make-to-order production

In many enterprises applying product data management, the level of implementation does not correspond to the best available technology and the enterprises’ real requirements. Also for many different reasons, basic functions in process-oriented support of change management are often used only rudimentarily. Subject of this article is a concept to support particular enterprises of make-to-order production in implementing general change management based on up-to-date functions of product data management. The available core competences are efficiently applied in order to overcome the difficulties that are associated with the reutilization of existing methods of resolution.

Contrary to a make-to-stock production where standard products are manufactured based on sales forecasts the assembly or manufacturing of final products in a make-to-order production starts only after an appropriate customer order has been made. The reason may be, e.g., a high number of product variants that would lead to unacceptable high inventories if pre- or semi-products were stored at all production stages. In such a situation it is often difficult to determine reasonable due dates for new incoming customer orders. A workable solution approach with short computation times can be established by a reactive planning based on a list scheduling.