Automated Production Scheduling Driven by Real-Time Machine Data
September 4, 2024Comments
MachineMetrics, provider of analytics solutions for manufacturers, has released Production Schedule Intelligence, a system driven by real-time machine data to enable scheduling accuracy, work-in-process optimization and on-time delivery, according to company officials.
Production Schedule Intelligence addresses traditional scheduling challenges such as cumbersome spreadsheets and manual data entry for scheduling work, which lead to inefficiencies and missed delivery deadlines. Instead, it seamlessly integrates real-time data and predictive analytics into manufacturing operations. By connecting directly to both enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and machines on the factory floor, MachineMetrics’ solution uses comprehensive data synchronization and real-time monitoring of production to ensure that schedules always are current and that they reflect actual shop-floor conditions.
“A gap has always existed between the shop floor and operational systems such as ERP,” explains Bill Bither, MachineMetrics CEO and co-founder. “This disconnect has led to remarkable inefficiency, inflated costs and poor on-time-delivery metrics,” said. “Manufacturers need automated, actionable insights that guide decision-making. By connecting operational systems such as ERP with real-time machine data, Production Scheduling Intelligence has solved this crucial problem, helping users gain real-time visibility into the status of their work orders, reducing work-in-process, adapting their schedules on the fly, and, ultimately, delivering on time every time.”
Key features include dynamic schedule optimization, which continuously assesses and adjusts production schedules based on real-time operational data, adapting the schedule to address machine downtimes and other production interruptions. And, real-time adjustments—visualization of scheduled on-time-delivery targets and prediction of completion dates in real-time—enable managers to know exactly when a job will complete. Alerts are provided when there is risk of missing on-time delivery, allowing managers to take action as necessary.
Other benefits: interactive production-order management, where users can edit and resequence production orders through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, with immediate feedback on schedule health; real-time impact analysis that flags potential delays and adjusts work-in-process calculations dynamically; and ERP data utilization, which integrates seamlessly with ERP systems to use planned start dates and cycle times as reliable baselines for adjustments.
See also: MachineMetrics, Inc.
Technologies: Management
