Production Planning Course

Lesson 1 • Key Inputs to Production Planning

Identifies demand data, capacity data, and inventory records as core planning inputs. Accurate inputs are prerequisite to every planning technique covered later.

Lesson 2 • Role of Production Planning

Defines production planning and its strategic importance in manufacturing. Establishes why planning is the backbone of efficient resource use and on-time delivery.

Lesson 3 • Manufacturing Environments and Contexts

Contrasts make-to-stock, make-to-order, and engineer-to-order environments. Connects environment type to appropriate planning strategies used throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Production Planning Performance Metrics

Introduces KPIs used to evaluate planning effectiveness, including schedule adherence and utilization. Provides a measurement baseline for assessing improvements throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Qualitative Forecasting Methods

Covers judgment-based techniques such as expert opinion and market surveys. Useful when historical data is absent or unreliable, as in new product launches.

Lesson 2 • Forecast Error Measurement

Introduces MAD, MAPE, and bias metrics to evaluate forecast accuracy. Planners use error metrics to select models and set safety stock levels in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Collaborative Forecasting Practices

Explains sales and operations planning (S&OP) integration and cross-functional forecast consensus. Aligning commercial and operational forecasts reduces planning nervousness.

Lesson 4 • Quantitative Forecasting Techniques

Applies moving averages, exponential smoothing, and regression to historical data. These techniques form the quantitative core of demand planning in most production environments.

Lesson 1 • Capacity Options in Aggregate Planning

Covers overtime, subcontracting, part-time labor, and back-ordering as capacity levers. Each option carries cost and lead-time consequences that affect the aggregate plan.

Lesson 2 • Building an Aggregate Plan

Walks through a step-by-step process to construct a tabular aggregate plan. Students apply demand data, capacity constraints, and cost parameters to produce a feasible plan.

Lesson 3 • Aggregate Planning Strategies

Contrasts chase, level, and mixed strategies across cost, workforce, and inventory dimensions. Strategy selection depends on cost structure and workforce flexibility.

Lesson 4 • Aggregate Planning Concepts

Defines aggregate planning scope, units of measure, and the planning horizon typically spanning two to eighteen months. Connects aggregate output decisions to the demand forecasts built in Chapter 2.

Lesson 1 • MPS Maintenance and Performance

Covers rolling horizon updates, exception messages, and MPS performance metrics. Ongoing maintenance ensures the schedule remains valid as demand and supply conditions change.

Lesson 2 • Developing the Master Schedule

Covers the mechanics of building an MPS from demand inputs, inventory, and production quantities. Students calculate projected on-hand inventory and available-to-promise quantities.

Lesson 3 • Rough-Cut Capacity Planning

Introduces rough-cut capacity planning (RCCP) to validate MPS feasibility against key resources. RCCP prevents overloading critical work centers before detailed planning begins.

Lesson 4 • MPS Concepts and Structure

Defines the MPS as the bridge between aggregate planning and detailed scheduling. Explains time buckets, planning horizons, and the role of the MPS in driving MRP.

Lesson 1 • Bill of Materials Structure

Covers single-level and multi-level BOMs, phantom assemblies, and low-level coding. Accurate BOM structure is essential for correct MRP explosion and netting.

Lesson 2 • MRP System Outputs and Action Messages

Interprets planned orders, action messages, and exception reports generated by MRP. Planners use these outputs to release, reschedule, or cancel orders in daily operations.

Lesson 3 • Lot-Sizing Techniques in MRP

Compares lot-for-lot, fixed order quantity, and period order quantity methods. Lot-sizing decisions directly affect inventory levels and setup costs in the production plan.

Lesson 4 • MRP Record Calculation

Walks through gross-to-net calculation, planned order releases, and lead-time offsetting. Students complete full MRP records for multi-level product structures.

Lesson 1 • Capacity Adjustment Strategies

Covers short-term levers—overtime, subcontracting, workforce reallocation—to resolve capacity gaps. Selecting the right lever depends on cost, lead time, and quality considerations.

Lesson 2 • Identifying and Managing Bottlenecks

Uses Theory of Constraints principles to locate and exploit capacity bottlenecks. Bottleneck management is critical to maximizing throughput without excess inventory.

Lesson 3 • Capacity Concepts and Measurement

Defines design, rated, and demonstrated capacity and explains efficiency and utilization factors. Accurate capacity measurement is the foundation for all capacity planning calculations.

Lesson 4 • Capacity Requirements Planning

Applies CRP to translate planned and released orders into work-center load profiles. CRP provides detailed capacity visibility that RCCP cannot deliver.

Lesson 1 • Shop-Floor Control Systems

Covers order release, dispatching, and progress reporting within a shop-floor control system. Real-time data collection enables planners to detect and respond to deviations quickly.

Lesson 2 • Expediting and Rescheduling

Addresses techniques for expediting late orders and rescheduling disrupted jobs. Effective expediting minimizes the ripple effect of disruptions on the overall production plan.

Lesson 3 • Priority Rules and Dispatching

Compares FCFS, SPT, EDD, and critical ratio dispatching rules using performance criteria. Priority rules determine job sequence at each work center to meet due dates and minimize lateness.

Lesson 4 • Production Scheduling Fundamentals

Defines finite vs. infinite scheduling and forward vs. backward scheduling approaches. Scheduling method selection depends on capacity constraints and customer due-date requirements.

Lesson 1 • Advanced Planning and Scheduling Systems

Evaluates APS software capabilities including finite scheduling, what-if simulation, and optimization engines. APS extends ERP planning with real-time constraint visibility.

Lesson 2 • Demand-Driven Material Requirements Planning

Introduces DDMRP as a pull-based planning method using strategically positioned buffers. DDMRP reduces MRP nervousness and improves flow in high-variability environments.

Lesson 3 • Constraint-Based and Optimization Planning

Introduces linear programming and constraint-based scheduling for complex planning problems. Optimization models find cost-minimal or throughput-maximal plans within defined constraints.

Lesson 4 • Continuous Improvement in Planning

Applies plan-do-check-act cycles and root cause analysis to systematically improve planning processes. Embedding improvement routines sustains planning performance gains over time.