Patent ID: 8731700
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: G05B,Y02P

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for determining a make-to-order process, for selecting from a process flow specifying a sequence of processes for manufacturing a product, a process for manufacturing after receipt of an order of the product, comprising, a storage section for storing, demand master information for specifying with respect to each product, an allowable delivery lead time that is allowed by a customer as a period from placing the order to delivering the product, and process network information for specifying a transit time of an item between the processes, and a control section, wherein, the control section performs processing of; calculating, with respect to each process for manufacturing the product, a process-specific lead time being proportional to a time length for processing a quantity of the item required for producing a quantity demanded, as to the product whose order is periodically received, calculating an additional value obtained by adding the process-specific lead time calculated for one process and a transit time between the one process and a previous process of the one process, sequentially from the lowermost stream process to an upper stream process of the process flow, so as to specify the one process which makes the additional value equal to or less than the allowable delivery lead time that is specified by the demand master information, and selecting a process starting from the one process being specified, as the make-to-order process within the process flow.