Production planning and control (PPC) networking

PPC networking coordinates production planning, material flow and communication across a supply chain. It links information about demand, stock, suppliers, machines, labour and production schedules so that manufacture can respond efficiently.

It is particularly important for Just-in-Time (JiT) manufacture, where components and materials need to arrive when required rather than being held in large stocks.

Master production schedule (MPS)

A master production schedule coordinates the main PPC functions so the business knows what needs to be produced, when it is needed and what resources are required.

Materials control

PPC systems can:

trigger supplier orders and manage inventory
coordinate materials so components arrive when required
use Kanban, barcodes and RFID to identify and track stock
monitor components and products in real time.

This supports JiT because production can be supplied according to actual requirements rather than relying on large buffer stocks.

Scheduling production

PPC can plan machine use and production timings and coordinate the availability of skilled labour. In a flexible manufacturing system (FMS), production cells can be reconfigured as demand changes.

This helps reduce bottlenecks and idle time, but it depends on accurate information and reliable communication across the production network.

Linking suppliers, production and customers

EPOS systems collect sales information using barcode scanning. The sales data can support stock monitoring and reordering and can feed into production decisions.

When PPC is linked with EPOS and suppliers, changes in demand can be communicated through the supply chain so purchasing and production can respond. This helps coordinate JiT manufacture and reduces unnecessary stock.

Why PPC networking is useful

A connected PPC system can improve stock control, scheduling, traceability and responsiveness to demand. However, JiT and highly coordinated production also depend on reliable suppliers and accurate data: a late component or incorrect demand signal can interrupt production because less spare stock is available.