Capacity planning software recommendations please?

I couldn't begin to recommend any particular package, but basically capacity management is an element of any ERP-type system so I would suggest we simply refer James to the mcs web page (www.mcsolutions.co.uk) where he can get the names of every package on the market.
Hope this helps.
Ian

Are these any help?
Modelling/Simulation planning. www.lanner.com
Lanner supply the Witness package.
www.mcsolutions.co.uk Preactor scheduling solution.
Chris

It sounds like you are in a short lead time environment. Consequently, I'd advise you to talk to Trevor Turner from Strathclyde, who delivered the Quick Response Manufacturing course last week. He could also advise on layout etc.
Also, Lindsay Harding wrote two articles in Control on QRM. He mentions MPX software for capacity analysis, with a simple MRP system for planning and POLCA for control.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Dave

Without more detailed knowledge of the issues to be addressed, it would appear that James requires a 'Capacity Planning' System that has very extensive modelling and what if functionality.

Traditional manufacturing rough cut capacity planning could achieve this by giving a specific infection (product) a typical phasing (routing) and estimating the facility (work centre) and medical skills (labour types) required to treat a complaint. This could be driven by a series infection scenarios (forecasts) to calculate the profile of medical and labour resources needed.

However I suspect that this would be cumbersome and would not model the varying needs of a typical infection (some people recover in a week with home confinement, others may take a month or more in hospital).

Many modelling packages take a risk based approach to resource calculations and I think these would be more suitable as they can generate a capacity profile which will vary with time following the onset of an infection.

I would recommend the preparation of a specification summarising all the variables that need to be modelled and how the tool would be used. This could then be put to the vendors of this class of software and their suggestions evaluated to determine the most effective and user friendly solution.

I may have grasped the 'wrong end of the stick'!, but I would be pleased to discuss this problem and my experience of capacity planning and modelling software in more detail.

Regards
Bill

Hello,

I am new to the forum. However, reading this thread I would recommend that an ERP system would be a suitable option to provide for the capacity planning requirements. IFS as a system is very strong in this area and has capacity planning, resource planning, interactive and graphical forecasting which can all be used for "what ifs" as well as a finite scheduler equal to that of preactor. THe benefits are there for a business and there is not 3rd party / interface required for this type of ERP system as it is all bundled where as with Preactor this interface would be required. My business operate with SAP which also offers these option but not to the level and ease of use as IFS. Hope this is of use.

JM