Building an active material requirements planning system
TIMON CHIH-TING DU, Philip M. Wolfe · International Journal of Production Research · 2000
A material requirements planning (MRP) system is usually implemented with several constraints, such as replenishment of inventories on a period-by-period bases, which obstruct its dynamic performance. This research proposes an active, bucketless, and real-time MRP system. The active MRP system utilizes hybrid architecture that includes an object-oriented database, fuzzy logic controllers, and neural networks. The object-oriented database, which maintains static data relationships, provides superior capabilities in reusability, complex structure operations, and potential integration. The complementary combination of fuzzy logic controllers and neural networks provides a model-free, human-like decision system. Adding triggers and assertions forms an active MRP model.