Detailed Scheduling: Planning based on availability of critical Tools

[sisco]

Hello SAP experts,

We are currently implementing ePPDS DSC edition in order to perform our Detailed scheduling.

One of our business requirements is also to take into account the availability of critical tools ( as a constraint ) required for some operations ( specific machines ) in the planning. It means business should be able to see the clear situations when a machine has available capacity but the tool does not have available capacity or vice versa. The goal is to have visibility of critical tools capacity at the time of planning i.e. before Order processing, this would help in decision making of whether to adopt the plan or revise it. These critical tools are mapped in SAP by a PM equipment.
We have worked on two possibilities:

• ATP check for PRT ( cat. E 😞 it appears to be a limited functionality as it will only check the master record status if available. It does not verify if other orders require the PRT at the same time ; Besides, the availability of the PRT would be seen at the time of order processing.
• Therefore we are exploring the possibility of mapping these tools as "virtual" workcenters which will be added to a suboperation of the main operation where they are required. Capacity evaluation would take place at this suboperation. This workcenter would also be linked to the PM equipment in the location data tab "PP workcenter field".

By linking the virtual workcenter representing the tool to the PM equipment, would this allow us to take into consideration the maintenance plan ? Do you think that this proposed mapping is feasible in standard PP / PM and usable in ePPDS ? if so, what are your recommendations ? if not what would you suggest to fulfill this requirement ? Does it requires usage of SAP DIMP to have additional features ?

[sisco · Accepted solution]

Hello All,

Sorry for late update of the thread.

This is how we achieved the scheduling based on availability of critical tools:

1st option : The tool is always required for a specific workcenter ( machine )

Using a secondary capacity ( PRT ) as a pooled capacity ( if there are several tools ) on this specific workcenter.

2nd option: The tool is required for workcenter ( machine ) but dependent on the material

Using a sub-operation and a workcenter ( cat type PRT ) with a pooled capacity ( if there are several ) representing so called tool.

Operation 0010: machine where tool is required for specific material

Sub-operation 0010: with workcenter PRT.

Now some particularities apply to sub-operation in PP/DS so you need to be careful when scheduling.