Resources

Resources represent capacity. They represent a machine, a worker or a group of workers, or some logical limits.

Operations will consume capacity using loads.

Different types of resources exist:

  • A default resource is constrained with a maximum load size. The resource size defines how many operations that can use the resource in parallel.
    For detailed planning and scheduling this is the most suitable resource type.
    E.g. A resource that can run 2 jobs at the same time.
  • A bucketized resource is constrained with a maximum load quantity per time bucket.
    For master planning and rough cut capacity planning this is most suitable resource type.
    E.g. A resource that can produce 1000 units per week.
  • An infinite resource has no capacity limit.

Fields

Field

Type

Description

name

non-empty string

Unique name of the resource.
This is the key field and a required attribute.

description

string

Free format description.

category

string

Free format category.

subcategory

string

Free format subcategory.

owner

resource

Resources can be organized in a hierarchical tree.
This field defines the parent resource.
When an operation loads a resource which has members, the planning algorithm will select one of the child resource.

members

list of resource

Resources can be organized in a hierarchical tree.
This field defines a list of child resources.

location

location

Location of the resource.
Default is null.
The working hours and holidays for the resource are taken from the ‘available’ calendar of the location.

maximum

double

Defines the maximum size of the resource.
The default value is 1, i.e. a resource that can handle 1 operationplan at a time (provided of course that this operationplan requires 1 unit on the resource).
A problem is reported when the resource load exceeds than this limit.
This field is ignored on resource of type buckets and infinite.

maximum_calendar

calendar

Refers to a calendar storing the available capacity.
Use this field when the resource size is varying over time. If this field is populated, the field maximum is ignored.
On resources of type buckets this calendar defines the time buckets as well as the maximum quantity per time bucket.
This field is ignored on resources of type infinite.

available

calendar

A calendar specifying the working hours for the resource.

The working hours and holidays for the operation are calculated as the intersection of:

  • the availability calendar of the operation.

  • the availability calendar of the operation’s location.

  • the availability calendar of all resources loaded by the operation.

  • the availability calendar of the location of all resources loaded by the operation.

Default is null.

efficiency

double

The efficiency of this resource, expressed as a percentage. The operationplan duration will be extended or shrunk when this field is different from 100.

The default value is 100.

efficiency_calendar

double

Refers to a calendar storing the resource efficiency when it varies over time.

If this field is populated, the field efficiency is ignored.

cost

double

The cost of using 1 unit of this resource for 1 hour.

The default value is 0.

maxearly

duration

Time window before the ask date where we look for available capacity.

The default value is 100 days.

loads

list of load

Defines the capacity of the operations.

loadplans

list of loadplan

This field is populated during an export with the plan results for this resource. It shows the resource load profile.

The field is export-only.

The description of the loadplan model is included in the section on operationplan.

level

integer

Indication of how upstream/downstream this entity is situated in the supply chain.

Lower numbers indicate the entity is close to the end item, while a high number will be shown for components nested deep in a bill of material.

The field is export-only.

cluster

integer

The network of entities can be partitioned in completely independent parts. This field gives the index for the partition this entity belongs to.

The field is export-only.

setup

non-empty string

The name of the current setup of the resource, ie the setup of the resource at the start of the planning horizon.

setupmatrix

setupmatrix

The name of the setup matrix which specifies the changeover times between setups.

hidden

boolean

Marks entities that are considered hidden and are normally not shown to the end user.

Resource_default

A default resource is constrained with a maximum load size. The resource size defines how many operations that can use the resource in parallel.

For detailed planning and scheduling this is the most suitable resource type. E.g. A resource that can run 2 jobs at the same time.

No fields are defined in addition to the ones listed above.

Resource_buckets

A bucketized resource is constrained with a maximum load quantity per time bucket.

For master planning and rough cut capacity planning this is most suitable resource type. E.g. A resource that can produce 1000 units per week

No fields are defined in addition to the ones listed above, but the maximum_calendar field must is be specified.

A number of specialized operationresource subclasses exist to select in which bucket the capacity needs to be consumed: at the start of the operationplan, at the end of the operationplan or somewhere between the start and end.

Resource_infinite

An infinite resource has no capacity limit. It is useful to monitor the loading or usage of a resource without constraining the plan.

The fields ‘maximum’ and ‘maximum_calendar’ are unused for this resource type.