‘Planning and Control’ – agile planning, reliable control, real-time transparency
Key Takeaway
In manufacturing, planning and reality diverge on a daily basis. Hummingbird integrates planning and the shop floor into a single digital system, identifies deviations in real time and enables immediate adjustments via an agile planning board. This results in flexible, transparent production control with shorter lead times, higher on-time delivery and significantly less coordination effort.
When planning meets reality
In practice, the reality on the shop floor often differs from the planned process. Machines break down, orders are brought forward, and resources have to be reallocated. Without digital support, these deviations often go undetected for too long or are communicated manually, which is time-consuming. This is precisely where Hummingbird comes in, linking planning and production in a single, integrated system.
Real-time digital planning and control
With Hummingbird, planning and control are carried out entirely digitally. Deviations from the plan are detected immediately. Changes can be implemented online and are automatically communicated to all relevant workstations. This ensures a high level of responsiveness during ongoing operations, without the need for additional coordination or shop floor rounds.
Hummingbird module: Planning and control
Schedule production in calendar weeks. Track the current production status in real time. Identify deviations immediately, implement changes online and communicate them automatically. Know exactly where each part is at any given moment, without having to search for it or walk the shop floor. This and much more is what agile planning and control is all about – even when you simply implement this module of our Hummingbird MES.
‘Planning and Control’ – Gaining an overview, managing processes reliably
The ‘Planning and Control’ module combines end-to-end process and capacity planning with a clear visual representation and the coordinated control of shop floor processes across all areas of production. Production orders, resources and deadlines are transparent at all times. The online status of all relevant objects, together with actual time reporting via the “Machine Data Collection” module, provides a reliable basis for day-to-day control.
Depending on your requirements, various planning perspectives are available:
- Traditional order planning in the Scheduler with Gantt view
- Agile team management on the Kanban board
- Machine-specific shop floor scheduling
Additional functions expand the module into a flexible solution for comprehensive production control:
- Management of various production resources such as fixtures and clamping systems
- Item management, including individual part tracking
- User-guided instruction lists for workstations across all areas of production
- Interfaces to ERP systems and the import of bills of materials
Are you still planning, or are you already managing in real time?
Take control of your production. With our digital planning solution, you can keep track of capacity, order status and deadlines at all times.
Key features of the ‘Planning and Control’ module
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Digital order and capacity planning
Planning of work processes and the allocation of machinery and resources within an integrated system
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Agile Team Board
Transparency across all processes within a team or a group of machines, with the ability to intervene directly
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Detailed planning and prioritisation
Adjustment of priorities, resources and processing steps, even while operations are ongoing
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Team and machine workstations
Clear allocation of tasks, information and responsibilities
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Interfaces
A bidirectional interface to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), bill of materials imports and a big data connector for data analysis
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Expansion options
Additional features such as equipment management, component tracking and workstation-specific instruction lists
A lack of transparency costs time, productivity and control.
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A key component of the modular MES
The ‘Planning and Control’ module can be used on its own or flexibly combined with other Hummingbird modules. When used in conjunction with ‘CAM/CNC Integration’ and ‘Machine Data Collection’, it creates an end-to-end digital production control system, tailored to the realities of complex single-part and small-batch production.
Your benefits at a glance
- Greater transparency regarding current orders and capacity utilisation
- Faster response to disruptions and changes
- Less coordination effort and fewer queries
- Shorter lead times and greater adherence to deadlines
- Greater clarity in day-to-day production control
MES FAQ: Planning and Control
How does digital production planning compare to manual planning?
Manual production planning relies on information from paper documents and Excel lists, resulting in considerable daily coordination effort. Digital planning provides live visibility into jobs, machine status, and resources, makes changes immediately available, and creates a reliable basis for deploying people and machines.
How do I reduce lead times in high-variant manufacturing?
End-to-end paperless access to manufacturing data reduces search and coordination effort and lessens dependency on individual employees. Full digital transparency supports shorter lead times and can help achieve up to 30 percent more throughput with existing resources.
Can I run an MES planning module without a brand-new large ERP system?
Yes, an MES planning module can be introduced as a standalone solution. Jobs can be entered manually or imported from Excel and lists; reusable templates accelerate planning, while integration with existing ERP systems remains optional.
How does Hummingbird control planning in real time?
Hummingbird combines immediate shop-floor data capture with intelligent production planning. If a tool breakage is reported, for example, the deviation becomes visible in the system at once, allowing planners to respond without time-consuming follow-up.