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  Product InC in REM with Production Backflush in APO

Use

This document provides you with an overview of the special features of Product Interchangeability in APO Repetitive Manufacturing based on the master data of the integrated Product and Process Engineering (iPPE). In this scenario, the SAP APO System is used along with a DI System (from 4.6B).

For product interchangeability in APO repetitive manufacturing – as for the process in the more general area of PP/DS – the substitution relationship between a product to be discontinued and its successor product can only be represented by linear supersession chains using an interchangeability group.You can define that a supersession chain has the direction of interchangeability interchangeable forwards Start of the navigation path  (A Next navigation step B Next navigation step C) or it can be End of the navigation path fully interchangeable (A Start of the navigation path  < Next navigation step B End of the navigation path Start of the navigation path  < Next navigation step C ). End of the navigation path

The planning objective is to determine the components required for a finished product and to trigger procurement for these components. The objective of product interchangeability in APO Repetitive Manufacturing is to use up the stocks of a component to be discontinued even after its discontinuation date and to redirect the existing requirements to the successor product and to plan its procurement.

A differentiation is made between two scenarios in APO Repetitive Manufacturing:

In both scenarios, you can use the product interchangeability function when planning components to be discontinued.

Constraints

  • You define the master data for product interchangeability in SAP APO . This also means that you can only plan the interchangeable components in SAP APO. Therefore, you have to make sure that the components are included in planning in SAP APO and have been excluded from the MRP run in the DI System.

  • As automatic supply-to-production is executed in the DI System, this function cannot be used for product interchangeability. However, if you fulfill certain prerequisites, you can also use automatic supply-to-production for staging interchangeable components. See also: Automatic Supply-to-Production (DI System)

  • You can find a detailed list of limitations for the use of product interchangeability in PP/DS in the document Product Interchangeability in PP/DS .

Integration

The following components and functions are used when substituting components in APO – Repetitive Manufacturing with iPPE :

  • integrated Product and Process Engineering (iPPE)

  • Engineering Change Management

    If you use automatic supply-to-production in the DI System, you have to include the components in an interchangeability group in your iPPE product structure via engineering change management.

  • Interchangeability group and product masters

    You define the discontinuation data of the interchangeable components in an interchangeability group in APO. Then you check and complete the product masters of the interchangeable components. This data provides the basis for planning. See also: Master Data for Planning with InC in PP/DS

  • Planning the configurable finished product using model mix planning and the rapid planning matrix

    You execute model mix planning for the configurable finished product. The system then carries out a planning run with the planning matrix to determine the necessary components for every planned order.

  • Planning non-configurable products

    You can use REM heuristics and an individual explosion of the iPPE to plan non-configurable products.

  • Planning interchangeable components in the MRP run

    The system plans all the products in a supersession chain in the MRP run automatically. To represent the substitution of one component by another component, the system creates a product substitution order in the procurement planning process in PP/DS. During the planning phase, all the information on substitution is recorded in the product substitution order. See also: MRP Run for a Supersession Chain

  • Displaying the Interchangeability Group in the Product Planning Table

    You can display the planning results and the current planning situation for the components in an interchangeability group in the product planning table.

  • ATP check for planned orders

    To consider the limited validity period of components in a planned order by the start of the execution phase at the latest and, if necessary, to copy substitute components to a planned order, you have to execute an ATP check for the planned orders. See also: ATP Check for Planned Orders in Repetitive Manufacturing

  • Automatic Supply-to-Production (DI System)

    As automatic supply-to-production is executed in the DI System, this function cannot be used for product interchangeability. However, if you fulfill certain prerequisites, you can also use automatic supply-to-production for staging interchangeable components.

  • Production Backflush in APO

    Product interchangeability is integrated in the production backflush in APO. This ensures that, when backflushing, the system respects the substitution sequence defined in the interchangeability group and posts the correct component quantities at the goods issue.