Production planning is an integrative process of coordinating the demand for

finished goods with available resources. Production planners may work many
months ahead of planned delivery to ensure that specific materials,
production capacity, and reliable quality management are available when
needed. Long term production planning (months or selling periods) is based
on forecasts, merchandise plans, and budgets, short term production
planning (days or weeks) is based on customer orders.
Scheduling is the process of assigning start times and completion times to
jobs or orders. Starting times determine the sequence in which orders are to
be processed. Assignments are made for each stage of the production
process. Back scheduling is often done to ensure meeting shipping
deadlines. Back scheduling begins with the order due date and calculates
backward from the last operation to the first to set the start date. Even the
most precise scheduling can meet obstacles in production. In monitoring
work flow, expediting often is necessary to keep priority orders on schedule.
Production planning at the corporate level is usually longer term. Corporate
production planner analyze potential sourcing strategies, types of styles in
the line, types of fabric, labor intensity of the line, planned volume per style,
reorder expectations, expected delivery dates, and the resources available.
Firms may decide to produce a product line in their own plants and/or to use
international or domestic contractors to execute production.
Long term production planner at the plant level are concerned with having
appropriate equipment, trained personnel, available capacity, and
established start dates appropriate for promised delivery dates. New styles
may require a change in processes, equipment, and a longer conversion
time. All of this must be built into the required production time for a style.
When operators are required to change styles frequently, extra time must be
built into the production schedule to allow them to make mental and physical
adjustments in handling a new fabrication or process.
Short term production planning at the plant level relates required production
times for styles on order (production standards) with available production
time in the plant. Style specefications and samples supplied by technical
designers describe the sequence of operations, materials to be used, special
skills and handling procedures, and quality requirements demanded for
production. Engineers may modify assembly methods to make the product
more producible, identify equipment to be used, and determine production
times for each operation.

Production planners who work for firms that do not own production plants
may oversee the work sourced from vendors. Some firms may turn short
term production planning and management functions over to an agent if
products are to be produced in a foreign country. As these functions move
farther from the firms management, less control is maintained over the
processes, quality, and delivery times.
Production planning involves coordinating plant capacity with style
requirements, projected volume, and shipping dates. Coordinating a plants
resources and activities requires teamwork and an integration of operating
systems. New technology that provides integrated systems throughout the
manufacturing process supports more accurate planning, scheduling, and
management of resources.

Production planning are used to accomplish the following objectives:

Estimate the rate or time for completion of each operation.

Determine the required capacity for an order or style.
Determine production start dates and completion dates for orders.
Plan the daily volume that should be completed.
Determine the backup inventory needed to support the work flow.
Determine how many operators and machines should be performing
each operation.
Schedule specialized equipment.
Balance work flow between departments and work centers.
Monitor production delays
Assess the performance of individual operators.

1. Apparel Merchandising by Jeremy. A. Rosenau, David L. Wilson, Page:

95,99
2. Apparel Manufacturing (Sewn Product Analysis), 4 th edition by
Ruth.E.Glock, Grace I. Kunz, Page: 373,374,378
3. Introduction to Clothing Production Management (2 nd edition) by A.J.
Chuter, Page: 105,107