Production Lines

You can define and update, but not delete, production lines. A production line describes a unique set of operations, departments, and/or manufacturing cells that produce one or more of your products. You can associate production lines with repetitive assemblies, discrete jobs, and work order-less completions.

Defining Production Lines

You can define and update, but not delete, production lines. A production line describes a unique set of operations, departments, and/or manufacturing cells that produce one or more of your products. You can associate production lines with repetitive assemblies, discrete jobs, and work order-less completions.

arrow icon   To define a production line:

  1. Navigate to the Production Lines window.

  2. Enter the production line Name.

    For example, enter LINE1 to signify production line number 1, or BOARD to signify the PC board assembly line.

  3. Enter the production line Description.

  4. Optionally, select an Exception Set.

    Production lines are rate-based resources. The exception sets that you assign to them help you identify capacity problems. .

  5. Optionally, select an ATP Rule. See: Defining ATP Rules, Oracle Inventory User's Guide

    You can select any user-defined ATP rule. The ATP rule that you assign to the production line is used when determining the capable to promise status of the line resource. See: Capable to Promise, Oracle MRP User's Guide..

  6. Enter the Minimum Hourly Rate

    This represents the minimum number of assemblies the line can produce per hour. The minimum hourly rate must be greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to the maximum rate.

  7. Enter the Maximum Hourly Rate.

    This represents the maximum number of assemblies the line can produce per hour. The maximum hourly rate must be greater than or equal to the minimum rate.

  8. Enter the production line Start time.

    This is the time at which your production line starts running every day. You can update this field at any time.

  9. Enter the production line Stop time.

    This is the time at which your production line stops running every day. You can update this field at any time.

    The difference between the Start and Stop times represents the amount of time per day a line is available. If the Start and Stop times are the same, the production line is considered to be available 24 hours per day.

  10. Select the Lead Time Basis.

    If the lead time varies by assembly, you can schedule the repetitive production time based on the routing of the assembly the line is building. You can set a fixed lead time if the lead time is determined by the production line and does not vary by assembly. You can update this field at any time.

    Fixed: The system schedules the first unit completion date and the operations of all repetitive schedules on this production line based on the fixed lead time hours you enter for the production line. Scheduling is done regardless of actual capacity or the lead time of the routing of the repetitive assembly.

    Routing-Based: The system schedules the first unit completion date and the operations of all repetitive schedules on this production line using the detailed shop floor scheduling algorithm, the routing of the assembly, and a quantity of 1.

  11. If the lead time basis is fixed, you must enter the Fixed Lead Time, in hours per assembly, for the production line. This is the amount of time it takes to produce the first assembly, from start to finish on the production line. The daily quantity from that point on is set when you define individual repetitive schedules and must be less than or equal to the maximum hourly rate. The fixed lead time entered here is used to schedule repetitive schedules produced on this production line. You can update this field at any time. You cannot enter a value in this field for a routing-based production line.

    Note: For lines with a lead time basis of Routing-based, the lead time is calculated by applying the detailed shop floor scheduling algorithm to the routing of the assembly.

  12. Enter the Inactive On date.

    The Inactive On date is greater than the current date. If you do not enter an Inactive On date, the production line is active indefinitely. You cannot update any repetitive schedule that uses this production line, nor can you assign this production line to a new repetitive schedule as of this date.

  13. Save your work.

Defining Tolerance Fences

Tolerance fences provide temporary increases to capacity above the standard operating rate to handle increases in orders. Oracle Flow Manufacturing uses flexible tolerance fences during line scheduling to temporarily alter the line rate, that is the capacity of the line.

This feature is activated by checking the Flex Tolerance check box on the Line Scheduling Workbench.

arrow icon   To define tolerance fences:

  1. Choose Tolerance Fences from the Production Lines window.

    The Tolerance Fences window displays.

  2. In the Days in Advance field, enter the number of days of notice needed before increasing the line capacity.

    The Days in Advance value should be equal to or greater than the fixed lead time value.

  3. In the Tolerance Percent field, enter the percentage you want to increase the line capacity.

    For example, the lead time for an assembly is 3 days on a line, and you know you can increase your capacity by 5 percent if given 5 days notice. Set Days in Advance at 8 days (the lead time plus number of days required for notice), and the tolerance percentage at 5.

    The line rate is adjusted by the tolerance fence before scheduling rules are applied.

  4. Save your work.

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