At Meccanostampi, scheduling is not an ancillary activity: it is the engine that aligns people, equipment and priorities to meet the delivery date required by the customer. That is why we have structured the scheduling of our two BUs, “Moldmaking ” and “Molding,” in an integrated way.
Today we operate with a multi-project management platform for tooling (design, construction, mold testing, and sample control) and an advanced planning and scheduling system (APS) for molding departments. The goal is one: optimize all resources, technical, human, and plant, and give customers reliability on dates.
Goals: reliable dates, saturated facilities, working capital under control
Our operational goal is twofold: to meet the required delivery date-even when it is challenging-and to saturate production facilities by optimizing available resources. In parallel, we aim to reduce inventory levels so as to limit capital tied up and make the chain leaner and more responsive.
Since 2022, we have been using an APS system to govern the entire cycle-from sales forecasts and what-if simulations to finite-capacity detail scheduling on presses, tooling, and auxiliary resources.
The starting point: standardizing methods and pooling know-how
Before the adoption of the ODA, we defined some cornerstones:
- Standardize working methods and track know-how within shared tools (integration with ERP).
- Reduce outdated “homemade” applications and replace them with a single reliable data source.
- Generate stable plans, maximizing the use of available resources.
- Unify finite-capacity planning and scheduling in one office to intercept upstream errors and potential bottlenecks.
- Plan plant and mold maintenance, putting it on a schedule without unforeseen impacts on production.
The expectation: more plant efficiency, less waiting time, and more production capacity for the same assets.
Grounding: solid data, clear flows, rapid scenarios
To make ODA effective, we worked on three fronts:
1) Data and additions.
We analyzed and coded essential data for planning: injection molding, manual machining (internal and external), materials, setup times, tooling constraints.ERP became the primary source with which APS dialogues to import demand, inventory, orders and master data.
2) Process and accountability.
We have redefined the order review flow, clarifying roles and timelines. The ODA acts as a proactive engine: it develops production and purchasing proposals consistent with actual needs, available capacity and customer priorities.
3) Simulation and Decision Making.
Using “what-if” simulations, planners evaluate alternative scenarios (urgencies, unavailability, forecast changes) in seconds, choosing the sequence that maximizes On-Time Delivery and press saturation while minimizing setup and waste.
How daily life on the ward is changing
On the shop floor, the first difference you notice is clarity on material availability. Integration between ERP and advanced planning allows actual inventories and destinations to orders to be verified at a glance; as a result, the purchasing department receives
The same transparency is reflected in lead times: by having a single view of all press loads and necessary tooling, planners can confirm precise dates to customers and track compliance throughout the cycle, with targeted interventions if critical issues emerge. Plans become more robust: timely management of action messages – advances, reschedules, postponements – optimizes unavailability calendars (presses, dies, resources) and cuts downtime.
Forecasts are also under control. Changes in customer schedules are automatically analyzed and compared with current inventories and plans; the system proposes
The results: more customer value, more high-impact time
This evolution frees up quality time: planners no longer have to manually “adjust” plans and can focus on optimization and continuous improvement. The customer immediately feels the benefit: accurately estimated dates, proactive communication about any deviations, and, when needed, alternatives such as splits or partial batches shared in advance.
Organizationally, the team works with a common method: clear rules, unambiguous data, defined responsibilities. And when unforeseen events come up-breaks, emergencies, mix changes-scheduling is quick and data-driven, keeping the two goals firm: satisfying the customer and optimizing resources.
Why it matters to those who choose us
- Reliable dates even on complex orders. Finite capacity makes the promise executable, not just estimated.
- More saturated plants, lighter warehouses. Realistic plans mean less waiting, less WIP and less capital tied up.
- Data-driven decisions. From forecast to press, every choice is traceable and measurable.
Advanced planning is not just technology: it is process discipline and data culture. It is how we turn plans into delivery, and complexity into reliability.
Meccanostampi. Where ideas take shape.
