Define a Learning Curve

This document explains how you define a learning curve in M3 Manufacturing. The learning curve describes how the efficiency rate increases over time when an item is manufactured.

Learning curves are useful in project-oriented industries in which new products are frequently phased in. Although learning curves are defined in M3 Business Engine (BE), work order lead time can only be calculated with regards to the learning curves in M3 Scheduling Workbench (M3 SWB).

Outcome

A learning curve is defined. The curve describes the rate of improvement in time per piece from the start of producing an item until the maximum efficiency is reached.

The learning curve is saved in the MLECID table.

You connect the learning curve to a control object, such as a product group or a work center, or a combination of control objects. This is done in 'Learning Curve Model. Open' (PDS251).

Before you start

You must know how the production over time of a control object, or a combination of control objects, affects the production efficiency.
M3 BE must be integrated with M3 SWB.
The 'Update learning curve' check box in 'Settings - Manufacturing Orders' (CRS785/E) should be selected. This way, historical information about the learning curve will be stored per main product in the MLESUM table. The historical data is used to calculate the starting point of the learning curve in M3 SWB.

Follow These Steps

Start 'Learning Curve. Open' (PDS250).

This instruction is based on sorting order 1.
Enter an ID for the learning curve and select Create.
On the E panel, enter a name and a description for the learning curve.
Enter the number of standard hours per day that will be used when converting production hours into days.
Enter the number of days in the past that a learning curve model should affect the efficiency level for the learning curve, in the 'Grace period' field.
Specify the number of levels in the learning curve.
Define each level in the learning curve by entering the number of days that the level will last and the efficiency rate of the level, expressed as a percentage. Press Enter.

Example: You define three levels where level 1 has an efficiency of 50% and 4 days used, level 2 an efficiency of 75% and 6 days used and the third and final level an efficiency of 90% and 1 day used. This means that for the first four days of production, the job will have an efficiency rate of 50%, during production days 5 to 10 the efficiency rate will be 75%, and from production date 11 the efficiency rate will be 90%.

Parameters to Set


Program ID/Panel	Field	The field indicates …
(PDS250/E)	Standard hours per day	… the preferred number of standard hours per day. The field is used to convert production hours into days, which is the duration of each level in the learning curve.
(PDS250/E)	Grace period	… the number of days in the past for which the learning curve model should be valid. Note that this refers to the learning curve model to which the learning curve is connected. If the learning curve model was used during the grace period, the number of production hours will increase the efficiency rate according to the levels in the learning curve. If the learning curve model has not been used during the grace period, then the connected learning curve will be reset to the lowest efficiency level. Example The grace period is set to 20 days. All days of production that have occurred the last 20 days will affect the current value of the learning curve. However, all production that took place earlier than the grace period will not affect the learning curve. Note To disable this function, enter '0' in this field. To enable this function, you must enter a value that is equal to or higher than the sum of days for all levels.
(PDS250/E)	Number of levels	… the number of levels in the learning curve. The levels represent the different efficiency steps in the learning curve. You can define up to nine levels where the last level always represents the final efficiency.
(PDS250/E)	Efficiency	… the efficiency per level, expressed as a percentage.
(PDS250/E)	Days used	…the number of days that the corresponding level in the learning curve lasts. Note that this means that you always enter '1' for the last level in the learning curve, since that level represent the final efficiency. In other words, once that level is reached no improvement in efficiency is possible.