Edit the planning mode
 | The planning mode of a work center can only be edited in the element Planning cells. |
All operations on a machine take place sequentially (= operations succeed one another). On a work center, besides sequential jobs, multiple jobs can be carried out at the same moment in time: the jobs can be planned parallel or shift based. The planning mode can be changed.
-
Click Edit Planning mode
.
-
In the option group Planning Mode of the dialog box Wizard Edit Planning Mode, choose one of the following options:
Choice Explanation Sequential The jobs will be planned one after the other without overlap, the start time of the next job cannot be before the end time of the previous job.
Not applicable for external work centers. Shift The jobs will be planned shift-based, all the jobs get the same planned start because they can be executed alongside each other.Not applicable for external work centers. Parallel Several jobs can be planned simultaneously on the same work center. The # Parallel jobs setting specifies the maximum number of jobs that can be planned in parallel on that work center. The Gantt diagram will display this capacity as an equivalent number of plannable lanes.
An external work center always works in a parallel planning mode. By default, there are 2 plannable lanes. This number can be adjusted. The system will distribute the parallel jobs over the lanes from top to bottom. Direct interaction between the user and a specific lane is not possible.
The number of jobs that can be planned in parallel is only a restriction in the planning phase. In the production phase, there is no restriction for the operator to start a new job when the full capacity of the work center has already been reached. This job will then overlap with another active job. If a downtime or an unavailability is planned on a work center with a parallel planning mode, this will only be displayed on the upper lane, while the full capacity of the work center is taken by this activity. The planning will be re-evaluated if switched from parallel to sequential planning mode, or if the possible capacity is reduced while there are jobs which take the full available capacity.