PlanPlus (Trimplus)

Production Planning and Trimming

Optimization Software

23-04-15 Akron Informatique inc. 2

Design and develop advanced production planning software, using innovative algorithms to improve performance and functionality.

Provide complementary tools and services for an easy integration to existing systems.

Bring to our clients quality products and services offering a good return on investment.

Our mission


Our installations

More than 35 installations

Canada

USA

France

Germany

Spain

Sweden

Brazil


Who is in charge of what ?

Directors and shareholders

Performance and return objectives

Salesmen

Shipping dates and customers’ specifications.

Production superintendent

Output (machines and workers)

Planner

Production schedule

Respect all constraints (Customer and production)

Shipping department

Shipping date and costs


Are all rules of action clear?

Priority of Company rules vs. departmental vs. sectional vs. individual

Realistic or budgetary objectives?

In the event of conflict, which one should precede?

Are the rules known and applied equally by all?

To ensure a perfect process homogeneity, we would need Siamese twins or telepaths


The planner

Receives different instructions from many sources

I want a minimum effectiveness of…

It is necessary to minimize production time

I do not want under-production and/or overproduction

Not too much change of slitter, not too many small setups

Not too many different orders on the same pattern

Such customer must be made in priority

[…]

If there is conflicts, he will apply the criteria on which he will be evaluated.

Overproduction or effectiveness

Late shipping or facilitated production

Which order could be late, preceded, overproduced, under-produced, etc.


The planner (continuation)

Will always priorize one sector with the detriment of another:

shipping vs.

production vs. customer requirement vs.

Company profitability

If unable to respect all criteria, he might choose those which he prefers, sometimes out of context, for example:

Late delivering or minimizing pattern changes

Reducing efficiency to minimize inventory

Reducing machine width to improve statistics (efficiency)


To optimize performance and efficiency by taking account of all constraints

To support Company priorities within each specific context

To be more proactive (Using «What-If Simulations») instead of reactive

To increase productivity and profitability

Please contact us for a free evaluation and a ROI report.

Why a software of optimization?


Frequent perceptions

We do not have problems of optimization because we have software in each factory.

Is it used daily? If not, it is useless

All optimization software are equivalent.In theory, using the same level of mathematical algorithms, this could be true

However, the easiness to integrate all production constraints differs largely from one to another. It is of primary importance to have a software well adapted to your specific needs

Production constraints are multiple, often requiring several contradictory but complementary mathematical formulas

All customer and production constraints must be taken care of in order to generate the right patterns

If the optimization software does not allows considering all required parameters, the planner will eliminate the least adapted patterns and will have to readjust them manually. When this happens frequently, the planners end up not using the optimization software anymore and always work by hand


Frequent perceptions (continuation)

This kind of software is not applicable on our mills, because we have too many parameters

On the contrary, the more constraints there are, the more usefull optimization software will be compared to manual operations

Differences between manufacturing constraints and established rules must be defined in order to ease the manual calculation of a production schedule

* Optimization software is used a few months, then becomes useless, because the planner knows the patterns by heart

* Only if all orders could be repeated without change in time and quantities. Unfortunately, this utopist context of production rarely happens


Typical example

Let us suppose a mill with 2 machines

We will concentrate only on the delivery dates and the

quantities requested.

In reality, Planplus takes account of all the other criteria such as:

•Change of slitter•Inventories•cores•etc.

For this example

Block 1

Block 2

Block 3

Assignment

PlanPlus


Typical example (continuation)

Optimization Block 1 by itself Optimization Block 2 by itself

•Contextual parameters:•Minimum effectiveness of 98% per machine•Minimize inventories•Minimize production time

Observation: Effectiveness is too low!

What are the options for the planner?

Typically, he has 2 choices:

Delay orders which are not trimming well = Delay deliveries

Call the office of the sales to receive “Side rolls” = Static inventory

Better 3days 4Hrs16


Option: Multimachine or multisite

These orders are not pre assigned to a specific machine

No efficiency problem

4 hours gain of production

No inventory

An even number of slitters change

Additional alternatives available

Total for the 2 machines

Respected tonnage.

Optimization

Block 1 and Block 2


Option: Anticipated orders

In a case where the temporary inventory is acceptable (Maximizing the turnover)

Effectiveness higher than budget

Inventory only accepted on confirmed orders

No impact on the production

No multimachine production

Easy reaction if some adjustment is needed

If I have the machine time

Alternatives

Optimization

Block 1 with the help of Block 3


Our experiment shows that:

The earlier in production planning a constraint is taken into consideration, the more restrictive it gets, bringing undesired effects and resulting in more work and less efficiency

The planner might add some specific constraints, in order to support some repetitive contexts, for example:

Those two customers always share the same pattern

Such customer’s orders always go on machine X

Such order is always self optimized

We can under or overproduce the orders of this customer

This customer allows late deliveries

The main reasons leading a planner to stop using his software are:

System not updated

Lack of training

Inadequate support by supplier


A solution is valid only if it meets all parameters and constraints

The concept of optimum must always be contextual

Since it is almost impossible to envisage all the possibilities, our support must be able to react rapidly and efficiently

Why so many people use a software such as Excel?

Usually it is to complement a software that does not attends their needs

Our philosophy


A solution without surprise, everything being included

No additional cost for integration, adaptation, update, specific development

All customer effective needs are fulfilled

Time saving because we concentrate only on the effective needs

Our guarantee


Continuous product development

* Brings greater flexibility to the software

• Eases all adaptations and integration to existing systems

• Requires a better knowledge of our customer’s needs which we even have to anticipate

* Results in efficiently optimized customization time and expenses, since specific adaptations are not charged


PlanPlus brings

A versatile production optimization software and its related tools

Solution to your specific needs:Optimization of coresOptimization of inventory useOptimization of the Master rolls to be producedNeeds to come… (perhaps yours)

Connection to your processing systems:Order entryPlanning and productionOptimization for loading and shippingInventory control

Direct support with the developers which allows:Specific customization (without charge)Influence on future improvementsFree consultation


Memorandum

An ally in your projects

who respects your autonomy.

To conclude, do not forget our motto,

1-819-758-84531-819-758-8453

[email protected]@trimplus.com

Contact us

Technology

PlanPlus (Trimplus)