Master Scheduling: A Practical Guide to Competitive Manufacturing

by John F. Proud

Book Overview

Advance Praise for Master Scheduling "Master scheduling, the complex integration of all management planning activities, is presented in John Proud's effective style. A tremendously broad undertaking, [this book] is sensitive to the need of the practitioner to know how and the executive to know why." Richard Pugliese Executive (Retired), Monitor Labs Systech Xerox Corporation "The master scheduling techniques explained in this book form the best approach...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471132195
• ISBN13: 9780471132196
• Release Date: May 1994
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 560 Pages
• Weight: 2.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Balancing supply and demand

Questions for the executive team that merit concern: What about inventory? If a plant is schedule to build a 100 unit but 140 appear will there be enough inventory to satisify the unexpected demand? In the reverse, when demand fails should the plant continue building inventory? What are the alternatives existing on the manufacturing floor? When orders fail to appear workers and equipment are idle unless alternative work is found. When demand exceeds supply, can more supply be created through overtime or outsourcing? How are customers affected? "When actual demand is underestimated, management becomes the traffic cop, directing the company's limited output to certain customers and withholding it from others." "Knowing that forecasts will never match actual demand, except on rare occassion, master schedulers understand that they must be flexible in shifting capacity and materials from one period to another. They must know which customer will allow a delivery split over two or more periods. "A valid master plan is one in which the material due dates equal the material need dates, and the planned capacity equals the required capacity." Manufacturing Production Scheduling is balancing Demand (Sales Forecasts, Customer Orders, Branch Warehouses, Interplant orders, and Custom/Special Orders) with Supply (Inventory,Equipment, Labor, Facilities, Time, and Money). When a company has more demand for it product it can 1. Increase the supply of the product by getting more material and resources 2. Decrease the demand by turning away or rescheduling some of the demand. Likewise, if there is more supply of the product than demand the company has two choices: 1. Increase demand by energizing the sales force, run a promotion, or discount price. 2. Decrease the supply of the product or material/capacity needed to produce it by cutting back production, people, and equipment. The supply side can have a shock absorber. Inventory is a shock absorber. Another type of supply shock absorber is flexibility in the manufacturing chain which allows the company to alter plant floor activity to satifisy demand flunctations with severe disruptions. The demand side can have a shock absorber. Flexiblity can extend to sales and marketing through promotions and discounts. The customer can be swayed to cooperate with the demand and supply balance through sales and discount or sales inducements. A company must decide which side of the demand and supply balance to focus on: "sell the products manufacturing makes" or "build the products that sales sells." Once decided the company moves to the task of balancing product supply through demand management, sales and operation planning, supply management, and master scheduling. Capacity planning addresses the question: "Do we or will we have enough equipment, enough people, enough materials, and enough time to meet the sales and operations plans as currently written?" Demand managment manages all demands for the

Fairly comprehensive and EZ to understand

One of few 600-pages book that is easy to understand, and a "pleasure" to read. The book is well organized, and fairly comprehensive. I was a novice in manufacturing concepts and this book helped me gain significant understanding of manufacturing planning concepts. The only subject that is lacking is a brief chapter on modern supply chain planning software packages that have become essential tools these days. The book is very expensive, but IMHO it's worth every penny if you're trying to learn about the subject.

Comprehensive and wonderfully written.

John F. Proud has given us the definitive text on master scheduling. He has turned what should be a dry subject into 500+ pages that are thorough, enlightening, and suprisingly readable.Contents include the mechanics of master scheduling, managing the MPS in various manufacturing environments (make-to-stock, make-to-order, etc.), planning bills, finishing schedules, capacity planning, demand management, and system implementation. Key points are punctuated by a running fictional account of master scheduling in action -- with all the personalities and politics that bear on this essential task.Proud presents the vast material in a logical and entertaining manner. Detailed computational examples are provided for many of the situations a master scheduler will face. Proud is not afraid to depart from standard APICS language or teachings when appropriate -- but he does clearly identify when he has done so. Perhaps most significant is his exceptional grasp of the human relations and management issues involved. He shows that master scheduling is more than just crunching numbers.Highly recommended as preparation for the APICS Master Planning exam.