About Utilities
Utilities are equipment, energy, water, labor and other production inputs required to use a resource. They represent capacity, including labor force, trucks, and pipeline. These are not uniquely identifiable resources. For example, it does not matter which of the trucks or pipelines are used, but there must be sufficient capacity for the task. A resource or resource group claims the capacity. You can claim part of the capacity for a resource. You set the demands for utilities as you define resources or resource groups. Available capacity of utilities is shown as a graph in the utility requirements area of the planning board.
A utility is not uniquely identifiable and it acts as a pool of similar units. It is of limited capacity that can be claimed per batch segment by resources. It can be partially used and also used by more than one resource simultaneously.
It is not necessary to allocate a utility to a unique identifiable unit. It is only important that the available capacity is never exceeded. As a utility is used by a resource, only its unused capacity is available. It is represented as a graph in the utility requirement view of the planning board, where used capacity is contrasted with available capacity as a function of time.
There are two types of utilities, reusable and renewable utilities:
- A reusable utility has capacity, which becomes available and can be reused after the activity to which it has been allocated is finished. Most equipment can be considered a reusable utility.
- A renewable utility is consumed but is also reusable. Although it is consumed, the total capacity becomes available again after finishing a process or tank batch. Water and electricity are good examples of renewable utilities.
These tabs are displayed in the Utility entry window:
- General tab - This tab allows you to enter information such as timetable and maximum and minimum claims for a utility.
- Availability tab - This tab allows you to define availability of a utility.
- Availability Exceptions tab - This refers to exceptions to the default availability of a utility. In this tab, you can define the period during which only limited or no capacity is available, such as training or a holiday. The defined exceptions override any default utility for the same time period.