Simulation-Based Integrated Planning and Control Systems for Manufacturing

Competitive production in today's dynamic environments can only be achieved through efficient management of information throughout an enterprise. Deficiencies of current systems (e.g. MRP) in dealing with the information processing requirements are reviewed. The paper further presents concepts and implementation experiences of simulation based integrated shop floor control svstems. They form a vital part of the information management system of the company since they link the actual shop floor to higher-level systems such as MRP. To improve the management of the factor time. The shop floor control system provides detailed planning of the production process by optimising the MRP order requirements while considering the current production status. Implementation experiences show the advantages of simulation based concepts through user openess user involvement in implementation and flexibility for change in daily operations.