Production Planning Excellence
Most production planning problems aren't a capacity problem — they're a sequencing problem. The wrong production order turns changeover and setup time into a large hidden cost.
What We See
The production plan is set without accounting for changeover time
When production sequence follows order-arrival order rather than product similarity, a large amount of time goes into changeover and line setup that could have gone into actual production.
Real line capacity is confused with nameplate capacity
Planning happens against theoretical machine capacity, without deducting standard downtime, maintenance, and real line efficiency — the result is a plan that's always running behind.
Order prioritization isn't transparent
When capacity is constrained, the decision of which order gets produced first is often made under momentary sales pressure, not a clear, pre-agreed rule.
Capacity-overrun alerts come late or never
Without a daily monitoring tool, capacity overruns are usually discovered after orders have already fallen behind, not at the moment they could still be corrected.
Our Approach (The DDIT Framework)
Diagnose
Measuring each line's real capacity (accounting for efficiency and standard downtime) and analyzing time spent on product changeover over the past three months to identify the biggest source of waste.
Design
Designing a sequencing logic based on product similarity to minimize changeover time, along with a transparent, sales-agreed order prioritization rule.
Implement
Rolling out the new daily plan on a pilot line, with direct monitoring in the first weeks to fine-tune capacity parameters.
Transfer Capability
Training the internal production planner on adjusting sequence when the product mix shifts, and fully handing over the daily capacity monitoring tool.
Deliverables
- Real capacity calculation for each production line
- Product-similarity-based sequencing logic
- Sales-agreed order prioritization rule
- Daily capacity monitoring tool with automatic alerts
- Changeover time analysis and reduction opportunity report
- Playbook for adjusting the plan when product mix shifts
Engagement Models
Diagnostic Sprint
A rapid measurement of real capacity and changeover time on one or two key lines, in two weeks.
Full Transformation
Full design and rollout of the daily production planning system across all lines.
Ongoing Advisory
Periodic review of sequencing logic as new products are added to the portfolio.
Who This Is For
For factories with multiple production lines or diverse product ranges where changeover time is significant, such as food, pharma, and consumer chemicals.
Frequently Asked Questions
MRP determines how much material is needed and when. Production planning determines in what sequence and on which line that material becomes finished product. The two complement each other rather than replacing one another.
Yes, though the sequencing logic differs — instead of product similarity, priority is usually set by committed delivery date and material availability.
At least three months of recent daily production data, recorded downtime (planned and unplanned), and standard changeover time between each product pair, if available.
A large share of the reduction comes simply from resequencing production based on product similarity and requires no investment. Physical improvements (like SMED) are an optional next step.
The order prioritization rule is designed for exactly this and agreed with sales — so resequencing by product similarity doesn't unilaterally disrupt key customers' delivery dates.
Ready to talk about this domain?
Tell us about your organization's specific challenge, and we'll recommend the right engagement model.