TABLE OF CONTENTS APSs are not magical entities with wizards imbedded in them. They can be very useful and very helpful, but they can also be as useful as a golden tree stump.
Getting the right APS in terms of fit may be one of the biggest problems.
Mixing high-tech algorithms and technology with low-tech manufacturing or production control is difficult to do. It will cost more, take longer, and require patience.
An APS working at one level does not imply that the same tool or a sister tool can be used with the same success at a higher or lower level. The details, level of detail, planning horizon, and subtle interdependencies challenge systems differently.
What works at another company or plant, or during a demo, does not mean that it will solve your problems or help you!
Chapter 8 gave an overview of the MRP approach for infinite capacity analysis and finite capacity alternative. The finite capacity view is the heart and soul of advanced planning and scheduling (APS) tools. Older or slightly less functional versions of APS tools might be known as finite capacity scheduling (FCS) or finite capacity planning (FCP) systems. While there are some differences between APS tools and the FCS/FCP tools, they are close cousins and this chapter can be used for both sets of tools. These advanced software tools now number over a hundred with some ERP vendors supplying their own, other ERP vendors packaging their ERP software with a...
