Steps or Elements of Production Planning and Control

Production control involves implementing the production plans in accordance with the planned schedules by coordinating different activities. It seeks to ensure that production operation occurs to planned operations. It directs and checks the course and progresses of the production work. It is primarily concerned with the orderly flow of materials, running of machines, smooth functioning of the manufacturing system, and checking the deviation from production plans. It ensures that actual performance of production activity occurs in accordance with the production schedules, routing, and programs.

1. Estimating

It involves deciding the quantity of output to be produced on the basis of the sales forecast. It also decides the requirements of manpower, machinery, and tools to meet the anticipated goals of production. Time of supply of materials and inventory level is also decided.

2. Planning

This is an important step towards planning and control of production. It refers to deciding in advance what is to be done in future. Separating of marketing planning function from the function of actual operation in an organization. Production planning is the basis of successful production control.

3. Loading

it is the assignment of particular jobs to men, machines and work centers on the source of their qualified capacities. Loading requires data concerning the time required to do a job, total workload capacity of each worker and machine, and availability of labor and machines. A loading chart shows the planned utilization of men and machines. Loading can utilize the productive capacities.

4. Scheduling

It establishes when an operation is to be performed, or when work is to be accomplished. It is a significant part of production control as all future production procedure is based on it. It allocates time for each operation of production. Scheduling ranks the job in order of its priority and then give for its release to the plant at the appropriate time and in the right sequence.

Scheduling begins with the preparation of a master schedule which represents the overall production programme of the plant for a given period of time. It shows weekly or monthly breakup of production.

5. Dispatching

After routing and scheduling, actual production begins when permission is granted to start operation according to plans prepared. Dispatching involves giving the necessary authority to start the work as per the schedule. Work orders and authorizations are issued to the production department to perform the work according to the planned program. It is the function that initiates production according to plans. The below-mentioned steps have to be taken to perform the function of the dispatching in a plant of manufacturing:

Giving work orders, instruction and necessary authority to start the work as per the scheduled around 
Issuing authority to the production department for using tools and predetermined schedule.
Maintain a record of the time of starting and completing each operation.
Collecting and then issuing to supervisors the drawings, specifications, materials, lists, job tickets, roué cards, requisitions, etc.
Issuing material from stores for different production processes.

6. Progressing or expediting or follow- up

The control objective of management is concerned with evaluations of results achieved against standards of performance. It is concerned equality with locating deviations in the implementation of production plans and arranges the essential curative steps to set things in order. Production plans obtain significance only when they are enhancement by expediting or follow function. This function ensures that the work is carried out as planned and delivery dates are met.

7. Inspection

It is carried to make sure whether the desired quality of production has been achieved or not. It is comparing the quality of work with established standards production control, not merely ensures that the goods are produced on time, but also sees as the goods produced are of accurate quality. this is doing through examination of manufactured products.  The reason behind of examination is to evaluate the quality of products with the product of best quality set earlier. It is an effective device of production control.

8. Replanning

Replanning is not corrective action. It may be necessary to revise routes, loads and schedules due to changes in manufacturing methods, marketing conditions, and many other factors. Certain changes in plant layout may also indicate that a new manufacturing plant is needed.

These steps or elements of production planning and control are essential to integrate the production planning and control system.