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APS systems do more than simply sequence operations; they accelerate production flow by managing inter-operation dependencies and start conditions. In traditional planning approaches, the next operation cannot begin until the previous one is completely finished. This often causes unnecessary waiting times, especially in serial and flow-type production environments.

With predecessor–successor operation dependencies, production stages can overlap in a controlled manner, reducing the overall lead time.

Scenario: Waiting Problem in a Production Order of 10 Units

In the example scenario, there is a three-stage production process consisting of operations 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3:

• 7.1 → PUNCH Machine
• 7.2 → Press Brake (Abkant) Machine
• 7.3 → Welding Machine

Total production quantity: 10 units

In the traditional planning approach, the Press Brake operation (7.2) cannot start until the PUNCH operation (7.1) is completely finished. In other words, the second stage cannot begin until all 10 units are processed in the first stage.

This situation causes the Press Brake machine to wait, increasing the total production time.

Solution: “Production Quantity Required to Start the Next Operation” Parameter

In the APS dataset, the following configuration is defined for operation 7.1:

• Total production quantity: 10 units
• Production quantity required to start the next operation: 7 units

What does this mean?

The system does not wait for all 10 units to be completed in the PUNCH operation.

Once the first 7 units are completed, the system can start the Press Brake operation (7.2).

With this structure, operations can overlap in a controlled manner, enabling a smoother production flow and reducing overall lead time.

With this structure, operations can overlap in a controlled manner, enabling a smoother production flow and reducing overall lead time.

Result on the APS Scheduling Screen

When the scheduling process is executed, the following situation can be observed on the Gantt screen:

• While operation 7.1 is still in progress
• Operation 7.2 has already started
• Afterwards, operation 7.3 also becomes part of the production flow

This situation demonstrates that the system correctly applies the quantity-based start criterion.

Operations are no longer planned with a “wait and start” logic, but rather with a “flow-based progression” approach.

Impact of This Approach on Production

In this scenario:

• The Press Brake (Abkant) machine does not wait for operation 7.1 to be fully completed
• Idle capacity does not occur in the production line
• Total lead time is reduced
• Production progresses in a more balanced and continuous manner

This approach provides significant time savings, especially in multi-stage production lines.

Conclusion: Faster Production with Controlled Overlapping

Thanks to the “Production Quantity Required to Start the Next Operation” parameter defined in Dynami APS, the flow between operations becomes dynamic.

This method:

✔ Reduces waiting time between operations
✔ Decreases total lead time
✔ Optimizes resource utilization
✔ Enables a flow-based production approach

For companies seeking speed and flexibility in production, quantity-based start criteria provide a powerful planning advantage.

Planning Results: Lead Time and Makespan Analysis

These planning outputs clearly demonstrate the time performance of the production system through concrete data. Through Makespan and Lead Time analyses, the efficiency level of the operational flow has been evaluated, and potential improvement areas in resource utilization have become visible. This structure provides a strategic foundation for shorter delivery times and greater operational control.