End-Item Planning: Master Schedule
Developed by site and item, a master schedule is the key plan that provides primary input to MRP. A master schedule is a statement of production determining which items to schedule, when orders are needed, and how much to produce.
Master scheduling can be done to anticipate sales as entered in the system and control production when no sales orders are used (in inventory replenishment or build-to-stock environments, for example).
Using master scheduling and MRP is an effective method to set production levels in response to actual and forecast demand (over a period roughly equivalent to the cumulative lead time), and determine in a rough way (RCCP) whether critical resources will constrain supply.
The master scheduler drives the entire production resource of a site. Producing the master schedule requires manpower, materials, manufacturing capability (capacity), cash flow, and management resources. As such the master schedule process should be controlled by internal procedures with top-level management commitment.
Rough-Cut Capacity Planning (RCCP)
The rough-cut capacity plan provides a tool for:
• Careful evaluation of changes to the master schedule and their impact on material and capacity.
• Rough evaluation of potential capacity problems.
• Proper balancing of customer needs and manufacturing needs.
• Effective stabilization of MRP.
Normal uses of a master schedule include driving RCCP and MRP and planning future production.
The production plan is broken down into buildable units with specific dates for completion. The production plan will be met if the master schedule is developed to support it.
RCCP provides a high-level planning process for key resources that may constrain the execution of the manufacturing plan.
