RE: Time Apportionment Puzzler -- MAPICS-L

Forwarded by moderator on behalf of Joan McCready
<jmccread@metaltekint.com>:
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We would also like an answer to this problem - we make stainless steel
castings using sand molds.  When we pour liquid alloy into the molds, the
pourers might be pouring two molds from one MO, at 2000 lbs metal each, and
10 molds from a second MO, at 500 lbs metal each.  If the pouring team jobs
on to both MOs at the beginning of the procedure and off when finished, the
time is allocated 50% to each MO, but the pouring time for the two big molds
might be 35% of the time and the 10 little molds the other 65%. Yet they
can't job on and off as they pour each job, because the two big molds are
likely to be between the little molds and they pour down the line (like
filling muffin tins with the same recipe, but the muffin tin has two large
muffin cups and ten small muffin cups in the tin).  (apologies for muddling
the example)

We've been struggling with this problem for the past six months, as we are
implementing shop floor (actual) reporting using PLMC (PaperLess MDCC).
(Until now, we just manually reported pieces completed and standard
(assumed) time agains the MO operations.)

PS - we can make NO modifications to programs or files - CEO's orders.

Joan McCready, IS Manager         phone:  636-479-4499
The Carondelet Corporation        fax:  636-479-3399
8600 Commercial Blvd              www.metaltekint.com
Pevely, MO  63070                 www.carondeletfoundry.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Wood [mailto:tomw@fortrecoveryindustries.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 9:39 AM
To: MAPICS-L@midrange.com
Cc: Barry Hounshell; Larry Holmes; Nate Pfeffer; Steve Reier
Subject: Time Apportionment Puzzler


Facts:
MAPICS XA Release 4
Job Off transactions
Data Collection Connection w/IBM 7526 terminals
PMC,PCC,IM

Background:
I work for a company that makes die castings and have encountered a problem
with apportioning or allocating actual labor and machine time.  The problem
occurs since MAPICS allocates or apportions time strictly accross
concurrently running MO's.  In our environment, we may have three or four
MO's running concurrently on the same machine, which is not a problem ....
however, each MO for a particular item may have a different number of
inserts or cavities which affects the allocation.

Example:
Think of it as a muffin pan that holds 8 muffins ... depending on
scheduling, the workcenter (muffin pan) may be running 4 blueberry, 2 raisin
and 2 plain muffins represented by 3 MO's.  In this example, MAPICS would
allocate 33% labor to each MO, when in reality we need 50% allocated to
blueberry, 25% to raisin and 25% to plain.

It sounds like a minor problem, but since we have 20 die cast  machines, it
has become a bigger issue than anticipated.  We hope to resolve within
MAPICS and without having the operators jump through too many reporting
hoops to accomplish this.  Also would like to keep mods and customization to
a minimum, if at all.  Keep in mind, we are using barcode data collection
terminals using DCC, scanning shop packet turnaround #'s.

Any input is appreciated, thanks.
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