Case study
Fewer Shortages, Realistic Schedules with SAP PP/DS and MRP
Material planning and detailed scheduling in SAP, so production plans reflect real capacity and shortages are seen before they stop the line.
Overview: planning complex, high-mix production
This case study shows how TechCarvings implemented SAP PP/DS and MRP for a precision electronics and electromechanical manufacturer. The company builds complex, high-mix products with long component lead times and demanding quality requirements.
Planning had to account for many components, shared machines and frequent changes. Doing that in spreadsheets meant plans were often out of date by the time they reached the shop floor.
Operational challenges
Planners worked hard, but the tools did not reflect reality.
- 1
Material shortages. Missing components were often discovered when production was about to start.
- 2
Unrealistic schedules. Plans assumed unlimited capacity, so the shop floor re-planned informally.
- 3
Spreadsheet planning. Planners spent hours updating files instead of solving problems.
- 4
Slow response to change. Customer changes and supplier delays took too long to reflect in the plan.
- 5
Excess stock in some places. While other components ran short.
The transformation: what the company wanted
Operations and planning leaders agreed four goals.
The solution: SAP PP/DS and MRP in SAP S/4HANA
TechCarvings set up MRP to plan materials accurately and PP/DS to schedule production against real capacity, both inside SAP S/4HANA.
Master data clean-up
Bills of materials, routings, lead times and lot-sizing rules reviewed and corrected, because planning is only as good as its data.
MRP
Material requirements planned from demand, with clear exception messages for shortages and rescheduling.
PP/DS detailed scheduling
Production orders scheduled against the actual capacity of machines and lines.
Bottleneck visibility
Planners see overloaded resources and can move work before it becomes a problem.
Planning workspace
Fiori apps that help planners manage exceptions instead of rebuilding plans.
Purchasing alignment
Purchase requisitions and dates follow the plan, so buyers chase what really matters.
Technology used for this SAP PP/DS and MRP project
Learn more on SAP.com: SAP S/4HANA.
How we delivered
The project began with master data, because accurate bills of materials, routings and lead times are the foundation of any plan. TechCarvings then configured MRP and PP/DS and tested them with real orders and resources.
Planners were trained to work by exception, and the new process ran alongside the old one until the team trusted it.
Business impact
Planning now reflects what the shop floor can actually do.
MRP flags missing components while there is still time to act.
PP/DS plans against real capacity, so fewer plans are rewritten on the floor.
Work by exception replaces hours of spreadsheet updates.
Planning, purchasing and production work from the same schedule.
What’s next
With SAP PP/DS and MRP running, the company can extend planning further, for example into supplier collaboration and advanced analytics.
Are shortages slowing your production?
TechCarvings implements SAP PP/DS and MRP so plans match the shop floor.