Alternate Route

 

Alternate Route is a schedule command that is somewhat similar to Or command in the way it functions.  In practice, however, it is used quite differently and is a much more powerful command.  For a given task (a group of operations to be performed), Alternate Route allows you to set up several alternate groupings of operations to accomplish this task. The scheduler will then choose the group that will lead to the best overall job completion date. 

 

Each "group" of operations is defined as an Alternate Route.  For example:

Operation                Resource

10                        Prep Work

Alternate Route

20                        Mill 1

And                        Mill Labor

30                        CNC 3A

Alternate Route

40                        CNC Mill

50                        CNC 4+

End Alternate Route

 

In the above example, the job can use either the first Alternate Route which has operation 20 with an And command and operation 30, or use the second Alternate Route which has operations 40 and 50.  The scheduler will select either the first route or the second route depending on what gives the best delivery date.

 

The above example shows a choice of two alternate routes.  Up to 99 alternate routes can be defined per Alternate Route grouping.  Alternate Routes cannot be nested.  That is, you cannot have an Alternate Route inside of another Alternate Route.

 

The Alternate Route time fence in days option sets the time fence for the alternate route command.  If a schedule is run and the routes fall outside the time fence (i.e. past the schedule start date plus number of days of the time fence), then all routes will be considered and the best will be chosen.  If another schedule is run while the routes are still outside the time fence, changing conditions may cause a different route to be chosen.  Once the routes fall within the time fence and one routing is chosen, the alternate route selected will not be changed during each schedule run so that the shop can see what work is coming down the line and on what resources.

 

If time is reported on a given resource in an alternate route group, that resource’s group becomes the selected alternate route during the next schedule run.

 

Example showing the Operations tab in Manufacturing Order Job Details and an alternate route command: