Friday, February 15, 2008

Advanced Scheduling Software

Scheduling production optimally can dramatically affect a manufacturing plant’s efficiency. Using paper or Excel spreadsheets may work in a small facility, but as a business grows planning an effective schedule requires more advanced technology. Even the best schedulers may miss opportunities that an intelligent program is able to discover. By including Artificial Intelligence to optimize the schedule based on each plant’s specifications, Advanced Scheduling Software offers a clear advantage over alternative scheduling methods.

Most software options allow one to organize their schedule, but force the user to conform to the software company’s idea of how to schedule production. A simple system provides administrative screens, along with a gannt chart of other graphical interface which can be used to visualize the schedule. But which information is displayed and what color coding options are included? Most "out-of-the-box"/"off-the-shelf" software makes these decisions without the user’s input, making the system less intuitive than a custom system. Custom software has its own problems. Usually expensive, custom software generally takes at least one year to create, then months to change when changes are required. But an interface that user-friendly and only displays pertinent information is essential to optimizing a production schedule. Also, upgrades usually require a completely new system. A tailored, system with a model-driven architecture which will allow for quick and easy upgrades is the best choice.

Agile software that includes AI offers the advanced functionality that provides the best cost-benefit. Less expensive than custom software, but capable of all the same advanced functionality, tailored software bridges the gap between generic and custom software. Off-the-Shelf software seems simple, but because of it’s simplicity, it can not provide the flexibility that a configured system offers. Arranging and executing the best schedules in a unique manufacturing environment requires a flexible, Advanced Planning System.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

There are many types of patient scheduling software on the market today that any one of these facilities could purchase and to customize to their particular needs. There are many doctors that have gone through the types of services that they offer and have tried to schedule patients to their benefits when it comes to their time.

Warehouse Management systems said...

It will be very useful . .

kristin said...

Informative post! It's hard to find someone to explain this software and its benefits. Thanks.