Methodological Issues of the Master Plan Schedule Construction in Mass Customization

Id: SCML10356 C. Chatras, V. Giard, M. Sali LAMSADE, Université Paris-Dauphine, Place de Lattre de Tassigny F75775 Paris, France Abstract In global mass customization supply chains, the geographical dispersion of plants complicates flow control. Because of the high product diversity, the MPS of the final assembly lines is defined for Alternative Modules (AMs). Analysis of the visible diversity, through a car configurator, shows restrictions in the combinations of AMs. Choices made by the customer from the visible diversity trigger choices in the non-visible diversity. Causes and formal representations of the relations between AMs are analyzed. The MPS construction rests on commercial forecasts, for few sets of AMs, and on production information. Their combination leads to a typology that decreases the number of MPSs to build. These MPSs can be defined either through the use of completely defined products, which implies a deterministic view of the MPS construction, or the direct use of planning bills of materials, which offers the possibility of managing, on stochastic bases, the production beyond the frozen horizon.In global mass customization supply chains, the geographical dispersion of plants complicates flow control. Because of the high product diversity, the MPS of the final assembly lines is defined for Alternative Modules (AMs). Analysis of the visible diversity, through a car configurator, shows restrictions in the combinations of AMs. Choices made by the customer from the visible diversity trigger choices in the non-visible diversity. Causes and formal representations of the relations between AMs are analyzed. The MPS construction rests on commercial forecasts, for few sets of AMs, and on production information. Their combination leads to a typology that decreases the number of MPSs to build. These MPSs can be defined either through the use of completely defined products, which implies a deterministic view of the MPS construction, or the direct use of planning bills of materials, which offers the possibility of managing, on stochastic bases, the production beyond the frozen horizon.