Gaining Control: Capacity Management and Scheduling

As someone responsible for getting-and keeping-your manufacturing facility on track, do you ever ask yourself: Why do we always seem to be in a state of mass confusion? Is it possible to ship the product on time? How do we meet our customers' demands without promising too much and delivering too little? Why are costs continually rising, and what can be done to curb them? Written by James Correll and Norris Edson, two principals with Oliver Wight, LLC, this comprehensive resource, now completely revised and expanded, provides the answers you need for Gaining Control of your operation.

To illustrate the essential elements that go into the smooth and effective running of a manufacturing facility, the authors take you inside the fictitious Hayes Tractor Company. By following its manager, Brian Miller, you'll observe all-too-recognizable problems-from meeting orders in a timely fashion to securing the right people and parts -learn what can be done to solve them, then apply the solutions to your own situation.

Gaining Control shows you the detailed steps necessary to gain control by matching plant capacity to production needs using a combination of tools, such as Just-in-Time, MRP II, and finite scheduling, as well as new innovative trends like lean and agile manufacturing-all of which can be used to obtain confusion-free, efficient operations in a single or multiplant environment.

Packed with sample calculations, helpful charts, and useful tables, here's where you'll find complete information on:
* Constructing routings and work centers
* Mastering dispatching and scheduling
* Controlling work flow
* Scheduling to capacity constraints
* Applying rough-cut capacity planning
* Continuous improvement

By implementing the tools and techniques shown in Gaining Control, you'll know exactly what your plans are and have the confidence that you'll hit them on target.

Proven strategies for Gaining Control of your manufacturing facility

"Throughout our professional careers . . . we have been troubled by the apparent inability of manufacturing departments to get control of their operations. . . . Our objective in writing this book is to help you understand what you have to do to get the real benefit from MRP II and Lean Manufacturing. The answer is in gaining control of the factory floor, often referred to as 'closing the loop,' and this book shows you how." -from the Introduction

Now revised and expanded, Gaining Control addresses the many questions and potential problems that can arise when running a manufacturing facility. Written by two experts in the field, it shows managers how to gain control by matching plant capacity to production needs by implementing a combination of tools, such as Just-in-Time and MRP II. Along with new material on finite scheduling, this Second Edition provides complete coverage of current manufacturing trends, including lean and agile manufacturing.

JAMES G. CORRELL is a principal and Chairman of the Board of Oliver Wight, LLC. As an educator and consultant, he has helped numerous manufacturers significantly improve their company service levels, reduce costs, and shorten lead times using the technology and business processes described in this book. He is a certified Fellow with APICS and is a frequent speaker with APICS and other organizations.

NORRIS W. EDSON is a principal of Oliver Wight, LLC, specializing in MRP II, Enterprise Resource Planning, and Lean Manufacturing. He is a certified Fellow with APICS and is a frequent speaker with APICS and other organizations.