Production sequencing using Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2

Editor's note:  This article highlights some of the new SCM features within the R2 release of AX 2012.  A previous article summarized the major R2 changes for supply chain management.  

Production sequencing is typically employed to minimize setup and changeover times at a production resource.  Different approaches can be used to support production sequencing, ranging from simple to advanced.  More advanced approaches often employ calculations of the minimum setup/changeover times to suggest production sequencing, and even update these times within the routing information for production orders.  These calculations and updates are not typically used in simple approaches. 

This article summarizes the simple approach for suggested sequencing that has been incorporated into Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2.   The simple approach only applies to planned batch orders.  In summary, you define one or more item characteristics that impact production sequencing, and you assign a value for each characteristic to relevant manufactured items.  You also assign the sequencing logic to the resources and resource groups that require production sequencing.  Using this foundation, you run the master scheduling task to generate planned batch orders, and then run a separate "sequencing" task to suggest production sequencing for these planned orders.  You can then accept the suggested production sequencing and ultimately firm the planned orders to create batch orders. 

This article starts with the typical business process for production sequencing.  Additional sections provide illustrative case studies and cover the implications for setup/changeover times in routing information. 

1. Typical Business Process for Production Sequencing 

The typical business process for production sequencing provides an organizing focus for explaining the new R2 capabilities.  The typical process is summarized in Figure 5, and ...