Hello Guys,
When I started with SAP and build my very first VC model, I used strategy 25 in material master , which says "Make-to-order for configurable material"
and at thats point of time my understanding was 25 is meant for MTO and there exist a strategy ** which would be "" Make-to-stock for configurable material"
But i havent find , so since long time I am looking for information on this topic, my first result was its not possible.
reason was configurable materials are highly engineered products, and produced only when we have a buyer for them.
But is it really true? I dont think we ever have a 100% make to order or 100% make to stock.
Even in case of make to order , there are certain assemplies as well as components which are procured or produced well in advance in enticipation of order.
So now the question was how to plan sub assemblies for my configurable material such that the lead time should be as low as MTS.
Some more search and reading take me to strategy 56 " BOM characteristics planning",
The strategies for configurable materials allow you to plan products with an almost unlimited number of possible combinations of characteristics and characteristics values.
if you want to plan a product that uses a feasible combination of characteristic values and that does not include final assembly.
Typical examples of such products are cars, elevators, forklifts, trucks, buses. If we try to create variant for all posisble conbinations , thousands of material variant needs to be created.
Below is the list of features strategy 56 have
- Very high number of variants
- Plan BOM components corresponding to characterstics
- BOM changes frequently
- Long BOM structures
- Requirements maintained automatically
- Configuration of materials in MD61 (planned independent requirements)
- Requirements determined according to usage probabilities
When creating or changing the planned independent requirements for configurable materials, the quantities and dates
of the planned independent requirements and the usage probabilities are maintained individually per date and quantity.
Create PIR for configurable material by specifying quantity, dates, usage probability
Create Planning Profile for Characteristics Planning
Mark those characteristics that should have a usage probability in demand management as Relevant for planning
Run MRP and planning for all levels will be done for all lower level.
Whenever a sales order will be created for configurable product it will consume the PIR plan through characteristic planning.
I am planning to create a document covering example for this strategy soon.
Reuesting you to share your experiance on this strategy if you are already using it.
Thanks
Ritesh