About IFS.ai MSO Simulation

IFS.ai MSO Simulation is a what-if analysis capability within manufacturing scheduling and optimization (MSO) that uses intelligent optimization algorithms to generate simulations of feasible and optimized production schedules in constraint-based manufacturing environments.

The feature allows planners to create hypothetical production scenarios and evaluate the impact of changes to resources. By comparing simulated production scenarios, users can understand the benefits and drawbacks of alternative production setups and make data-driven decisions before implementing operational changes.

Who This Feature Is For and Why It Matters

This feature is designed for roles involved in production planning and scheduling, including:

• Production planners and inventory part planners who create, run, and compare simulation scenarios, so they can test resource and capacity changes without affecting the actual production schedule.
• Production managers who compare scenarios to decide whether adding, removing, or changing machines, labor, or tools would improve delivery performance and resource use.

Use this feature when you need to:

• Evaluate alternative production schedules before implementing changes.
• Determine the impact of adding or removing resources.
• Assess the effect of changing resource capacities or calendars.
• Analyze bottlenecks and capacity constraints.
• Compare hypothetical production scenarios.
• Evaluate whether proposed changes improve key scheduling KPIs.

By using this feature, you can:

• Analyze production alternatives without affecting the actual production schedule.
• Identify bottlenecks before making operational changes.
• Evaluate capacity expansion opportunities.
• Compare different scheduling strategies and resource configurations.
• Support data-driven manufacturing decisions.

Where to Find It

Access this feature from the:

• MSO Simulation page
  • Product Area: Manufacturing Scheduling and Optimization (MSO)
  • Location: Full page
• Simulation Resource Assignments page
  • Product Area: Manufacturing Scheduling and Optimization (MSO)
  • Location: Full page
• Simulation Scenario Analysis page
  • Product Area: Manufacturing Scheduling and Optimization (MSO)
  • Location: Full page

How the Feature Uses Data

When finite scheduling simulation is executed, the feature extracts manufacturing scheduling data and turns it into an input load XML file. The file is sent to the scheduling engine, which generates a simulated optimized finite production schedule and returns the result.

In addition to the data explicitly defined for the simulation scenario, it extracts data such as:

• Shop orders (including operations and materials)
• Work calendars
• Material availabilities

 The feature does not use:

• Personal data
• Data not relevant for the scheduling scope

Understanding the Output

The feature produces a simulated finite schedule together with analytical comparisons against the production schedule and other simulation scenarios. The schedule is populated to the Simulation Resource Assignments page and the analytical comparison can be done on the Simulation Scenario Analysis page.

Enabling and Using the Feature

This feature is available for customers with access to Manufacturing Scheduling and Optimization.

Prerequisites

• Shop orders with operations have been generated and contain valid scheduling data such as machine setup time, machine run time, labor setup time, labor run time and labor crew size.
• High-quality master data is available, as schedule quality depends on the quality of the input data provided to MSO. For example:
  • Work centers, labor classes, and tools have been configured as required.
  • Resource calendars have been generated and accurately reflect actual availability.
  • Routings contain valid scheduling data such as machine setup time, machine run time, labor setup time, labor run time and labor crew size.
• A scheduling optimization configuration is available and connected to an operational scheduling server.

Configuration Requirements

• The site must be configured for MSO scheduling on the Finite Scheduling Basic Data page, with relevant parameters defined. The selected scheduling server configuration must be connected to an operational scheduling server.
• A simulation scenario must be created for the site on the Simulation Scenario page, specifying work center resources, persons, person groups and tool instances to be considered in the simulation.
• The dataset for the scheduling scenario must be active.

Review and Refine

• Review the work center resources, persons, person groups and tool instances data to be included in the simulation scenario.
  • Add or remove existing and hypothetical resources as required.
  • Review validity periods and Finite Capacity setting.

Schedule

A simulation scenario is scheduled by clicking Schedule Scenario on the Simulation Scenario page.

Example Actions

Based on extracted results, you may:

• Compare production and simulated schedules.
• Identify production bottlenecks and capacity constraints.
• Evaluate the impact of adding resources before making investments.
• Assess whether additional labor capacity improves delivery performance.
• Compare alternative production strategies using KPI-based analysis.
• Determine the most effective resource configuration for future operations.
• Implement validated changes in the production environment.

Important to Know

• MSO simulation uses advanced optimization algorithms to generate production schedules. It does not use machine learning models to create or optimize schedules.
• The generated schedule represents the best solution that the scheduling engine can produce based on the available data, business objectives, scheduling constraints and defined parameters.
• Schedule generation time and perceived quality may vary depending on the number of activities being scheduled, the complexity of the manufacturing environment, and the selected optimization settings, such as Schedule Acceptance Quality and Generate Schedule Within (Min).
• Schedule quality is directly affected by the quality and completeness of the input data, including routings, operation times, resource definitions, calendars, priorities, and due dates.
• Simulation scenarios are intended for evaluation purposes and do not automatically alter the production schedule.
• Simulation scenarios are limited to evaluating resource-related changes. Users can modify which resources are included in the scenario, adjust their validity periods, and capacity settings (finite or infinite). However, it is not possible the change resource calendars. Modifying production data such as shop orders, operations, or routings is also not possible.