APS (Advanced Planning and Scheduling)

Intelligent Production Planning System

 

What is an APS System?

APS (Advanced Planning and Scheduling) is an intelligent production planning system that calculates production schedules by considering actual machine capacity, process constraints, and the most optimal job sequencing.
 

Many factories still rely on Excel for production planning. However, as order volume increases, complexity rises accordingly. Production plans need to be adjusted daily, and whenever a rush order comes in, the entire schedule can collapse. This is why modern factories should adopt an APS system.

The result: production plans can be generated within minutes with higher accuracy, OEE improves, bottlenecks are reduced, and on-time delivery increases.
 

 

APS System Architecture

 

Why ERP, MRP, or MES Are Not Enough?

• ERP only tells you to produce 10,000 units
• MRP tells you what materials to purchase and when
• MES executes production orders but doesn’t determine optimal sequencing

Key Questions APS Can Answer:

• What happens to the plan if a rush order is inserted?
• If a machine breaks down, which machine should take over?
• How should production be sequenced to minimize setup time?
• How can workload be balanced across all production lines?

APS is designed to handle and optimize all these scenarios.

 

Benefits of APS

 

 

 

How APS Improves Factory Performance?

 

1. Reduce hidden costs from poor decision-making
Without APS = decisions based on intuition
With APS = simulate “what-if” scenarios before deciding

2. Increase capacity utilization = higher revenue (without new investment)
APS plans based on real constraints such as machines, molds, manpower, and setup time

3. Reduce overtime and cost per unit
More stable plans and better sequencing reduce urgent jobs, shop floor issues, and overtime

4. Lower inventory holding costs
APS balances demand and capacity in real time

5. Improve on-time delivery and customer retention
APS enables accurate Available-to-Promise (ATP) and Capable-to-Promise (CTP) calculations
 

If you are interested in APS or want to elevate your production planning capabilities, feel free to contact ARES Thailand for consultation and tailored solutions for your business.