In process manufacturing there is frequently a structure of:

• Bulk Batch product RFBulk - Radiator Fluid


• Packed Batch product RF1- 1 Gallon Radiator Fluid


• Packed Batch product RF5 - 5 Gallon Radiator Fluid


• Packed batch product RF55 - 55 Gallon drum radiator fluid

Currently the following can be done:

• Product RFBulk can have a:
  
  
  
  • Route that consumes capacity / resources / time.
  
  
  • A Formula that consumes ingredients.
  
  
  
  


• Product RF1 / RF5 / RF55:
  
  
  
  • Route that consumes capacity / resources / time
  
  
  • A formula version that consumes Bulk RF001 and some packaging components.
  
  
  
  


• Products RFBulk and RF1 / RF5 / RF55 can be linked together using the Bulk item indicator on the Formula Version and the Bulk Item Conversion set up. This allows users to “Firm & Consolidate”, which results in the creation of the consolidated batch order.

Currently, the consolidated batch order does not have any functionality to cause capacity reservations against resources / capabilities, or indicate any sort of inventory location, it merely marries up the Bulk and Packed batch orders to ensure that adequate Bulk material is made to support all packed products. 

Many process manufacturing companies will manufacture Bulk material in a mix tank / vessel / kettle, and then transfer the bulk material into a holding tank or silo.  The packing lines then hook up to the holding tank or silo to consume the bulk material to the packed orders.  This holding tank is both a warehouse location and a resource.  Manufacturers need to be able to see on hand quantity of bulk material in this location, and be able to schedule when the tank / silo will be full and when it will be empty.  The amount of time that the holding tank is in use will be a function of both the Bulk order and the Packed orders.

The following functionality could be supported by allowing Consolidated Batch Orders to have capacity reservations:

1. Allow for the input location on the resource on the consolidated batch order to dictate the RAF location of BULK order.


2. Allow for the consumption location of the bulk material on the packed orders to be the input location of the resource on the consolidated batch order.


3. The scheduled job time for the consolidated batch order resource is the:
   
   
   
   1. Start = Earliest scheduled finish date of the bulk order(s) associated with the consolidated batch order.
   
   
   2. Finish = Scheduled finish date of the latest finishing packed order.  
   
   
   
   


4. Rescheduling a packed order due to a component shortage should reschedule the capacity reservations associated with the consolidated batch order. Rather, If I am delayed on the 1 gallon container, I will leave bulk material in the hold tank for longer.  


5. This would allow for capacity planning / gantt chart usage of holding tanks / silos, which is often the capacity constraint in process manufacturing.