Interface for Industry-Specific Optimizers

Purpose

The Interface for Industry-Specific Optimizers is an enhancement to Production Planning and Detailed Scheduling (PP/DS) that allows you to connect up any external trim optimization tools. As a result, it allows you to model an integrated process from sales order receipt through to production planning, optimization, detailed planning, and execution.

You can use a trim optimization tool in all industries that create smaller reels from larger reels, or cut sheets from these reels, for example:

  • Paper industry

  • Foil manufacture

  • Textile industry

  • Metal industry

  • Furniture suppliers

  • Glass industry

In a trim optimization run, the optimization system creates a trim sheet which provides a solution to how to best cut, for example, smaller reels from a large reel, taking account of the requirements you defined. As a result, the optimization system solves the problems that arise during cutting if, for example, the reels are of a standard size, but the order for the material to be cut contains non-standard sizes, or if the required standard sizes constantly change, but production of the material to be cut is based on stable and predictable processes. An optimization system solves the problem of how to cut smaller sections from a larger section or reel in the most efficient way.

The main purpose of this process is to minimize trim loss . Further objectives include:

  • Minimize underruns and overruns (number of reels under and over target production level)

  • Optimize setup

  • Minimize the number of knife changes

    In addition to achieving the main requirements mentioned above, an optimization system must meet various other requirements, for example:

  • Segments of reels with faults

  • Minimum and maximum diameters of the reels to be produced

  • Length requirements, for example, the length in the sales order compared with the length of the jumbo reel

  • Weight and diameter limits

  • Minimum and maximum width of the reel cutter

  • Tolerances

  • Cutting directions

  • Customer requirements, for example, requirements relating to the machines to be used or the position (for example, the customer may only accept a certain percentage of reels cut from the edges of the larger reel).

Result of Optimization Run

As a result of the optimization run, a trim sheet is created. In a planning environment, the trim sheet becomes a trim sheet order.

Introductory Notes

To be able to use the interface, you require the following systems and notes:

  • SAP R/3 system Release 4.7 or later, Industry Business Solution SAP Mill Products Release DIMP 4.71 and at least plug-in Pl 2003.1

  • SAP APO Release SAP SCM 4.0 or later

  • SAP Note 578872: ‘Composite Note – Use TOI’

  • External optimization system

Integration

The results of the optimization run carried out by the external optimization system are represented in a trim sheet. BAPIs are used to transfer the results of the optimization run to the APO system, where the results are represented as planned orders with particular properties. The planning results are then transferred to the R/3 system, where they are executed.

Features

With the Interface for Industry-Specific Optimizers , you can transfer “initial orders” to an external optimization system.

The external optimization system uses BAPI methods to determine the required data, for example:

  • Product master ( ProductAPS.GetList2 )

  • Resources ( ResourceAPS.GetList )

  • Template PDS ( PrdDataStructureAPS.GetList ) and template PPM ( ProdProcessModelAPS.GetList )

  • Classes and characteristics ( Class.GetList and Characteristic.GetList )

  • Block definitions ( ResourceAPS.GetBlocks )

  • Movement data such as requirements, stocks and production orders (for example, ManufactOrderAPS.GetList2 , SalesOrderAPS.GetList2 and StockAPS.GetList2 )

After optimization, the initial orders are replaced by a trim sheet. The external optimization authorizes this by calling the BAPI ManufactOrderAPS. CreatefromTemplate . The trim sheet corresponds to a planned order. To generate a trim sheet, the APO system must contain a template PDS or PPM. After planning, the system transfers the planning results via the APO Core Interface (CIF) to the R/3 system, where they are executed.

Restrictions

The following constraints exist for the Interface for Industry-Specific Optimizers :

  • You cannot work with process orders in the R/3 system.

  • Scrap cannot be calculated into the template PDS or PPM. If you want to take account of scrap, you have the following options:

    • You model the scrap as the difference between the input and output nodes, or

    • You define the scrap as a separate output node

  • In the APO system, you cannot change an order that you created using a template PPM or PDS. If you want to change an order of this kind, you have to delete this and create it anew using the ManufactOrderAPS.CreatefromTemplate BAPI.

    Note Note

    If you want to change the date of an order, you can move the order to the planning board.

    End of the note.

  • You must take account of the fact that the system automatically assigns the primary product to the last operation.

  • Parallel sequences in the template PPM or PDS and loops to previous activities are not possible.

  • All the operations in the trim sheet must already be defined in the routing so that the orders can be transferred to the R/3 system. This means that the template PDS or PPM must contain the maximum number of cutting operations that can occur.

  • If the template PDS or PPM was created for a configurable material, as a rule all of the generated output nodes must be either instances of the configurable material or variants of it. Other output materials are only possible if you can ensure that the header material of the generated order meets the above-mentioned conditions.

  • Optimized trim sheet orders cannot be further changed in the R/3 system.