Master production scheduling make-to-stock products: a framework for analysis

Excessive changes in MRP system schedules, commonly referred to as 'nervousness’, is frequently an obstacle in implementing an effective MRP based manufacturing planning and control system. This paper is concerned with the design of methods for freezing the master production schedule (MPS) as a way of controlling MPS stability under rolling planning conditions for make-to-stock products. It presents a framework for the design of MPS freezing methods and compares their performance when the design parameters of these methods are varied. Simulation experiments are reported that demonstrate important differences in performance considering criteria involving both the cost of lot-sizing the MPS and the stability of the master production schedule.