Production planning and scheduling sits at the heart of all operations for plastics processors and poses unique challenges. To optimize overall production runs and improve lead times, it is crucial to identify the best-performing machines and tools for each product upfront. Additionally, processors must consider the availability of limited quantities of secondary equipment such as conveyors, grinders, calibrators, robots and coextruders, along with any scheduled maintenance or ongoing production runs.

Moreover, dynamic material requirements planning (MRP) calculations are essential to ensure the availability of materials and equipment when rescheduling work orders.

To effectively address these complexities, plastic processors require an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system with an interactive production scheduling module. Let’s explore the significance of interactive master production scheduling for plastic processors and the benefits it offers in improving lead times.

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