Meaning of Dispatch Function Dispatch function in production management executes planning function. It is concerned with getting the work started. Dispatching ensures that the plans are properly implemented. Dispatching is the physical handing over of a manufacturing order to the operating facility (a worker) through the release of orders and instructions in accordance with a previously developed plan of activity (time and sequence) established by the scheduling section of the production planning and control department. Dispatcher transmits orders to the various shops. Dispatch function determines, by whom the job shall be done and it co-ordinates production. It is the key point of a production communications system. It creates a direct link between production and sales. A dispatcher is familiar with the productive capacity of each equipment. He always keeps an eye over the progress of orders which move at different speeds on different routes. Dispatch Procedure The product is Continue reading
Production Management Techniques
Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) – Meaning and Importance
Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) is a concept in the Supply Chain Management, which considered in the aspect of establishing and sustaining the business relationship along the supply chain. Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) concerns the practical processes to integrate the communication and coordination between organizations and their suppliers. Supplier chain relationship was considered to be one of the important factors in most business, since it can influence the potential of supply chain concept. Now, the modern business seems to be more complex with high competition. Due to the information has more valuable in the supply chain management, firms then need to re-design the ways of managing and sharing information among each others. Organizations cannot independently run the business by themselves. Not only good relationship can help companies to have more competitive advantage to survive in the market, but it can also help companies expands the market too. Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) Continue reading
Tool Control in Production Management
Meaning of Tool Control Tool control in production management implies (1) determining tool requirements (2) procuring necessary tools and (3) controlling/maintaining tools once they have been procured. A tool or process planner must calculate tool requirements prior to the time of production to ensure that proper tools will be available when needed. Lost time resulting from incomplete tools planning can be expensive as well as causing work to delay. In order to facilitate tool control and to limit the investment in tool inventory, it is important to standardize wherever possible all the tools within an organisation. Need for Tool Control It is very important to ensure: Against loss through theft or negligence and production delays through misplacement or non-availability of tools. That the investment in tool inventories is minimized consistent with proper tool availability. Tool Control Procedure Two methods are commonly used to control the issue and receipt of tools Continue reading
Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA)
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) method was introduced by Geoffrey Boothroyd since 1960s on automatic handling. This enables the use of gathered data of previously done mistakes, speeding up the development process and accomplishing new philosophies and technologies to further ensure that the activities that are quicker and more precise in generating results can really reach this target. All aspects of design, development, manufacturability, total parts, assembly time, cost and modularity are considered in this analytical process. This process mainly focuses on enhancing the product to allow improvements in the manufacturing, quality, reliability, cost, time to market, and many other fields. Integration of discrete but highly interrelated issues of manufacturing processes and assembly occurs in DFMA. Through its use companies can make the full use of manufacturing processes that exist while minimizing the number of parts in an assembly. Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) is a system that Continue reading
Continuous Manufacturing Systems
In continuous manufacturing systems the items are produced for the stocks and not for specific orders. Before planning manufacturing to stock, a sales forecast is made to estimate likely demand of the product and a master schedule is prepared to adjust the sales forecast according to past orders and level of inventory. Here the inputs are standardized and a standard set of processes and sequence of processes can be adopted. Due to this routing and scheduling for the whole process can be standardized. After setting of master production schedule, a detailed planning is carried on. Basic manufacturing information and bills of material are recorded. Information for machine load charts, equipment, personnel and material needs is tabulated. In continuous manufacturing systems each production run manufactures in large lot sizes and the production process is carried on in a definite sequence of operations in a pre-determined order. In process storage is not Continue reading
Inventory Management
What is inventory? What are its varieties? Inventory is the buffer between two related sequential activities. Between purchase and production, between the beginning and completion of production, and between production and marketing, buffers are needed. Buffer means a cushion to fall back on. Production should not suffer due to some difficulty in purchase of raw materials. Marketing should not suffer due to some difficulty in production. If the business has some stock of raw materials, a temporary difficulty in purchase will not effect production since the stock of raw materials can be used. If there is a stock of finished goods marketing will not be effected due to any temporary hurdle in production. The stocks of raw materials and finished goods, therefore serve as buffers absorbing the difficulties in purchase and production respectively. So, inventory takes different forms. Stocks of raw materials, work-in-process and finished goods are prime inventory. Stocks Continue reading