How to Choose Manufacturing Capacity Planning Software

Utilizing capacity planning software within your manufacturing operation can boost production tremendously, but choosing the best software and tools pertinent to your organization is challenging. Many project managers settle for subpar capacity planning tools or software, which hinder production from being able to reach full potential, ultimately costing you revenue. Evaluating the tools and capabilities of capacity planning software will ensure a thorough understanding of how advantageous the system will be to your production facility. Therefore, here are a few features of both inferior and superior capacity planning tools.

Inferior Manufacturing Capacity Planning Software 

When choosing capacity planning software, analyzing what your capacity needs can offer insight into choosing the best capacity planning software. Whether it is price or a “less is more” mindset, inferior capacity planning software does not offer all of the features that can enhance your production. Here are a few features that limited capacity planning softwares offer:

• Production Monitoring - This capability permits users to become aware of issues within capacity planning. It is not fully considered capacity planning because of the lack of proper insight within capacity. Therefore, this capability alone is not even close to enough for production facilities to optimize capacity.
• Limited Math - This feature calculates capacity planning along with KPIs in a very limited manner. This process includes CPU usage normalization, add workload usage, and then determination of target CPU usage. Although it may be beneficial in finding consolidation candidates, it does not evaluate enough of the equation for consolidating workload responsibility.
• Trends within Performance - Many capacity planning software systems make forecast based off of present and historical data. This feature is extremely beneficial to capacity planning, but should only be a feature of the software. Many capacity planning software businesses try to pass this feature off as a whole system in itself. Yes, this system can be a wonderful tool for companies that have a very steady workload rate, but most production facilities (if not all) are not steady at all times.

Although these features may be advantageous to manufacturers with less variables within production, it still limits the amount of improvement within capacity planning. This is why locating an advanced capacity planning software will ensure a much more steady production flow through proper capacity planning.

Superior Manufacturing Capacity Planning Software

Superior capacity planning software is much more beneficial to manufacturers with strategic and complex operations. Instead of utilizing restricted capabilities, it utilizes performance modeling, which permits the greatest amount of insight within your operation. Superior capacity planning software mainly uses these two performance models:

• Analytic Modeling - This method utilizes processing mathematical formulas and requires a small set up time. Through accurate information and data, the system can account for proper and enhanced capacity planning. Automated analytic modeling is an advanced form of analytic modeling, running 24/7 and allowing project managers to keep a close eye on operations. 
• Simulation Modeling - Simulations modeling is extremely accurate in analyzing scenarios and incoming workloads. This allows project managers to be able to view the effects of different scenarios on capacity and permits them to choose the absolute best scenario.

Capacity planning software can optimize production and capacity greatly within your production facility, but it is not enough for your production to reach full potential. Implementing an APS system can offer various capabilities and benefits that will take your production to the next level.

Advanced Planning and Scheduling Capacity Planning Features in Manufacturing 

Advanced planning and scheduling software (APS) offers as a form of capacity planning software. Some capacity planning features of APS include the following:

• Simultaneous Capacity & Inventory Planning
• Quick, In-Memory Planning
• Cross-Plant Warehouse Optimization

These capabilities can efficiently enhance your capacity and production within your facility, quickly turning your operation into a manufacturing gold mine.