In an effort to educate readers on some of the most interesting and pertinent technological discussions of the day, today we begin part one in a two-part series on the value of sequencing in the production and supply network. Be sure to visit our blog next week for part two.
We’ve all been there before: you’re getting ready to move into a new home or apartment and you and several of your friends are trying to decide which pieces of furniture to load into the moving truck first in order to move the most items at once. There are several factors to account for in this scenario - the size of the items to be moved, the weight, the shape, their necessity, and the capacity and configuration of the moving truck itself. This situation can be a real head-scratcher for anyone, and if only there was an app that would help you strategize the best possible combinations of items for maximum efficiency...
What does this have to do with the manufacturing and supply chain industries?
Automotive manufacturers have to worry about the most efficient, cost-effective strategy for processing orders through an optimized assembly structure while accounting for sudden changes in rules and constraints - much like the strategy for fitting a sofa onto the truck with room for other household items.
Sequencing Defined
One of the worst fears of any manufacturer is bottlenecks or assembly disruptions which can cause ripple effects in terms of allocating and securing resources and meeting promised delivery dates for customers.
Bottlenecks often occur when a manufacturer is simply unable to respond to sudden changes in the conditions of a certain assembly process whether it be changes to the original order, adjustments to constraints, or other often-unforeseen conditions. However, a sequencing software solution provides manufacturers with a stable strategy for planning and assembly with the capability to adapt to sudden shifts or changes in production.
Simply put, sequencing software solutions can best be understood through a three-pronged definition:
1). Sequencing solutions include the generation of an optimized, digital assembly sequence from a pool of existing orders, which allows for alterations to the ordering of production in light of new rules or constraints - for example, spacing constraints on the assembly line floor, timing constraints due to increased demand, and so on.
2). Sequencing solutions allow for the synergy and collaboration across a company’s various manufacturing, planning, and scheduling platforms by making data and reporting available to all concerned parties in real-time.
3). Sequencing software provides manufacturers the ability to tailor custom workflows best suited to a customer’s/project’s needs to increase efficiency and maintain promised delivery dates and production schedules. Sequencing also creates an even distribution of assembly tasks and assembly times to further combat potential bottlenecks and disruptions in production and delivery.
If the endgame for automotive manufacturers is efficiency and cost-containment within the assembly and production process, sequencing software solutions offer manufacturers the best in key technology to drive productivity, decrease waste, and increase overall ROI.
Thank you for reading part one in our series on the importance of sequencing solutions. Part two will be published this coming Tuesday.