METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PLANNING OPERATIONS IN MANUFACTURING PLANTS

• US 20030109950A1
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Haider, Syed Wali, Andrade, Olympio de Jr., de Souza, Pedro Sergio
• Granted Patent: US 6,606,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method and system for generating a production sequence for the resources of a manufacturing plant. This method comprises the steps of identifying the total amount of each product that the plant has to produce in one period of time, identifying the operation route and productivity for each product on each available resource, and identifying setup constraints. The method includes the further steps of identifying delivery dates already committed, and identifying the minimum and maximum stock levels for each resource. The identified factors are then used to generate a production sequence for each resource of the plant with a granularity of a defined time period.

Claims

1. A method for generating a production sequence for the resources of a manufacturing plant, comprising the steps:

(A) identifying the total amount of each product that the plant has to produce in one period of time;

(B) identifying the operation route and productivity for each product on each available resource;

(C) identifying setup constraints;

(D) identifying delivery dates already committed;

(E) identifying the minimum and maximum stock limits for each resource;

(F) using the factors identified in steps (a) through (e) to generate a production sequence for each resource of the plant with a granularity of a defined time period.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (f) includes the step of allocating equipment capacity to expected orders.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the using means includes means for allocating equipment capacity to expected orders.

3. A system for generating a production sequence for the resources of a manufacturing plant, comprising:

(A) means for identifying the total amount of each product that the plant has to produce in one period of time;

(B) means for identifying the operation route and productivity for each product on each available resource;

(C) means for identifying setup constraints;

(D) means for identifying delivery dates already committed;

(E) means for identifying the minimum and maximum stock limits for each resource;

(F) means for using the factors identified elements (a) through (e) to generate a production sequence for each resource of the plant with a granularity of a defined time period.

5. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for generating a production sequence for the resources of a manufacturing plant, the method comprising the steps:

(A) identifying the total amount of each product that the plant has to produce in one period of time;

(B) identifying the operation route and productivity for each product on each available resource;

(C) identifying setup constraints;

(D) identifying delivery dates already committed;

(E) identifying the minimum and maximum stock limits for each resource; and

(F) using the factors identified in steps (a) through (e) to generate a production sequence for each resource of the plant with a granularity of a defined time period.

6. A program storage device according to claim 5, wherein step (f) includes the step of allocating equipment capacity to expected orders.