Fast React

Fast React User Instructions - Description of The Planning Board

The planning board in Region 1 should look like the image above. The data in your demonstration copy is live and can be moved around by you. In this way, you should be able to familiarise yourself with the basic functions of the system.

The following pages describe the layout and colours used in the system.

NB This is not intended to allow you to use the system as such. FULL SETUP SUPPORT AND TRAINING is given with all new installations.


When the PC mouse is placed over an order on the planning board, then full details of the order are displayed at the bottom of the screen (order no, style no, customer, quantity, delivery date, on-time for delivery? Production time etc.

Capacity of line per hour in volume, hours or minutes

Capacity scale, showing, for example, sewing lines in Apparel factories.

Sewing line name/number

Factory

Planning board date scale - Can be expanded or contracted using the blue arrow shaped toolbar buttons.

Works orders are loaded into the plan against a sewing line. Each works order is represented by a coloured strip on the planning board.

Throughput time of sewing line in days

Factory header row, showing factory name.


The Fast React planning board is mouse driven and allows the planner to simply “drag and drop” production orders onto an appropriate resource.

When the mouse is placed over an order in the plan, then full details of that order are displayed at the bottom of the planning board on the status bar e.g. order GA11515 (see below).

Order number (GA11515) and Style number (11491)

Quantity and planned progress info.

Customer and delivery date

Planned completion and days in hand to delivery date

Planned running efficiency

Earliest and planned production start dates (also days between these).

Planned production time in working and calendar days.

Product description and user definable data e.g. customer order no.


The length of each order on the planning board is determined by:

1) the volume on the order

2) the sewing work content of the style

3) the capacity of the sewing line per hour

4) the working hours in the factory calendar

5) the planned production efficiency

Orders are loaded into the Fast React plan to build up a graphical representation of the loading on each factory/sewing line(in a machine based environment these might be knitting or weaving machines). Orders are shown in manufacturing sequence.

Fast React can be set up in a very simple manner, very quickly. If appropriate, additional functionality, such as WIP monitoring, bottleneck management (e.g monitor the load key areas such as embroidery), operator learning curves at style changeover, pre-production critical paths, and optimised loading rules can all be applied to the system. Fast React can be linked to other systems to pick up some or much of this information automatically.

Colour is used extensively on the planning screen to provide the planner with information about the status of each order. The following page gives information on interpreting the colours used to represent various conditions.


Colour is used extensively on the Fast React planning board. Different colours indicate the different status of orders in the plan.

1) A grey order strip indicates that an order is both on time for delivery and has any required pre-production activities under control. If an order is grey on the board, then there are no current issues associated with this order.

2) A blue order strip indicates that at least part of this order is likely to be late for delivery. Pale blue normally indicates up to 5 days late. Dark blue is more seriously late. But this can be set by customer.

3) A red border on a strip indicates a Work-in-progress issue with this order. e.g. the work should have been cut ready for sewing, but has not. Drill down facilities allow the user to find out more.

6) A yellow strip on the planning board indicates that a required pre-production event is late and therefore may present a risk to order start on the planned operation (sewing). Again, the user can easily find out more.

5) Fast React warns of poor loading. If an order is loaded at less than optimum efficiency, then the background to the order number will be shown in green.

4) A red order number indicates a “learning curve” or efficiency build up curve is attached to this order. This allows the planner to take account of efficiency losses on style changeovers.

So the planner, and other staff on the Companys PC network (e.g commercial staff) can see immediately, on screen, where all issues and potential problems lie. Related information can be accessed easily, again on screen, as the following pages will show. Finally, printed information is available to support the on-screen display. Sample reports are also shown later.


Additional indicators show the status of orders on each sewing line. A high number here highlights order problems. Double click on this indicator at the left of the planning screen to reveal list of planned orders on each row.

Late orders turn blue on the planning board screen and also show in the additional on screen reporting, below.


A red border on a strip indicates a Work-in-progress issue with this order. e.g. the work should have been cut ready for sewing, but has not. Drill down facilities allow the user to find out more, on screen, quickly and easily.

To access WIP information for an order, simply “Right click” with the mouse and select “Order Status” from the menu that then appears.


1) Style build up curves allow for start up efficiency losses and efficiency build up on new styles

2) A series of different “learning curves” can be defined reflecting different patterns of efficiency build up.

3) An order with a learning curve attached will be displayed with a red order number on the planning board

4) The length of order on the planning board will become longer to take account of the efficiency loss shown in the learning curve.

5) To attach a learning curve to an order on the planning board, simply “right click” with the mouse on the order and select “Change Start up” from the menu which appears. This will then bring up the screen below, from which a learning curve can be selected.


Each sewing line can be set up to run at different efficiencies on different products and even to prevent products from being loaded on unsuitable sewing lines.

To set up different running efficiencies for different product types simply “Richt click” on the row name with the mouse and select “Edit row details” from the menu which then appears.

The “Loading” tab from the “Edit row Details” screen will then allow you to enter the running efficiency of this sewing line for each of the product types you have defined elsewhere on the system.

If an efficiencyt of zero is entered against a product type, then Fast React will prevent products of that type being loaded on this line.


A yellow strip on the planning board indicates that a required pre-production event is late and therefore may present a risk to order start on the planned operation (sewing). Again, the user can easily find out more. Simply “Right click” with the mouse on the order strip, then select “Events Report to show the full history of completed and outstanding events (more details on the setup of this later)


2) Fast React offers the opportunity to monitor the load on key processes either before, during, or after the planning board resource (sewing). The load on each key process can be monitored daily/weekly in line with the sewing plan.

3) In this example, the load on Nottingham Factory 1 is monitored weekly, showing the load on several key processes.

4) The trend on single selected process can then be shown for a number of days/weeks going forward. In this case we look at the trend on exam and pack for Nottingham Factory 1 For the next 52 weeks.

5) As orders are moved on the planning board, so the loading charts showing the load on other key supporting processes will change dynamically.

1) To show the “Bottleneck Management” barcharts simply click on the “barcharts” toolbar button. The barcharts can then be re-sized and re-positioned on the screen.

6)Drill down facilities allow the user to click on any process in any day/week to produce a list of loaded orders.


1) The same Fast React production plan can be viewed in a number of ways. This example shows the production plan with style numbers shown on the strips instead of the order number.

2) All other strip colours remain as in the previous planning board view, i.e.blue indicates potential late delivery, yellow for pre-production problem etc.

3)To change the planning board view, simply click on the toolbar button shown,


2) In this view, the same production plan is shown by product type. The same production order strips are now coloured according to product type. The product types and colours are defined by the user.

3) So we can see very clearly, for example, that sewing line L2 in Leeds factory is making fleece products only.

4) Obviously the more the planner can maintain product consistency, then the better the performance of the factory/sewing line is likely to be.

5) This colour coding allows us to see easily when a major product change is planned.

1)To rotate through the various planning board views, simply click on the same toolbar button again.


1) In this view, the same production plan is shown grouped by customer. The same production order strips are now coloured according to customer. The customer colours are defined by the user. To define customer colours select “Customers/Add” from the main menu toolbar at the top of the screen


1) In this view, the production plan is coloured according to delivery week/month. The example shows all orders for June 2001 delivery in pale blue, whilst all orders for July delivery are shown in pink. This allows the user to see how well sequenced or how much out of sequence the production plan is.

3) Expected days early or late against delivery

2) Required delivery date and week no.

4) Yellow = pre-production problem

Fast React Example Report Pack (Apparel Users)

Fast React Enterprise Reports

The following pages are provided as an introduction to the reporting capabilities

of Fast React Enterprise.

The system has a very flexible in-built report generator, so the example reports shown in the following pages are by no

means definitive. They do, however, give an example of the typical reports

generated and used by existing clients.

Fast React Example Report Pack (Apparel Users)

Reports:

1) Production Output Reports

2) Pre-Production/Critical Path Reports

Fast React User Instructions - Example Reports

Production Reports: Output by Sewing line/Factory

This report gives a production schedule for each sewing factory, by sewing line, showing the production sequence as a direct interpretation of the Fast React planning board. It can be used a shop floor level as a manufacturing schedule showing the make sequence and planned volume. Subtotals provide overall factory information. The report is available in a daily, weekly or monthly format. A similar report can be produced to show hours of loading instead of volume.


Production Reports: Production Output Plan By Customer and Location

This report uses the same information as the factory plan. It is sorted to give a summary by customer and by manufacturing location showing all orders loaded and their planned production volume/dates. This type of report can be very useful for answering customer queries.


Production Reports: Order listing by Customer and Delivery Date

This report shows a listing of all orders by customer and delivery date. It shows anticipated production completion date and variance against the required delivery date. A subtotal of the order book by delivery date is available, together with a total volume on order by customer across all deliveries.


Critical Path Reports: Diary of Required Events

This report shows a diary of required events relating to, for example, the purchasing department. It provides a focussed list of required actions in line with the latest manufacturing plan. In this example, events are listed in priority sequence with overdue events shown in red.


Critical Path Reports - Diary of Required Events

The same report can be configured to a diary for each key executive. In this case, it provides a list of all required actions, by each key executive, in line with the latest manufacturing plan. The actions are listed in priority sequence with overdue events shown in red and “days in hand” shown in black.


Critical Path Reports: Events Overview

This report gives an overview of the critical path for all orders and shows all events. All orders are listed on the left, then all activities are listed across the top of the report. Only outstanding events are shown with a target date. This allows clear sight or outstanding events and progress. Overdue events show how many days late in brackets next to the required date.

This report gives an overview of the critical path for all orders and shows the events relating to a specific department, in this case the purchasing department. All orders are listed on the left, then all activities required by purchasing are listed across the top of the report. Only outstanding events are shown. This allows clear sight or outstanding events and progress. Overdue events show how many days late in brackets next to the required date.


Critical Path Reports: Events Overview By Department


Critical Path Reports: Late Events

This report shows a summary of overdue events by department or by key executive. It lists only late events in priority sequence.

Documents

Fast React