Whereas in Preactor 200 FCS the ‘secondary resources’ are modelled as having infinite capacity, in Preactor 300 FCS these can be either modelled as infinite or finite so is a multiple constraint finite scheduling system.  Hence operators, tools and any other secondary constraint can be used as a constraint in generating the schedule.  The capacity of ovens, furnaces and tanks can also be modelled using secondary resources to restrict the number batch sizes within them.  Attributes of orders or products can be used to restrict which orders can go together say in an oven or tank.

Secondary resources can also be placed in groups and selections made within the group when scheduling.  This can be useful for modelling labour that has different skill sets.

More complex resource selection and routing constraints can be defined.  You can define ‘preferred resources’ within a resource group (workcentre). The resource group to be used on an operation step can be changed according the resource selected on the previous step.

Operations can be restricted on when they are placed depending on the timing of previous operations to limit the delay or force a gap between them.  The total duration of an operation (including suspensions due to off-shift time) can also be limited automatically.  Mid batch times (quantity completed at a specific time) may be entered and end times automatically re-calculated.

Hot spots grid available for tabular display of capacity usage.  Schedule analysis tool to compare alternate schedules based on due date compliance, make span and other criteria.

Additional reports available such as order and schedule cost.  Calculation uses the usage of resources, shift pattern multipliers and materials.