Glossary

Production planning

Production planning is the process of deciding what to make, when to make it, and what resources are needed.

Materials Planning and ERP Integration Materials Planning / MRP

Production planning is the process of deciding what products or work orders should be produced, in what quantities, within what time frame, and with which materials, labor, equipment, and capacity. In manufacturing, it translates demand, inventory status, engineering constraints, and resource availability into an executable plan for operations.

Production planning is commonly used in ERP, MRP, MES, and advanced planning systems. It may include demand review, material requirements, capacity checks, order prioritization, and release timing. The output is often a production plan, master production schedule, or planned work order set that guides purchasing, shop floor execution, and delivery commitments.

Production planning should not be confused with production scheduling. Planning defines the broader quantities, timing, and resource needs. Scheduling assigns specific jobs to machines, lines, crews, or time slots. It is also distinct from MRP, which focuses mainly on material requirements, although MRP is often an input to or part of the planning process.

Related FAQ

Can MES reduce safety stock levels?

MES can contribute to lower safety stock, but only when underlying process stability, data quality, and planning integration are already strong. In many regulated, brownfield plants, MES initially exposes variability and data gaps that justify existing buffers. Stock reductions are gradual, validated changes, not an automatic outcome of MES deployment.

How do you extend a manufacturing KPI framework to tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers?

Extending a manufacturing KPI framework to tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers requires careful scoping, common definitions, contractual alignment, and pragmatic data integration. You typically cannot just push your internal dashboards outward. Instead, you need a staged model, clear data-sharing rules, validation of supplier data, and contingency plans for uneven system maturity across the supply base.

What gaps do aerospace manufacturers most commonly encounter when relying on ERP alone?

ERP is necessary in aerospace, but it is not sufficient on its own for execution, traceability, and compliance. Common gaps appear around detailed work execution control, digital travelers and work instructions, AS9100/AS9102 evidence, real-time quality and NCR workflows, configuration control, and robust as-built genealogy. These gaps are amplified in brownfield plants with mixed systems, legacy equipment, and strict validation and change-control requirements.

How should aerospace manufacturers integrate supplier portals with existing ERP systems?

Aerospace manufacturers should usually integrate supplier portals with ERP through controlled interfaces, not by making the portal the new system of record. Start with narrow use cases, clear data ownership, and traceable transactions. Success depends on master data quality, integration discipline, security controls, and validation of workflows that affect quality, traceability, or export-controlled data.

Related Glossary

Inventory KPIs

Inventory KPIs are metrics used to monitor inventory accuracy, availability, movement, and control.