LEAP System overview

Process delimitation

ERP

  • Automatic record in ERP
    • Overdue production and planning tasks
    • Conversion of planning into production tasks
    • Shift schedule
  • Planning and production tasks
  • Cash registers
  • Technological procedures
  • Supplies

Month

  • Confirmations of operations
  • Jams

Qlector LEAP

  • Monitoring the microplan in production (tools, plan changes, prediction of people’s needs)
  • Monitoring and forecasts of realization in the planning department
  • Creation and maintenance of the plan, stock forecast

Plan board

The planning board is the central environment for the planner. QLECTOR LEAP automatically reads new and changed planning and work orders in ERP. Using the QLECTOR LEAP digital twin, it helps the planner to create a plan taking into account realistic production times and tool change times.

  • Transition between views Gantt chart, consumption of input material and manufactured products, findings, indicators and changes according to the basic schedule.

  • Scenario selection from the drop-down list, adding a new scenario (+) and creating a new automatically generated plan (magic wand). Confirmation of the plan with the “Save” button automatically records the new plan in the ERP and informs the stakeholders about the relevant change.

  • List of warrants. The order represents the sequence of production. The possibility of changing the capacity, starting the task, omitting and changing the order. Shifts can be adjusted accordingly for individual capacity.

  • Turning on and off individual line shifts.

  • The Gantt chart enables an overview of the schedule of orders by capacity at the level of an individual department (group of lines). Production work orders can be colored red, blue or grey. In the case of predicted problems, they turn red - when passing with the cursor, information about the cause of the predicted problem is given. The causes include the lack of input material or semi-finished products, the cascading effect of the delay on the analyzed capacity for the next operations or the delay of the promised date to the customer. A smooth realization is predicted for tasks colored blue. Gray colored parts of production work tasks do not have planned work. Planning tasks are colored in yellow. Transitions between tasks can be with or without tool change. In case of change, the passage is marked with a hatch.

Manual planning

Manual planning in the planning board is possible by simply moving work orders. QLECTOR LEAP helps the planner by proposing suitable capacities for individual tasks in two ways:

  1. by taking into account the production version in ERP

  2. by following the schedule from history. In the same way, QLECTOR LEAP also helps in connecting parallel products that have already been produced in the past. A recalculation of the entire plan of the selected workshop is made every time the work order is moved.

  • Based on historical data, QLECTOR LEAP suggests capacities for reporting the selected work order
  • Graphic planning board enables “drag and drop” task movement in the desired sequence. The movement is done by clicking and dragging an individual task or by moving up / down in the list of tasks on the left side. The schedule takes into account the real capacity (production time) of the orders.

Automatic planning and micro planning

In addition to the manual creation of the plan, the planning board helps the planner by automatically creating an optimal plan. In doing so, it takes into account parameters and criteria that have a key impact on increasing production productivity, better capacity utilization, inventory reduction and customer satisfaction.

QLECTOR LEAP optimization algorithms use a digital twin, taking into account selected parameters, to perform thousands of simulations. Taking into account the selected criteria, the optimization algorithm proposes the best scenario from the set of simulations.

For automatic scheduling, the shift schedule from ERP or QLECTOR LEAP can be taken into account. In QLECTOR LEAP, the planner determines the schedule manually according to the displayed planning tasks, or automatically according to the work tasks and with the priority criterion of reducing intermediate stocks.

  1. We start creating the optimal plan by clicking on the magic wand.

  2. Sorting Parameters and criteria pop-up window.

  • Parameters The user can take into account the additional context of the creation of the optimal plan via parameters. By taking into account the production versions and the available capacity of the tools, we can turn on the splitting of tasks into several parts. The optimization algorithm can consider the material availability in ERP as the first possible start of the task. Turning on the parameter can affect the delay of completing the task. By taking into account the priority of the customers (A, B and C), which are arranged in the ERP, the algorithm ensures that the orders of the most important customers are completed on a priority basis. Any number of initial shifts can be frozen to avoid changing the microplan too often in production.
  • Criteria Depending on the company’s current business priorities, we can find a balance between delays, tool changes, and intermediate inventory values. By setting the weights (1 as the smallest; 5 as the largest; 0 off) the user evaluates the importance of each criterion. In order to properly take into account intermediate stocks, it is necessary to regulate the normalization of intermediate stocks per currency (in ERP). If the planner has additional information about production capabilities and limitations, the proposed plan can be manually supplemented by shifting orders.

Schedule KPIs

QLECTOR LEAP allows calculation and comparison of KPIs of plan scenarios:

  • Adjustments (number and hours),
  • Backlog tasks (number and hours),
  • Uncovered tasks with material (number),
  • Number of delayed pieces,
  • Occupancy of capacities (planned production taking into account real capacities or norms),
  • Intermediate stocks (value and quantity),
  • Evenness of capacity load (number),
  • The required number of people to implement the plan,
  • Average production time.

Display coverage of materials and products of the scenario plan by taking into account deliveries and recalls in ERP.

Display of the findings of an individual scenario in connection with setting, delays, free capacities.

Display of KPIs of each scenario plan.

Automatically track changes relative to baseline schedule.

Monitoring the implementation of the plan

Viewing current and forecasted task execution in one place allows the planner quick access to key information for early action. For information about congestion and an overview of the current operation of the lines, insight into the MES is no longer required.

Inspection of the causes of jams. Warnings about the increase of ejection relative to the (learned) normal value.

Information on deviations from the plan includes forecasts of delays, warnings about free capacity, lack of people and proposals for actions. All plan changes are automatically recorded and displayed in a dedicated view.

  • Review of deviations from the plan. Planners are provided with a forecast of delays and estimated real time needed to produce the missing quantity, as well as warnings about free capacity. QLECTOR LEAP allows delay resolution with action suggestions (below).
  • Schedule Change Review automatically tracks plan changes.
  • Proposal of measures for managing delays.

Forecast and plan quality

QLECTOR LEAP automatically compares the actual realization and the forecast from the previous day. Evaluating the quality of the forecast and plan is key to planners’ confidence in using the tool.

The comparison of the weekly realization with the frozen plan from the beginning of the week (Sunday) and the realization from the MES is automatic in QLECTOR LEAP. For added context, material volumes are provided with the causes and duration of downtime.

  • Comparison of predicted and actual produced quantities by shifts and materials in each week.
  • Overview of weekly realization in the desired week. At the beginning of the working week, QLECTOR LEAP freezes the plan and compares it with the realization during the week. In case of jams, the time, cause and operator are logged. Inspection is possible per shift, day or week. The quality of the plan is evaluated by the automatic calculation of the proportion of realization matching the plan. It is also possible to export data for further analysis.

Stock state forecast

Inventory status forecasting helps planners and logisticians to review and early detect material shortages and inventory optimization.

The inventory forecast combines an up-to-date plan, the latest inventory status in the ERP, confirmed material deliveries and product shipments, realization in production and a realistic production forecast.

Adjusting the view from the filter helps each group of users to get the key information for the timely arrangement of alternative delivery, the organization of transport and the creation of a new plan.

  • Review of stock forecast of materials and products for each workshop. The overview can be customized with filters for different warehouse locations (production, plant), time frame (shift, day, week), materials, suppliers and customer delivery locations.

Microplane fixes

In case of unplanned events (e.g. machine breakdown, worker’s illness…) QLECTOR LEAP helps with “What-if” simulations of various microplan scenarios. In a few seconds, a simulation takes place to check the material coverage, the cascading effect on previous and subsequent operations and the achievement of confirmed material deliveries.

  • Customization of work order parameters: start, capacities, consideration and changing the sequence (drag and drop).
  • Overview of individual scenarios from the first (below) to the last (above). Tasks within each scenario are appropriately marked (blue, red and gray) according to material coverage, cascading effects and delays to customers. With the cursor, we can quickly check the origin of the problem of an individual task.
  • A quick simulation to propose a new scenario based on the adjustments in the above section. After confirmation, the last scenario is saved and notifies all stakeholders of the change.
  • Shift schedule change.

Monitoring tool settings

In the tools tab, all planned tool changes are displayed by individual shifts, including warnings.

  • Monitoring tool settings according to the set plan. QLECTOR LEAP displays a warning if more concurrent tool setters are needed but not enough setters, and allows for delay resolution with action suggestions (left).
  • Proposal of measures for controlling tool setters.

Distribution of people by shift

The user assigns workers to lines (weekly shift schedule). If the worker is assigned to too many shifts or is assigned to an unauthorized shift, QLECTOR LEAP displays a warning.

The “Copy previous week” function is helpful to the user, where QLECTOR LEAP suggests changing shifts for workers, while giving warnings in accordance with the limitations of the individual worker.

Workers are distributed on two levels:

  • 1st level – workers are assigned from the list and are assigned by individual lines (picture on the right above)
  • 2nd level – workers are assigned to groups for individual shifts (image below right)

Allocation of people - regulation of competences

QLECTOR LEAP enables editing of competences and restrictions related to individual workers.

  • Editing the settings of an individual worker allows entering the following data about the worker: type of job, allowed lines and groups of lines, competencies and restrictions.
  • Editing the competencies of an individual worker with a list of competencies for each line. Above is an example of a list of competencies by line.
  • Editing worker restrictions is linked to preset restrictions (number of shifts per week, number of working hours per shift, permitted complexity, 12-hour shifts).