Proper implementation of production planning and control through automated software is the future for those involved in the industry. With automation taking over the means of production within the worlds of manufacturing plants, these systems will change the way production workers interact with machinery. With this change, it’s imperative to have functioning software that reduces inefficiency and waste within a plant.
Simply put, this process involves the planning, scheduling and oversight of the production and manufacturing process of any given company. Production planning aims to serve customers; it allocates given resources within the means of production to produce a product efficiently.
Production planning seeks to accomplish several objectives across the board. This method allocates necessary resources for production that minimizes waste and drives a low cost and high return. The right plan also informs you; empowers you to plan ahead and mitigate wasted resources. Production planning may also minimize lost customers due to flawed production.
Whereas production planning implements plans, production control works to monitor a particular project. According to the American Production and Inventory Control Society, “production control involves following up on planned schedules to assure they’ve been carried out to their full capacity.” Production control aims to meet the following objectives:
Under control guidelines, production is structured according to demand forecasts. Waste is otherwise inevitable without the proper organization of raw materials, equipment, machines and labor. This results in minimized cost of production and on time delivery of products.
Reducing delays in production comes from ensuring timely and regular supply of raw materials at the desired place and of desired quality/quantity.
Production control focuses on the product. Semi-finished and finished goods are routinely inspected to confirm the customer receives a product of approved quality.
A sustainable business within the manufacturing industry requires proper production planning and production control to maximize efficiency. Implementation of these century-old management techniques results in a reduction in wasted energy and resources. Production planning and production control assist in keeping production in check.
In this video, you’ll learn what Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) is and how it complements production planning and production control in modern manufacturing. See how APS uses real-time data, constraints, and optimization to turn high-level plans into detailed, executable schedules that reduce waste and improve on-time delivery.
Strong production planning and production control give you a framework for using machines, labor, and materials efficiently. But the real impact is determined by how well you plan and schedule work in practice—which orders run first, how you load critical resources, and how you respond when demand or supply changes. That is where APS-powered planning makes the difference between a plan that looks good on paper and one that actually reduces waste and cost on the shop floor.
Download our one-page “The Money Is in the Planning” infographic to see how better planning and scheduling can help you:
Use it with your planning and operations teams as a quick reference to connect production planning and control concepts to the scheduling decisions that actually drive efficiency and profitability in your facility.