The use of a scheduling system for materials and capacity requirements in a JIT factory environment

A description is given for how a UK manufacturing company is using a scheduling and simulation system for materials and capacity requirements to provide local management and control over the production processes in different parts of the organisation. This devolved control is being achieved whilst retaining and consolidating a central monitoring and reporting facility across the whole of the business. The factory makes hoists and cranes. The problems encountered by traditional systems approaches are touched on; and the future directions for the project are also identified