Understanding Theory of Constraints (Advanced Scheduling only)

M2M Advanced Scheduling is based on the Theory of Constraints (TOC), according to which a small number of constraints prevent any manageable system from achieving more of its goals. The TOC views your productions system as a chain of operations. Just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, your production operations are also only as strong as your most constrained resource, that is, your bottleneck.

To make your bottlenecks as efficient as possible, M2M Advanced Scheduling uses a constraint-based planning method to help respond effectively to demand opportunities and a scheduling mechanism similar to the drum-buffer-rope (DBR) operations scheduling methodology.

First, M2M Advanced Planning creates job orders with due dates and quantities subject to bottleneck resource capacity and purchased material availability. In other words, it starts you out with a plan that you know is feasible and efficient before you even create a schedule.

M2M Advanced Scheduling creates detailed production schedules that focus around the main bottleneck.This resource, which M2M Advanced Scheduling calls the primary or critical capacity constrained resource (CCR), becomes the schedule’s drumbeat; everything moves to the beat of the CCR drum. M2M Advanced Scheduling creates a schedule in which all of your other resources serve the CCR to assure maximum efficiency.

M2M Planning and Scheduling builds a buffer around this drum and your due dates to protect it from disruptions in the preceding production steps. Disruptions can be caused by factors such as breakdowns, longer-than-normal setup times, and vendors who do not deliver raw materials on time.

Finally, M2M Planning and Scheduling creates flexible ropes, schedules by which materials get released to the production floor and moved through non-CCR work centers. This schedule makes sure that all workstations follow the CCR’s drumbeat.

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