Searching for alternative and use-up materials.This topic describes how and when LN automatically takes an alternative material for a production order instead of a standard material. How does LN perform the checks LN performs the checks for alternative materials according to the following principles:
Material availability LN uses the following methods to determine whether a use-up material or an alternative material is available on the required date:
To distribute a material requirement over multiple
materials If, on a BOM line in the Bill of Material (tibom1110m000) session, the Allow Multiple Items check box is selected, LN can split a material over multiple alternative materials and the original material. Multiple sessions have a check box named Allow Multiple Items:
Example 1: Use-up materials Material X-CURRENT has replaced the older item X-OLD. The following table shows the inventory situation.
For a particular production order, you need a quantity of 100 pieces of X-CURRENT. If multiple items are permitted, LN takes the last 15 pieces of the use-up material (X-OLD) and 85 pieces of the current material (X-CURRENT). If multiple items are not allowed, LN does not use up the old material X-OLD. Another material requirement of 15 or less can occur later, in which case, LN takes the use-up material. Example 2: Alternative materials Material X has two alternatives: X1 and X2. The following table shows the inventory situation.
For a particular production order, you need a quantity of 100 pieces of X. If multiple items are permitted, LN takes the following materials:
If multiple items are not permitted, LN plans 100 pieces of alternative material X2, because none of the higher-priority materials are available in sufficient quantities. When does LN perform the checks At one or more of the following points during a production order's life cycle, LN can check the timely availability of standard materials and alternative materials:
Repeated material checks In general, if LN repeats the material availability check and a sufficient quantity of the currently selected material is available, LN does not change the material allocation, even if a higher-priority alternative material or the standard material has meanwhile become available. This policy avoids a nervous planning process that repeatedly changes the material allocations. However, if you want to make sure that the standard material or the highest-priority alternative material is used in a production order, you can use the Generate Alternatives for Estimated Materials (ticst0216m000) session to recheck all possible materials at any time. In that case, you must select the Always Reconsider Alternatives check box. Example Suppose that the following events occur:
If the currently selected alternative material is available, LN does not change the material allocation and issues the alternative material from the warehouse to the shop floor, regardless of the availability of the standard material. To force LN to check again for the availability of the standard material, start the Generate Alternatives for Estimated Materials (ticst0216m000) session and select the Always Reconsider Alternatives check box.
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