Planning coordination systems for coordinating separate factory planning systems and a method of operation

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of using a planning coordination protocol to negotiate demands and responses between a host planning system associated with a first factory with separate planning systems of at least one other factory in a manufacturing chain, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving input demands for a product supplied by said first factory;

delivering output responses for said product;

delivering output demands to said other factory;

receiving input responses from said other factory; and

processing each input response by determining if the input response satisfies an associated output demand, and if not, providing data representing the unsatisfied demand to the planning system, and providing an output response that reflects unsatisfied demand;

wherein the processing is iterative such that an exchange of demands and responses results in a predetermined termination condition and wherein the exchange of demands and responses is independent of planning capability data used by the planning systems.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing comprises:

reading responses received from the plurality of other factories;

determining whether any response is deficient with respect to an associated demand;

providing information to the planning system for adjusting the output plan according to deficiencies in any response;

reading demands received from the plurality of other factories;

providing information to the planning system for adjusting the output plan to accommodate supplying the demands;

determining a quantity produced and time needed to supply each demand; and

determining parts needed from factories in the plurality of other factories.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving demands and responses comprises:

determining whether a total amount of time waiting is equal to a wait time period;

waiting for an amount of time equal to a scan time period if the total amount of time waiting is not equal to the wait time period;

determining whether a response has been received from each factory in the plurality of other factories to which a demand was communicated; and

returning to determining unless a response has been received from each factory in the plurality of factories to which a demand was communicated or unless the time waiting is equal to the wait time period.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the demands include a product number, a due date and a quantity needed data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the responses include a product number, a promise date and a quantity promised data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first factory comprises a first manufacturing plant and one factory in the plurality of other factories comprises a second manufacturing plant.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first factory comprises a first product group located within a manufacturing plant and the at least one other factory comprises a second product group located within the manufacturing plant.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first factory comprises a first machine group located within a manufacturing plant and the at least one other factory comprises a second machine group located within the manufacturing plant.

9. A planning coordination system for providing a protocol to coordinate a planning system of a host factory with separate planning systems of other factories in a manufacturing chain:

a communication system operable:

to receive input demands for a product supplied by said host factory, to communicate output responses indicating a number of said product to be supplied by said host factory, to communicate output demands to a planning coordination system of at least one other factory in the manufacturing chain, and to receive input responses from the planning coordination system of the other factory; and

a processing system coupled to the communication system and operable:

to process each said input response to determine if said input response satisfies an associated output demand, and if not, to provide data representing unsatisfied demand to the host planning system, and to provide an output response that reflects the unsatisfied demand;

wherein the communication system and the processing system are iteratively operable, such that an exchange of demands and responses results in a predetermined termination condition and such that the exchange of demands and responses is independent of planning capability data used by the planning system.

10. A computer-implemented method of negotiating demands and responses among plurality of separate factories having separate planning systems in a manufacturing chain, comprising the steps of:

connecting a planning coordination system to an associated planning system in each of a plurality of separate factories in a manufacturing chain;

interconnecting each planning coordination system with other planning coordination systems according to the manufacturing chain;

communicating demands from each planning coordination system to other planning coordination systems, wherein each demand represents a quantity of a product to be provided;

communicating responses from each planning coordination system to other planning coordination systems wherein each response represents promises to supply said product; and

iteratively repeating communicating demands and communicating responses such that demand and supply information is automatically communicated between factories having supply and demand part relationships until a predetermined termination condition is reached;

wherein said process of communicating demands and responses is independent of planning capability data used by said planning systems.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each planning system is associated with a factory that is a manufacturing plant.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein each planning system is associated with a factory that is a product group located within a manufacturing plant.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein each planning system is associated with a factory that is a machine group located within a manufacturing plant.

14. A demand/response negotiation protocol system for a factory network having a plurality of factories in a manufacturing chain, each factory having a separate planning system, the factory network comprising:

a first factory comprising;

a first planning system operable to generate and to adjust a first output plan for the first factory; and

a first planning coordination system coupled to the first planning system, wherein the first planning coordination system is operable to access the first output plan;

a second factory comprising;

a second planning system, separate from the first planning system, operable to generate and to adjust a second output plan for the second factory; and

a second planning coordination system coupled to the second planning system and to the first planning coordination system, wherein the second planning coordination system is operable to access the second output plan;

the first factory and the second factory in a manufacturing chain and having demand and supply part relationships with one other;

the first planning coordination system operable to communicate a demand to the second planning coordination system;

the second planning coordination system operable to receive and process the demand communicated by the first planning coordination system and to communicate a response to the first planning coordination system, wherein the response is based upon the output plan of the second factory;

the first planning coordination system further operable to receive and process the response communicated by the second planning coordination system, so as to determine whether said response meets the demand from the first factory, and to provide data representing the results of the determination to the first planning system;

wherein said first planning coordination system and said second planning coordination system are operable to iteratively exchange demands and responses until a predetermined termination condition is reached, and wherein said exchange of demands and responses is independent of planning capability data used by the planning systems.

15. The factory network of claim 14, wherein the first factory comprises a first manufacturing plant and the second factory comprises a second manufacturing plant.

16. The factory network of claim 14, wherein the first factory comprises a first product group located within a manufacturing plant and the second factory comprises a second product group located within the manufacturing plant.

17. The factory network of claim 14, wherein the first factory comprises a first product group located within a manufacturing plant and the second factory comprises a second machine group located within the manufacturing plant.

18. The factory network of claim 14, wherein the response communicated by the second planning coordination system is based upon fixed lead times for parts needed to fill the response assumed by the second planning system.

Description Submit all comments and votes

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to the field of electronic systems, and more particularly to planning coordination systems for coordinating separate factory planning systems and a method of operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Manufacturing plants or factories often utilize some form of planning system to prepare plans or schedules for the manufacturing process. A planning system can range from a manually prepared plan or schedule to a plan or schedule automatically generated by a software application operating on a computer system. One commercially available software application that operates as a planning system is RHYTHM.TM. MPPS available from i2 Technologies, Inc. of Dallas, Tex. A planning system operates to integrate orders for products, available raw materials, and needed parts from other vendors into a plan or schedule defining dates for production and shipment of products.

It is important to the operation of a factory that its plan be as efficient as possible despite the large number of variables involved. It is difficult for a planning system sufficiently to monitor all manufacturing variables, including such things as delays or shortages from vendors and equipment failures, to maintain the efficiency of the factory's plan. Conventional planning systems are unable efficiently to maintain a plan for a factory accurately reflecting all orders received from customers, the present state of raw materials and inventory and the parts available from other factories from which the factory receives parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A need has arisen for having planning coordination systems that operate to coordinate factories having demand and supply part relationships with the other factories in the manufacturing chain.

In accordance with the present invention, planning coordination systems for coordinating separate factory planning systems and a method of operation are provided that substantially eliminates or reduces disadvantages and problems associated with conventional factory planning systems.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a planning coordination system automatically coordinates a planning system associated with a first factory with separate planning systems of a plurality of factories in a manufacturing chain. The planning coordination system communicates with the planning system of the first factory and communicates with separate planning coordination systems of the other factories with which the first factory has demand and supply part relationships. The planning coordination system receives and processes demands and responses communicated by the planning coordination systems of the other factories. The planning coordination system provides planning information to the planning system of the first factory and obtains information about products to be produced and parts needed from an output plan of that planning system. The planning coordination system communicates responses to the planning coordination system of each factory from which a demand was received in order to provide supply part information and communicates a demand to the planing coordination system of each factory from which parts are needed in order to provide demand part information. The planning coordination system repeats receiving, processing, providing, obtaining and communicating such that the planning system of the first factory can adjust the output plan responsive to the demands and responses communicated between the first factory and the other factories.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present invention and advantages thereof may be acquired by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers indicate like features and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a factory network utilizing planning coordination systems constructed according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of a method of operation of a planning coordination system according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of a method of processing demands and responses received from other factories according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of a method of waiting for and collecting demands and responses from other factories according to the teachings of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a factory network, indicated generally at 8, having a plurality of coordinated factories each utilizing a planning coordination system constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. Factory network 8 supplies products to a customer sales entity 10. Customer sales entity 10 represents all post-manufacturing activity such as distribution, wholesale activities, and retail sales activity. Factory network 8 is coupled to customer sales entity 10. Customer sales entity 10 can communicate demands for products to factory network 8, and factory network 8 can communicate responses indicating when products will be supplied to customer sales entity 10.

Factory network 8 comprises a first factory 12. Factory 12 includes a planning coordination system 14 coupled to customer sales entity 10. Factory 12 also includes a planning system 16 coupled to planning coordination system 14. An output plan 18 is coupled to planning coordination system 14 and planning system 16. Factory network 8 comprises three additional factories that supply factory 12 as shown.

A second factory 20 comprises a planning coordination system 22 coupled to planning coordination system 14 of factory 12. Factory 20 also includes a planning system 24 coupled to planning coordination system 22. Factory 20 further includes an output plan 26 coupled to planning coordination system 22 and to planning system 24.

Factory network 8 further includes a third factory 28. Factory 28 comprises a planning coordination system 30 coupled to planning coordination system 14 of factory 12. Factory 28 also includes a planning system 32 coupled to planning coordination system 30. An output plan 34 is coupled to planning coordination system 30 and to planning system 32.

Factory network 8 comprises a fourth factory 36. Factory 36 includes a planning coordination system 38 coupled to planning coordination system 30 of factory 28. Factory 36 includes a planning system 40 coupled to planning coordination system 38. Factory 36 further includes an output plan 42 coupled to planning coordination system 38 and to planning system 40.

Factory network 8 comprises three levels of factories as shown. Factory 12 is in the first level and directly supplies customer sales entity 10. Factory 20 and factory 28 are in the second level, and both supply factory 12. Factory 36 is the only factory in the third level. Factory 36 supplies factory 28 in the second level. The factories may comprise separate physical plants, separately planned parts of one plant or a combination thereof. The only requirement is that each factory have a planning system and output plan of some sort. The number of factories and relationships between them illustrated in FIG. 1 is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The teachings of the present invention are applicable to a factory network having any number of separate physical factories or separately planned portions of one plant. Further, factories can demand from and supply to each other and are not required to be separated into levels. In addition, customer sales entity 10 could demand from any or all factories in the factory network rather than only from one factory as shown in FIG. 1. The factories and relationships shown in FIG. 1 are chosen for purposes of description only.

Factory network 8 operates to manufacture a product in quantities sufficient to supply demands from customer sales entity 10. Customer sales entity 10 communicates demands for products to factory network 8 that are received and directly supplied by factory 12. A demand generally includes such information as a part number, quantity needed, and a due date. Planning coordination system 14 in factory 12 operates to receive and communicate responses to the demands from customer sales entity 10.

Planning coordination system 14 collects and analyzes demands received from customer sales entity 10. Planning coordination system 14 then provides information to planning system 16 such as product numbers, quantities ordered and due dates. Planning system 16 utilizes the information received from planning coordination system 14 to generate adjustments to output plan 18 to accommodate supplying the demands. Output plan 18 comprises a plan for the manufacturing activity of factory 12 including dates for receipt of necessary parts and for completion and shipment of manufactured products. Planning system 16 operates both to prepare and to adjust output plan 18. Planning system 16 initially utilizes assumed lead times for any parts factory 12 must acquire from factory 20 and factory 28. When adjusting output plan 18 prior to receiving responses from factory 20 and factory 28, planning system 16 assumes parts will be supplied on dates according to these assumed lead times. Output plan 18, as adjusted, is provided to planning coordination system 14.

Planning coordination system 14 determines from output plan 18 how to respond to each demand received from customer sales entity 10. Each response should include such information as the part number, quantity promised, and date promised. Planning coordination system 14 operates to generate and communicate responses to customer sales entity 10. Planning coordination system 14 also determines from output plan 18 what parts need to be ordered from factory 20 or factory 28 to manufacture the products to be supplied to customer sales entity 10. Planning coordination system 14 then communicates demands to factory 20 and to factory 28 for those parts needed. All demands communicated between factories in factory network 8 include such information as a part number, quantity needed, and due date.

Factory 20 and factory 28 operate in a manner similar to factory 12 in responding to demands received from factory 12. Planning coordination system 22 of factory 20 receives demands from planning coordination system 14 of factory 12 and processes those demands. Planning coordination system 22 provides planning system 24 with information required to adjust output plan 26 to accommodate supplying parts to factory 12. Planning system 24 then processes this information and adjusts output plan 26 to provide for supplying the requested parts. These adjustments to output plan 26 are monitored by planning coordination system 22. Planning coordination system 22 operates to generate and communicate responses to planning coordination system 14 of factory 12. All responses communicated between factories in factory network 8 include such information as part number, quantity promised, and date promised.

Factory 28 also operates to supply parts to factory 12. Factory 28 is coupled to factory 36 because factory 28 requires parts from factory 36 in order to manufacture the parts demanded by factory 12. Planning coordination system 30 of factory 28 receives demands from factory 12 and processes the demands. Planning coordination system 30 provides information to planning system 32 necessary to adjust for the demands. Planning system 32 then adjusts output plan 34 to accommodate supplying the parts demanded by factory 12. Planning system 32 initially assumes a lead time for the parts needed from factory 36 as described with respect to factory 12. Planning coordination system 30 processes the adjustments to output plan 34 and communicates a response to planning coordination system 14 of factory 12 and communicates demands to factory 36 for needed parts.

Factory 36 operates to supply factory 28. Planning coordination system 38 of factory 36 receives demands from factory 28 and processes those demands. Planning coordination system 38 then provides information to planning system 40 such that planning system 40 can adjust output plan 42. Planning coordination system 38 processes the adjustments to output plan 42 and generates and communicates a response to factory 28.

Factory network 8 is coordinated by the operation of each planning coordination system according to the teachings of the present invention. Iterations of the planning process produces an increasingly refined output plan for each factory. The factories in factory network 8 are enabled more efficiently to prepare output plans for manufacturing activity. The planning coordination systems allow factory network 8 to utilize accurate information as to availability of parts, production facilities, and production capacity at any given point in time. This coordination of factories in a factory network is a technical advantage of the present invention and provides more efficient generation of plans and schedules for the coordinated factories.

Planning coordination systems constructed according to the teachings of the present invention operate to coordinate separate planning systems through data communication between the planning coordination systems. The planning coordination systems comprise software systems operating on computer hardware systems operable to access data held in data storage devices, move data info processing memory and perform processing steps on the data. In one embodiment of the present invention, data communication by planning coordination systems, comprises ASCII data files where the data communications include demand and supply information for each factory. Coordination of factories into a factory network allows each factory to request parts from other factories and for each plant to respond to requests from other factories. In one embodiment of the present invention, requests contain a part number, quantity needed, and due date, and responses include a part number, quantity supplied, and promise date.

The division of the factory network into separate factories is arbitrary from the standpoint of the planning coordination system at each factory. Typical divisions are by factory location, product group, machine group, or other logical combination. These divisions often naturally exist in a manufacturing environment. A factory or group of factories can continue to plan the natural divisions separately by deploying multiple planning systems interlinked by multiple planning coordination systems rather than consolidating into one planning system. A factory network having planning coordination systems is particularly desirable where the size of the factory network requires distributed processing to achieve desired performance levels, the expense of consolidating multiple factory information into one planning system is prohibitive, organizational constraints within the factory network would make it difficult to consolidate the planning personnel of multiple factories, and one company wants to coordinate plans with the plans of vendors or customers.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of a method of operation of a planning coordination system according to the teachings of the present invention. The planning coordination system in each factory illustrated in FIG. 1 operates according to the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 2.

Initially in step 50, the planning coordination system processes demands and responses received from other factories. Processing of demands and responses is described in more detail with respect to the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 3. Generally, each response is processed to determine whether it is adequate, and each demand is processed to determine what parts are needed and what response can be given.

In step 52, the planning coordination system communicates a response to each factory from which a demand was received and communicates a demand to each factory from which parts are needed. Each response is generated by accessing information from the factory's output plan as to adjustments made to accommodate supplying the associated demand. An initial response communicated by a planning coordination system provides promise dates generated utilizing assumed lead times for any part