning setup changes in an optimum manner.

The statistics relating to orders provide users with current information on how good the order was.

This is very important for the planner, as they always have to respond quickly, e.g., in the case of postproduction.

<<BACK TOP NEXT>>