MRP: Production Prep Buffer, Kit Time, Receive Time

Hi All,

E9.05.702A

We are testing out MRP and so far things are going well.
We ran into a scenario where we would like to pad the start time on an unfirm job to allow for variations in the production line that are not always known. We are working to understand the best way to address this from a production line standpoint but I was assuming that we could use the scheduling fields on the Part Entry Plants → Planning tab. The hope was that entering a value in the Production Prep Buffer field would bump the job’s start date back by this value. When this didn’t work, we tested Kit Time and Receive Time with the same results. I thought the Production Prep Buffer value would work because there is a check box on the “Process MRP” screen called “Use Production Prep Buffer”.

What we found is that regardless of the values entered in these scheduling fields, the number of days between the start date and the due date is equal to the time required to complete each operations, based on the production standards.

Should we be able to achieve this earlier start date using the Production Prep Buffer? It could be that I don’t understand how these scheduling fields should work and maybe there is another way to achieve what I’m trying to do.

JOE ROJAS
Epicor Applications Manager
VENTION MEDICAL + DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
Advancing Your Innovations For Health

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When ever we have needed to add fat in a job/subassembly we have used either queue hours or move hours on a resource

Queue Hours
Specifies the average number of hours that parts “sit” before work begins in this resource group. This will be added to the estimated operation hours when operations are scheduled at this resource group.

Move Hours
Specifies the average number of hours parts “sit” when they leave a particular resource group before the next operation begins, or the number of hours it takes to move the parts from one resource group to another. This will be added to the estimated operation hours when operations are scheduled at this resource group.

Thanks Paul.

I was digging into this further as I waited for a response from this group.
I think the only downside, for us, with the move and queue time is that it would be spread across all jobs that use these resources as opposed to applying them to jobs for a specific part.
I’m still not sure why Production Prep Buffer and Kit Time do not achieve this but it looks like Received Time does add this padding that we are looking for.

JOE ROJAS
Epicor Applications Manager
VENTION MEDICAL + DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
DIRECT: 508.597.1392 x1625 | MOBILE: 774.826.9245

I have not used the Production Prep Buffer, but it sounds like this is what you need. I know there is a setting in Site Maintenance for Production Prep Time (Detail > Detail tab). It is supposed to be the lead time that is added to the job to determine the start date for the job, but I’m thinking if you set it up here, then it would add it to all jobs.

There are also some checkboxes at the bottom of the tab under the section Include in Manufacturing Lead Time Calculation - Lead Time, Receive Time, Kit Time, Transfer Lead Time. Look to see what you have checked.

Usually the Part specific information, such as Kit Time is taken into account over the Site information. So if there is a different Kit time set up on the Part record, this is what the system should be using for that part only.

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