Object-Oriented Design of Manufacturing Database Helps Simplify Production Management in Small Firms

This paper proposes design rules in order to simplify current MRP II software systems and make them suitable for the small manufacturing firm. Simplification rules apply to production data management by reducing database complexity. This has consequences to medium-term requirements planning which is moved toward the realization of simultaneous material and capacity plannning. The simplification procedure is completed by applying aggregate decision models to shop floor control which allow the introduction of a minimimal transaction processing system. Object-oriented analysis concepts are used for the design of the primary production data model, which has a consistent effect on transaction data and decisional procedures throughout the whole production management software system.