Last week, we talked about sheet ordering and non-sheet ordering within our purchasing module. Today, in part 5 of our Kiwiplan blog series, we’ll focus on the nuances and capabilities of the scheduling module. Scheduling is at the heart of what Kiwiplan does and our scheduling system is second to none, so let’s dive in!
Kiwiplan Optimizes Automatic Scheduling
Kiwiplan’s automatic scheduling algorithm gives us a competitive edge by optimizing machine and truck schedules on a continuous 15-minute cycle, allowing you to seamlessly adapt to shifting production demands. Additionally, you can completely customize your machine production by ink groups, ink drums, equal-sized parts, and die knives. This flexibility allows for real-time adjustments that keep your production flowing smoothly without locking your plant into rigid schedules.
Flexible Manual Scheduling
Kiwiplan has intuitive manual scheduling tools alongside our automated system for added flexibility. Kiwiplan’s manual scheduling lets you:
- Drag and drop planning boards: View a plant-based picture with drag-and-drop elements to customize & prioritize.
- View the “heartbeat” monitor of a machine: See if a machine is running or if it has “flatlined”. This allows you to react immediately to get the machine live again.
- Configure action items from lineup: Move, click, freeze, transfer, or modify your alternatives. You could even order sheet board from the lineup.
These features empower you to adjust schedules on the fly and react swiftly to machine status changes or unforeseen production challenges.
Comprehensive Bookings & Loadings
Kiwiplan understands that real-time visibility is critical in the fast-paced manufacturing environment. We provide comprehensive insights into plant bookings and loadings to enable proactive management of production capacities, overtime planning, and workload balancing. Kiwiplan looks at the loadings and graphs to see what dates are available to give to a particular item. Our software answers:
- Which machines you should run
- How many hours they should work
- If there’s enough board
- If the tooling will be ready
- If you can complete the job you need run
Our graphical representations and configurable analytics help ensure you can stay ahead of production demands.
Real-Time Visibility into Your Order Status
Kiwiplan offers real-time visibility into every aspect of your production process. Our system provides a centralized dashboard where you can manage and optimize orders across multiple machines simultaneously, from machine speeds and downtime to order progress and shipping details.
The order status screen is the heart of our scheduling system. It offers crucial insights, such as:
- Order availability: See if your orders are ready for production to ensure you can plan ahead without delays.
- Credit status: Checks to see if the order is on a credit hold or not, preventing production slowdowns from financial holds.
- Sheet inventory: Monitor your sheet inventory in real-time, so you know what materials are available and where they’re located.
- Production steps: Track each step of your production for a smoother workflow and more timely adjustments.
- Shipping schedules: Stay on top of shipping schedules to ensure you know how you’ll ship the product and what type of load tags you’ll need.
Additionally, our backlog report consolidates across all orders to empower you with comprehensive analytics for informed decision making.
Robust Tooling Management
The key to minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity is by managing tooling efficiently. We understand that a lot of work goes into creating the artwork and negatives, and that the process to complete comping and backing is complex. Additionally, we recognize how time consuming it can be to produce printing plates and dies.
With these considerations in mind, we designed Kiwiplan to integrate with robust tooling management features that track everything from artwork creation to maintenance schedules. Our packaging solutions and scheduling module can help ensure seamless coordination between tool availability and production schedules when you’re tracking tool sets, managing alternative tools, or scheduling maintenance based on impression counts.
Stay Tuned for Next Week
Kiwiplan’s scheduling module not only streamlines production processes but also enhances your operational efficiency. Next week, join us as we explore our production recording module. We’ll also be discussing machine data collection (MDC), machine operator (Macop), and quality management.
If you want to see Kiwiplan in action, come see us at SuperCorrExpo 2024 from Sept 8 – Sept 12 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. Visit us at booth #1931 to experience first-hand how our solutions can transform your operations. We’re excited to connect with our customers and discuss how we can help your business thrive. See you there!
Contact us today for more information or to schedule a demo!