Q: Can the just-in-time inventory management method be applied to custom-made product make-to-order manufacture and test manufacture?

A: When orders for custom-made products、make-to-order products or test products come in without warning and as a result production cannot be leveled off is a situation not suited for the just-in-time inventory management method. However it is suited for the Advanced Planning and Scheduling System.

1.     If started right now when can the order be delivered?
2.     How much will the costs be if integrated?
3.     Will the materials on hand be sufficient how much of what must we order and when do we order it?
4.     Will the load on equipment and personnel in the plant be sufficient?
5.     When do we start producing each component so that we can make that delivery time?

Now if we use the Advanced Planning and Scheduling System every one of those questions can be answered simultaneously and quickly. Production schedule management is especially difficult when a huge order is going through the plant and an express-ordered or tight delivery date test manufacture is put into the process line. But even in instances such as this the Advanced Planning and Scheduling System demonstrates its installation effect.

Related articles : 

Visualizing the Future Load for Equipment and Personnel (Load Graph)

Visualizing Material Requirements

Visualizing Individual Costs

Backward Scheduling for Theory of Constraints (JIT Scheduling)

Forward Scheduling for Theory of Constraints