Setting up M3 BE

M3 SWB in the inventory structure

System calendar

The M3 SWB calendar spans over 10 years. The calendars start and end dates can be seen in the System tab of the Parameters panel. Both start and end dates must be defined in System Calendar. Open (CRS900) or problems can arise with order import.

Infrequently, the system calendar contains errors. (The explanation is often that workday numbers are incorrect even though the dates are correct). To fix this, update the first date in the calendar and change it (for example, to General capacity). This will trigger the refresh function and apply it to all workday numbers throughout the calendar.

General settings

Settings Manufacturing Orders (CRS785)

To ensure that the Material Plan.display Delayed Issues (MMS087) and the import of order links into M3 SWB works properly, set the parameter Reference order number selection to one (1).

Settings Delayed Stock Issues (CRS702)

To make the delay report Material Plan. Display Delayed Issues (MMS087) to work properly, set the parameter Log orders = 1 and specify the relevant order categories (usually 311, 510 and 511) in the appropriate fields. Also check the Header information parameter unless inquiry type 1 in Material Plan. Display Delayed Issues (MMS087) is used instead.

Number series. Open (CRS165) Manufacturing Orders (MO) and Planned Manufacturing Orders must be assigned a different series of numbers in M3 SWB, as it is illegal for them to be the same.

For example, the Planned MO number series can be initiated at 0000001 and the MOs can begin at 5000001. If the number series is not different, the MO proposal and the MO can risk having the same order and item number when imported into M3 SWB. Once the planned MO is released, there is no problem in keeping the original number.

Facility. Open (CRS008)

We recommend that M3 SWB be active from the beginning of the implementation project. This is mainly because of the way in which it affects the placement of load using work center type 1 or type 1 and 6.

Items - Item. Open (MMS001)

Units of Measurement (U/M)

As is the case in Material Planning, M3 SWB only uses quantities expressed in basic U/M. Currently it is not possible to display quantities in manufacturing U/M in M3 SWB.

Items - Item. Connect to Warehouse (MMS002)

Planning Method

Setting Planning method to 1 = MRP or 3 = Order-initiated is recommended. Setting the re-order point as a planning method is not recommended, because no useful due dates can be assigned to orders.

Planning Time Fence (PTF)

The Planning time fence should cover at least the cumulative lead time of the item plus possibly some extra time for added visibility. The MRP does not operate outside the Planning horizon.

Safety Time

In M3 SWB, a safety time per item is included on each material record. Nevertheless, it has been changed from being measured in days to being measured using hours in continuous time, that is 24 hour days.

Acquisition Code

Material plan transactions on items with acquisition code 2 (purchased) and 3 (internal distribution) are combined in External Supplies in M3 SWB.

ATP Calculation- significant factor for performance

The parameter for ATP-calculation is set in MMS002/G. In later versions, this parameter is included in the planning policy Capable-to-promise Policy. Open (CTS090).

Because all materials on each order are processed in the export of orders from the M3 BE server to M3 SWB, it is not recommended that the parameter that controls the ATP calculation be set to one (1), as this will trigger re-calculations of all the material records.

Instead, the parameter should be set to two (2), which means re-calculate when required. Setting the system to one (1) or two (2) significantly affects the processing time in the update batch job Manufacturing Order. Update from M3 SWB (CPS941) at a factor of at least ten (10) to one (1).

Continuous Net Change

Using the continuous net change for items with independent demand (sales items) is necessary for the accuracy of the delay report Material Plan. Display Delayed Issues (MMS087). Nevertheless, it is always debatable whether the MRP should be in batch or continuous mode. Future development may enable the detachment of the delay report update from the MRP run.

Items - Item. Connect to Facility (MMS003)

Dynamic lead time calculation and time fence

To make advanced production planning meaningful, check the parameter for dynamic lead time calculation and assign a time fence that is equal or greater than the time span that is used for planning and scheduling in M3 SWB.

Items - Product Structures. Open (PDS001/PDS002)

If structure types are used and data is imported from M3 BE through ODBC (for example, M3 BE Maintenance), we recommend that a selection criterion be added into the statement [ORDER-RELATIONS] in the parameter file param_db.106, in each one of the three UNION SELECT sections dealing with planned order materials:

A.ROSTRT = STD AND

(STD is the standard structure type in this example).

M3 BE supports the use of multiple structure types.

Parallel Operations

Parallel operations can be defined in M3 BE. Nevertheless, there is no validation on whether the primary operation (entered as M3 SWB operation number) exists, so careful attention is required when setting up the data. Secondary operations must have lower operation numbers than primary operations.

Specify scrap on the primary operations and not on the secondary operations. Otherwise the operation quantities are not correct.

Reporting for parallel operations should always be such that the secondary operation uses auto reporting (1), and the primary operation controls the secondary (2). These codes are set in Work Center. Open (PDS010), panel F.

Split Operations

M3 SWB can split operations to gain lead time. The operation split function is available for released orders (MOs) and for planned orders (MOPs). Use split method 7 (split by quantity) or 8 (split by number of operations). The split is performed on operations not previously split during import to M3 SWB. After export to the M3 BE server, the split may be undone using Manufacturing Order. Reschedule (PMS010). If any of the split operations have already been started this is not recommended. The split daughter operations should be assigned higher operation numbers than the original operations. (Remember to assign operation numbers in Product. Connect Materials/Operations (PDS002) and to provide enough space for new operation numbers that may result from of a split.)

Product Structures. Renumber (PDS210)

This program should never be used to renumber operations. Though it can perform this task, it does not renumber the references such as parallel operation number or next operation number. If parallel operations or branched operation sequences are not used, the Product Structures. Renumber (PDS210) program can be used without limitations.

Phantom Operations

Phantoms items versus alternative operation for MOPs

The operations for a manufacturing proposals are transferred using the API PMS170MI/SelOperations. There is an parameter called REAO (Get all operations), which can have following settings

REAO equals 1 (default)

The M3 SWB parameter file includes this row:

@ARG  = REAO   ;       ;1  

This should be used if the alternative routing is used in the structures.

REAO equals 0

The M3 SWB parameter file includes this row:

@ARG  = REAO   ;       ;0  

This should be used if the phantoms is used in the structures.

You cannot transfer both alternative routings and phantoms to M3 SWB.

Phantoms and alternative routings

From SP16, you can have both alternative routings as well as phantoms.

Resources - Work Center. Open (PDS010)

Note that both work centers and work center resources are maintained in the same program. What differentiates these two is the Resource type, which is set to one (1) for work centers and six (6) for the resources.

Standard Flow when Specifying New Data

Daily/Weekly Load Leveling and the Capacity Planning Horizon

These parameters are used to affect performance. They can be set to the exact level required for adequate display of the load reports. The capacity planning horizon always has to be greater than zero (0).

Efficiency Control

To include efficiency on the work force as defined in Time Reference. Open (CRS160), enable Efficiency control for both work centers and work center resources. When enabled, the work center efficiency will be retrieved from Time Reference. Open (CRS160) for each operation in order data downloaded to M3 SWB.

Finite and Infinite Capacity

The use of finite or infinite capacity on resources depends on the planning requirements. (Refer to the document M3 SWB Planning and Scheduling for information on the connection between capacity and planning activities.) In general, capacity is assigned as follows for:

• Work center resources. As a general rule, always assign finite capacity. Nevertheless, work center resources that never constrain production may be assigned infinite capacity.
• Work centers. Always use infinite capacity. This is the default, and the field is hidden, so the only way you might get finite capacity is if you have copied a resource to a work center. You must not get finite capacity from routings in Product. Connect Materials/Operations (PDS002), because it disturbs the timing of orders when created in M3 BE ERP. It is only M3 SWB that should schedule with finite capacity.

Included in Work Center

Default Resource

The default resource is the resource that will be chosen by the M3 BE server when a new order is created. After the order has been scheduled once by M3 SWB, the default resource no longer has any relevance.

The default resource is also used in the product lead time calculation to find the average queue time and the continuous post-operation time.

Load Reduction Method

Queue Days and Average Queue Time

When M3 SWB is active on the facility, the Queue days field is inactive (and invisible). Instead, the Average queue time (PDS010/K) field is used, both for calculations on the M3 BE server, and in M3 SWB backward scheduling (but not in forward scheduling). The only difference between Queue days and Average queue time is the unit of measure. Days are used for Queue days and hours for Average queue time.

Line Control in M3 SWB

You can set up specific lines to be used during scheduling inside M3 SWB.

For example, in a company, the production of a product uses these operations: Cut, Paint, Assemble, Packing and Labeling. The three ending operations are done in 3 different lines.

The diagram shows that there is no line connection between operation Cut, Paint and Assemble. This means that if for example cut-operation is done in CUT_1, the paint operation can be done in PAINT_1 or PAINT_2 and the Assembling can be done in ASSEMBLE_1, ASSEMBLE_2 and ASSEMBLE_3.

However there is a line connection between the operations Assemble, Packing and Labeling, meaning if the Assemble is done in ASSEMBLE_3, the Packing must be performed in PACKING_3 and the Labeling in LABELING_3.

Resources - Work Center Relationships. Update (PDS011)

Efficiency Factor

An efficiency factor of zero (0) is considered as one (1) equal to 100%, as you cannot close a W/C resource by applying zero (0). Currently this efficiency factor is only used in M3 SWB and not in the lead time calculations performed on the server.

Preferred Resource

Use this field to specify the resource that is best suited for the purpose. Several preferred resources can be defined for a work center. The other resources are selected only if the order is delayed otherwise.

Resources - Work Center. Specify Queue and Transit Time (PDS020)

Type 1 allows an extra buffer time to be inserted on the server (MRP) compared to the schedule in M3 SWB, so that there is flexibility in, for example, sequence optimization in M3 SWB. Remember to specify dummy records so that all activity zones are displayed at least once in the matrix (dummy record = transit time 0, from- and to-activity zone are the same). Otherwise, M3 SWB does not recognize the work zone.

Resource Capacity

Shift Planning

Capacity Adjustments

The best way to handle Capacity adjustments is to specify and maintain them from M3 SWB only. This is because M3 SWB does not allow shift adjustments in Work Center. Connect Shifts (PDS014) on the same resource, nor does it allow a From-date with different To-dates.

Different Ways to Create and Re-create Capacity

Re-explosion of MOPs

From M3 BE 12.6, a new option (option 2) is valid during explosion of MOPs. This allows the system to keep the decisions made for the operations in M3 SWB, even if an new material is added in the product structure.