The Benefits of Proplanner

Key Topics: Eliminate the need for excel with digital time study capabilities that save you time. Optimize production and minimize bottlenecks with superior line balancing tools. Increase quality with synchronized, up-to-date work instructions.

The Benefits of Proplanner: Simplifying Mixed-Model Assembly Process Planning & Management

Are you still using excel to complete your time studies? Are you tired of time wasted on a manual process prone to costly errors?

Proplanner enables you to easily conduct observed and calculated time studies – both live and video based – to support lean manufacturing. Our advanced capabilities make it easy to complete, access, and update time studies, production plans, and work instructions as needed.

Are you struggling with excess capacity, bottlenecks, and frequent downtime?

Proplanner’s line balancing module can quickly balance and visualize thousands of tasks, hundreds of models and options, and countless customer orders. This purpose-built solution can also satisfy the largest number of hard and soft constraints including Precedence, Resources, Workzones, Grouping, Ergonomics, Inspection, and Product Orientation.

Are you tired of constant rework and downtime due to inaccurate, static work instructions?

Proplanner can auto-generate standardized, up-to-date visual work instructions for every model and option configuration in seconds – eliminating guesswork and minimizing rework. And with the ability to easily embed & update work instructions into your MES system, you can automatically apply changes in seconds.

Proplanner Training by Advantive

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Access Proplanner Expertise Anytime, Anywhere

At Advantive, our team of Proplanner experts is committed to providing comprehensive support, offering various tools to inform, train, and educate you about our solutions and the challenges they address. From live phone and web support to onsite training, we ensure that you have access to the resources you need. Our website hosts reference and training documents, informative videos, and essential files, enabling easy access to information about our industries and partners, product support, system requirements, and licensing details.

At Advantive, our goal is to help your users quickly learn how to navigate Proplanner efficiently to maximize benefits. We cater to groups of varying sizes, offering both on-site and web-based training solutions. Collaborating closely with your team, we determine the optimal training strategy specific to your needs. Our approach is hands-on and efficiency-driven, designed to conserve your time and reduce rework, accelerating the production of tangible results.

To foster an interactive learning community, Proplanner has also launched a dedicated forum. This platform enables users to ask questions, join discussions, and share ideas, facilitating peer-to-peer learning and collaboration.

GO TO FORUM

Proplanner’s educational resources are aimed at helping users make the most out of these powerful software tools, ultimately improving productivity and optimizing manufacturing processes. Structured to provide both free and premium support to universities, these resources are ideal for learning how to maximize the benefits of Proplanner’s software suite to improve productivity and efficiency.

  • Free Subscription
    The free subscription equips universities with software licenses for Flow Planner, Workplace Planner, and ProTime Estimation. However, it’s important to note that these programs require users to have access to AutoCAD licenses, as AutoCAD Lite is not supported. Proplanner’s free resources also extend to technical setup and support, including educational blog entries and YouTube tutorials.
  • Paid Subscription
    For universities needing a more immersive training experience, Proplanner offers a paid subscription that includes everything in the free package along with 5 hours per academic year of access to their technical support team. This service includes installation assistance, Q&A sessions, and personalized demos. It also incorporates a range of custom webinars for classes, support for senior design team CAPSTONE projects, and 1-on-1 webinars for lab assistants, graduate students, and professors.
Discuss Your DDI System Training Needs

What to Expect

  • Honest conversation about your training requirements
  • Discover what training programs best fit your team
  • Instant access to free, on-demand product training and documentation

All-in-One Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Software to Streamline and Integrate Product Development

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Optimize Assembly Planning: Predefined Workflows for Guaranteed Results

Are you facing challenges in synchronizing your team’s efforts and ensuring efficient product development in your manufacturing processes? Whether you’re dealing with small-scale manufacturing projects or complex, multi-departmental production, PLM software is the key to aligning and optimizing your assembly planning. Our PLM solutions offer predefined workflows designed to guarantee results, ensuring that every team member is on the same page, reducing the time-to-market, and enhancing the quality of your products.

Enhance Collaboration and Communication

Facilitate seamless interaction and data sharing across various departments, enabling teams to work more cohesively and make informed decisions quickly.

Optimize Product Management

Streamline the management of product data, design, and development processes, reducing time-to-market and improving overall productivity and product quality.

Improve Strategic Decision-Making

Leverage detailed insights and analytics from product data to make strategic decisions, enhancing product development and lifecycle management, and ultimately driving business growth.

Powerful PLM Software Purpose-Built for Manufacturing

Advantive’s PLM software streamlines assembly planning by seamlessly importing the eBOM from your PDM/PLM system, along with any pertinent Engineering Change Orders, to detail necessary modifications. It enables manufacturing engineers to align the eBOM with existing mBOMs, identifying required adjustments to processes, shop floor instructions, tooling, and logistics. Changes are coordinated through Manufacturing Change Orders, specifying the effective dates and applicable series or serial numbers. Once the mBOM and BOP are reconciled within Assembly Planner, the data is efficiently published to ERP, logistics, and shop floor MES/Andon systems, as illustrated in our integration diagram. Proplanner’s flexible, client-centric PLM solutions adapt to various workflows, ensuring optimal lean production practices for your manufacturing needs.

Tailor your workflow for efficient manufacturing change management:

  • Define Specific Sequences: Establish clear steps for implementing diverse manufacturing changes.
  • Utilize Comprehensive Checklists: Ensure thorough execution of every aspect of the change with detailed checklists.
  • Assign Clear Roles and Responsibilities: Foster ownership and accountability among team members by defining roles.
  • Gain Enhanced Visibility: Keep track of change progress with a centralized dashboard.

Ensure Effective Planning for Released ECOs:

  • Create an MCO upon the release of a new product design or upon shop floor change requests.
  • Initiate a workflow to review and update process plans in response to requested changes.
  • Easily assign and monitor project queues for both teams and individuals.

Efficiently Reconcile mBOM and eBOM for manufacturing requirements:

  • Generate a detailed side-by-side comparison of the new eBOM and existing mBOM.
  • Easily identify differences with color-coded flags for quick attention.
  • Automatically pinpoint new system items or BOM additions.
  • Strategically plan inventory changeovers by identifying the last usage of items.
  • Seamlessly adjust quantities, set effectivity dates, and restructure items across operation sequence numbers.

Efficiently Manage Consumption Changes Driven by mBOM Updates:

  • Identify item consumption changes in process routings aligned with the mBOM.
  • Easily compare and locate differences between the mBOM and process library through a quick search.
  • Seamlessly integrate items into the routing using a user-friendly workbench that ensures alignment with the mBOM.
  • Streamline item relocation within the routing during task movement or line rebalancing.
  • Implement revision changes across all affected activities in response to ECOs.
  • Control ECO implementation with customizable effectivity dates, model specifications, and options settings.

At the core of Advantive’s PLM software solutions lies the vital concept of models and options, essential components in the production of intricate assembly products. Models typically encompass broad product types or families, while options denote specific features applied to these models, enabling extensive variation and customization.

While resembling sales configuration frameworks that govern feasible model and option combinations from an order and sales perspective, the utilization of models and options in process configuration serves a distinct purpose.

Each product model and option necessitate unique assembly processes. Some tasks may be applicable across multiple models and/or options, while others are specific to select models and/or options.

In Assembly Planner, this translates to streamlined operations:

  • Maintain a singular, adaptable process routing, filtered by model and option rules during inline balancing analysis, work instruction generation, and part delivery planning.
  • Capitalize on shared assembly tasks, eliminating redundancy by authoring tasks once and mapping them to all relevant model(s) and/or option(s), rather than duplicating and updating tasks across multiple documents.

Proplanner has extensive standard and custom reporting options. While we offer services to provide client-specific reporting and data exports, many clients can implement their own reports using our standard API’s and recent integrations to applications such as Power BI and Tableau.

One of our key data models is available in the open-format XML-based Scenario files, which is used extensively by the Assembly Planner application to share and store Line Balancing alternatives. This export contains detailed information on tasks, stations, variants (Models/Options), tools, components (3PR = Products, Processes, Plants and Resources).

Advantive’s PDM/PLM and ERP integrations can be handled via our extensive SQL-View, XML, or Web Service APIs.

  • ERP Integration: Advantive’s PDM API can support reading and writing both mBOM, Routing (BOP), and Order Build List data to and from all popular ERP systems such as Oracle, JD Edwards, SAP, and Mapics/Infor. Typically, our ERP integrations involve reading the Order Build List and writing out the mBOM and BOP Routing which manufacturing engineers author within Assembly Planner.The mBOM can be sent to ERP for a particular order configuration or as a collection of assemblies at specific versions and effectivity dates that correspond to change orders (either manufacturing or engineering initiated). In this way, Assembly Planner can reconcile and validate that BOTH the mBOM, and BOP Routing are reconciled to ensure that all process steps consume all components of the mBOM.The BOP Routing is typically exported at the Assembly Planner Operation or Station level of detail, which indicates the aggregated task times and component lists consumed on a station-by-station basis.
  • PDM Integration: Advantive’s PDM API can support reading CAD Model and Engineering Change Order data from any popular system such as Windchill, Teamcenter, and Enovia. This import includes graphical models but also the product structure and meta-data such as part numbers, revisions, descriptions, as well as Engineering Change attributes which specify added, removed, and replaced components with their respective quantities.


Proplanner data flows are shown between our PLM/MPM solution (Assembly Planner) and our MES solution (Shop Floor Viewer/MES) in coordination with a traditional ERP integration approach.

Speak to a PLM Software Expert

What to Expect

  • Free 20-minute call with a product expert
  • Live demo tailored to your industry requirements
  • Discover what products best fit your needs
  • No games, gimmicks, or high-pressure sales pitch

Proplanner’s Newest Features Enhance User Experience

Advantive is a trusted provider of specialty manufacturing, distribution, and quality solutions. We are committed to empowering businesses with practical tools and strategies aimed at driving success and enhancing efficiency. With the integration of Proplanner last year, we have enhanced our ability to provide end-to-end solutions that optimize efficiency, streamline processes, and drive success for … Continued

Connect with Advantive at NAFEM’s Annual Meeting and Management Workshop 2024

Join Advantive, David C. Greene, and Abishek Bandyopadhyay, for the upcoming North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) conference at The DeSoto Hotel in Savannah, GA, from February 5 – 8, 2024. About NAFEM The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) represents 500+ foodservice equipment and supply manufacturers, and serves a mixture … Continued

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Advantive solutions are trusted by hundreds of companies around the world:
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Experience The Difference

Try a free demo and see why we are the established market-leading provider of purpose-built software for specialty manufacturing and distribution companies around the globe.

By utilizing InfinityQS to implement SPC and Six Sigma best practices across our manufacturing processes, Ben & Jerry’s will continue to identify opportunities for cost savings and ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction. The result is the perfect pint for our customers.

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Nina King

Quality Supervisor

VIA IT’s automotive manufacturing solutions set the industry standard in traceability and sequencing software for the plant floor. In my opinion, it is the one product that all others should be compared to.

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Matt Warren

Traceability Manager

With Kiwiplan MES software, we have created plant-specific business rules and customized the solution to fit our exact paper packaging needs. It has helped us increase visibility across all facilities and stay competitive in difficult market conditions.

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Thomas M. Herlihy

Executive Vice President

Proplanner: Assembly-Focused PLM System

Proplanner’s Assembly PLM solution is the only Assembly-Focused PLM system available in the market today
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ProPlanner is now Advantive company!
 

New Customers

Existing Customers

Proplanner is the leader of PLM-MDM (Manufacturing Data Management for the Product Lifecycle) solutions

Proplanner’s Assembly PLM solution is the only Assembly-Focused PLM system available in the market today. While generic PLM systems can provide toolkits for companies to develop an Assembly PLM environment, this effort takes a great deal of time, money, and rare talent which companies should be spending on their own product development efforts (i.e. not re-inventing cost-effective, deployable solutions like Proplanner).

Proplanner’s PLM system includes 3D CAD Model Visualization/Annotation Editing, Process Video Capture and Analysis, a full Manufacturing Data Management (MDM) environment with integrated Computer Aided Process Planning (CAPP), Advanced Production Scheduling (APS) and downstream Manufacturing Execution (MES) which incorporates transactional Plan For Every Part (PFEP) electronic Kanban and Kitting.

  • Predefined workflows and data models optimized for assembly planning make for quick and effective deployment with guaranteed results.
  • Proplanner supports a wide range of workflows and will meet clients’ needs to ensure lean production.
  • Proplanner visually shows the ECO impact in side-by-side and step-by-step comparisons.

  • Integrated modules for Time Estimation, Line Balancing, Ergonomics, and Work Instructions designed specifically for assembled products guarantee the quickest results with the least amount of customization and training.
  • Proplanner provides teams with advanced analysis and balance capabilities, leading to results such as a 34% improvement in utilization.
  • Proplanner makes it easy to share data and have one common definition of the assembly process, so you can gather and present the information you need within minutes.

  • Proplanner’s assembly oriented MES (Shop Floor Viewer MES) and Andon (Factboard) systems provide a bi-directional flow of task-level information between manufacturing engineers and shop floor workers.
  • Publish Shop Floor Instructions directly from Assembly Planner’s Process Engineering database with annotated images, videos, controlled documents and even interactive 3D models are released via effectivity based on date, series, or even serial number.
  • Dashboards and reports are available to track who installed components, the serial number of the components, when the component was installed, and any issues that were found.

  • Unit-based Sequencing and daily/weekly Scheduling modules are optimized for the unique demands of complex mixed model production involving synchronized assembly lines.
  • Proplanner scheduling and sequencing tools have full access to process and logistics data in the Assembly Planner database.
  • Proplanner’s drag and drop user interface makes it easy to define constraints of varying severity and highlights issues found in different production sequences.

  • Increase the speed and quality of launching accurate work instructions and line balance scenarios to the shop floor while eliminating the cost of independent CAD viewers within Manufacturing Engineering and the Shop Floor.
  • CAD Models of any (and multiple) formats can be combined and viewed within the Assembly Planner. Drawings are synced based on Engineering Changes.
  • Users are free to filter by part, BOM, or process configuration data or by individual selection. Drawings can easily be used for dynamic planning as well as documentation purposes

  • A collaborative application used to document the storage and delivery plan for every part, with the ability to support execution and analysis. Low Cost, Easy to Use, and Quick Deploy eKanban and eKitting solutions designed specifically for Assembly plants. 
  • Proplanner provides a spreadsheet-based user interface for creating PFEP data, which can be directly transformed into physical kanban cards and electronic part picking signals. Part Requirements and Pick Lists are automatically updated when ECO’s are applied to the Assembly Planner. Synchronized Work Instructions and Kanban/Kit Lists reduce shop floor errors.
  • Proplanner synchronizes process plans, work instructions, line balances, and part plans. Rapidly generate and compare scenarios based on changing inputs and assumptions. Dashboards and reports for supermarket operators, supervisors, and managers enable better decision-making and awareness of issues.

Proplanner simplifies and clarifies the assembly environment

Advantive & Proplanner solutions are used by manufacturers around the world in the automotive, recreational vehicle, aerospace, agriculture and construction, military, white goods, highway vehicles, electrical equipment, medical device, and academic industries.

Educational Resources

Proplanner provides blogs, videos, instructional guides and more through Advantive’s support offering and product resources. Proplanner also provides some software applications for use at select educational institutions. For more information about educational partnerships, please contact Advantive Support.

System Installation, Configuration, and Implementation

We collaborate with your manufacturing, engineering, and IT teams to ensure that all system requirements are met, user permissions are correctly defined, and the system has been tested before installation begins. We can help you to determine the best way to transition existing data into the system and the appropriate system settings to optimize performance.

Flexible User Training

Learn how to navigate Proplanner efficiently while determining the best way to structure your data to maximize benefits. Onsite or through the web, for groups large or small, we can work with you to determine the best training approach for your team. Our hands-on training will save you time and rework, so you can create actual results faster.
Talk to an Expert

What to Expect

  • Free 20-minute call with a product expert
  • Live demo tailored to your industry requirements
  • Discover what products best fit your needs
  • No games, gimmicks, or high-pressure sales pitch